USB1 Problems detecting FF

[steamydave]

Hi,

I am having troubles installing the buggy on a laptop with USB1 not USB2.

I plug the buggy in, LED RD0 and RD1 both flash together, and the new hardware detection wizard starts after a bubble pops up saying Found New Hardware Formula Flowcode Buggy

I try to install the usb driver either from the CD that came with the buggy, or the downloaded version from the site. (HP-629) XP warns that the software hasn't been approved, so I continue anyway.

A message display saying there was an error during the installation of the device, "the system couldn't find the file specified"

The LEDs alternate on the buggy. If I finish the hardware wizard, it pops backup saying new hardware found, and triggers the wizard again.
I can program the buggy in this state - ie switch on all the LEDs.

The problem is, when I disconnect the buggy and re-connect it, the new hardware cycle starts all over again, with both LEDs flashing together.

If I cancel the new hardware install routine, then the LEDs stay flashing together, but the buggy can't be seen by the porgrammer.

Any suggestions please,

Dave

[Benj]

Hello

Try installing the drivers from here.

http://www.matrixmultimedia.com/softwar ... rivers.zip

We have tested the FF Buggy with a USB1.1 machine and found no problems.

Let me know how you get on.

[steamydave]

Hi Ben,

I think these were the drivers I tried. Anyway, no luck.

Same problem, the install of the drivers ends with an error, and that’s why the whole thing starts up again.

I have just plugged the FF buggy into a newer laptop with USB2, and it all installed ok from the drivers you suggested.

Going back to the older laptop, I tried deleting the driver file from the C:\windows\system32\drivers folder, deleted the device, rebooted the laptop and then tried to re-install, and still the same result.

I suspect that the easiest route is to install the software on the newer laptop, but that means I will need to swap between the 2 for other chip programming.

Any more suggestions would be most welcome.

Dave

[Steve]

Hello Dave,

Have you tried "pre-installing" the drivers using the EXE file within that ZIP file?

You should run this EXE when the device is not plugged in. When the device is plugged in, the installation wizard will start (first time only) and you should select "install automatically".

I know it's not a problem with USB1.1 - we've done quite a bit of testing here and not had a problem.

Could you please tell us the OS version of the problematic PC.

[steamydave]

Thanks Steve.

I unplugged the buggy, booted the laptop from scratch, and installed the software directly from the installer in the ZIP file.

I then plugged in the buggy, and selected Automatic install when asked. At the end of the install, the following message appears...

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cannot Install this Hardware

There was a problem installing this hardware

Formula Flowcode Buggy

An error occurred during the installation of this device
The system cannot find the file specified

Click Finish to close the wizard.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
At this stage (with the error message on the screen) then buggy is now waiting for programming with the 2 leds alternating - so it is able to talk to the laptop.
I could now download the software to the buggy, but as soon as the buggy is reset or plugged back in, the laptop sees it as a new device, requiring the installation of the drivers.

Laptop details are as follows:

Toshiba Satellite Pro 126MB memory

Windows XP Pro 5.1.2600 Service Pack 2 Build 2600

The buggy appears as a device...

Formula Flowcode Buggy USB\VID_12BF&PID_00A0\5&344CC669&0&2 if that means anything to anybody!

Under device manager the driver details are

File Version: 1.00.005

Hope this helps

[Steve]

What about this:

http://forums.techguy.org/windows-nt-20 ... uring.html

Please let me know if this helps.

In the meantime, I'll continue to have a search.

[Steve]

Another similar problem here:

http://forums.windrivers.com/vb/showthread.php?t=30865

This one suggests uninstalling the device from the "Device Manager", restarting the PC and then running the driver installation from the beginning.

[steamydave]

Hi Steve - stop looking!!!!

OK, what I did was this....

Uninstalled ALL flowcode software that had been installed. Rebooted the laptop.

Installed the drivers from the version on your website.

Rebooted the Laptop

Checked in the registry, and the RunOnce key was missing from HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion
so as the instructions said, added the key back again.

Plugged the buggy in and switched it on - automatic install - and this thim it got to the end correctly without an error. Wooo Hooo!

BUT, I now don't know which fix fixed it!

I'm now re-installing the Flowcode software! Fingers crossed.

(have unplugged and plugged the buggy back in and it is ready to download - no reinstall required).

Many thanks for your help, I'll shout if things go downhill from here !!!


Dave

[steamydave]

OK, Flowcode and PPP re-installed, and all seems to be working fine!

Now just got to get my head round PWM, but thats another matter!!!!

Thanks for all your help,

Dave

[Steve]

Great news, Dave.

I think it was the "RunOnce" key issue, because neither Flowcode nor PPP have anything to do with the drivers for the buggy.

It seems to be a common error in Windows driver installations.

We'll shortly have a Flowcode component just for the buggy, which should allow you to write code for it without needing to understand PWM.

[steamydave]

Thanks Steve,

I think you are right about the registry key - this may be of use for others.

I will sort out the PWM, but will raise it as a separate post, as it is not to do with this thread.

Cheers,

Dave