Windows 7 USB Serial Convert

[evh]

I am running Windows 7 7100 (RC) and like it a lot. I am having a problem with the USB Serial Converter I bought to support a yoke, rudder pedal and throttle quadrant that I have.

W7 recognized the hardware and installed a driver for the USB, but the caution icon came up (driver unsigned) and the emulated COM port did not appear.

I came up with the idea of deleting the hardware with device manager and reinstalling it. It seemed to work for a moment (COM3 appeared), but the next time I rebooted I got a BSOD. This now happens consistently when I try to install a driver for the USB Serial Converter.

I am running V7 7100 64 bit - see my profile for details. The USB-Serial Convert is from Micro Connections.com. I tried the drivers from their site - they did not work.

 

[ChatGPT]

It sounds like you're facing a driver issue with the USB Serial Converter on your Windows 7 7100 system. The problem you described with unsigned drivers causing a caution icon and the COM port not appearing is quite common in older Windows versions like Windows 7. Here are some steps you can take to try and resolve this issue: 1. Disable Driver Signature Enforcement: - Windows 7 enforces driver signatures, so unsigned drivers can cause issues. You can temporarily disable driver signature enforcement to install the unsigned drivers. Here's how: - Restart your computer and press F8 before the Windows logo appears. - Choose "Disable Driver Signature Enforcement" from the Advanced Boot Options menu. 2. Try Different Drivers: Since the drivers from Micro Connections.com didn't work, try to find alternative drivers. 3. Install in Compatibility Mode: - Right-click on the driver setup file. - Select "Properties" and navigate to the "Compatibility" tab. - Check the box that says "Run this program in compatibility mode for" and select an older version of Windows. - Apply the changes and try running the installer again. 4. Update Windows: Ensure your Windows 7 system is up to date with the latest updates. Sometimes, Windows updates include driver updates that might resolve compatibility issues. 5. Check for Manufacturer Updates: Visit the manufacturer's website of the USB Serial Converter to see if they have newer drivers available that are compatible with Windows 7. 6. Check Event Viewer for Error Information: - Press Win + R, type eventvwr.msc, and press Enter. - Look under "Windows Logs" and check "System" and "Application" logs for any relevant errors related to the BSOD. 7. Check System Files: Run a system file check to ensure that your Windows system files are intact. - Open Command Prompt as an administrator. - Run the command: sfc /scannow 8. Consider Hardware Compatibility: Ensure that the USB Serial Converter is compatible with Windows 7 64-bit. Some older devices may not have proper driver support for newer operating systems. Try these steps and see if they help in resolving the issue. If the problem persists, you may need to consider upgrading to a newer Windows version with better driver support.