serial port problems
Here is some info that may help if you have serial port connection problems.
I would get error messages unable to connect, or would loose connection. Would try to uninstall , reinstall software, same problems, even had our IT group replace laptop, same problems.
Am running windows 2000, even when i could not connect, could go into control panel, and windows would say serial port working, not conflicts etc., but just for the heck of it, selected to update serial driver, reinstalled driver, worked fine.
Now, i do this each time, pain in but, but serial problems go away if i just remember to let win2000 reinstall the drivers.
Maybe this will help