GregP

Anyone using the ACCEL Gen 7 DFI? I tried recently to get my laptop to connect to the ECU and now can't get my USB/COM/ECM connection to work. I had been able to get it to connect previously, but the project has been on hold for a while (about 2 years) and apparently with all the Windows updates and such I can't get it to connnect. I'm using the same USB/COM adaptor I did previously, and the same settings (9600B, 7 Date Bits, No Parity, 1 Stop bit) but the adapter now installs as COM7 as my Blackberry has snagged COM5&6.


What setings/hardware/software are others using that will connect to the ECU? Also wondering if the new USB cable ACCEL sells works any more reliably?

Thanks - Greg

MrForce

Did you reload the USB adapter software? With the laptop on, plug in the adapter cable. If it does not make the USB recognition sound, the problem is at the laptop. If it recognizes the cable, the problem is further downstream.

Rob

zwede

It's possible the Accell software won't see COM7. I have a Holley EFI system and it will only use COM1-COM4.

See if you can select which COM port the adapter uses.

GregP

The computer sees the adaptor COM port in the device manager and I get the connection light at the adaptor but no flashing Tx or Rx lights when I ask CALMAP to connect.

I've wondered about the COM port being beyond what the software will access but have no way to move the other ports so I can assign a lower number port to the adaptor. Windows won't tell me what is using COM3 and COM4, just that they are in use. Com5 and COM6 are used by my Blackberry sync software.

Since they now have a "USB" connector cable they sell I downloaded their lastest software version, which loaded the same driver as I already had with my USB/COM adaptor so I'm guessing they just integrated an adaptor into their cable.

I looked at their online Tech support but their are no entries since 2004 (when lots of people were having problems with only some model/brand USB/COM adaptors working). I sent an email to their tech support addy as well, will see if I hear anything from them.

-Greg

zwede

Go into the BIOS setup and see if you have the option to disable some of the built in COM ports. That should free up some of the lower numbers.

MrForce

The device manager should tell you which com port the USB adapter is assigned to.

GregP

Going into the BIOS is probably above my computer skill level these days.

The device manager will show what port was auto-assigned. I can also change the port with the device manager as long as it isn't already in use. I tried setting it to COM2 as it showed free, but also with no success. I think COM1 and COM2 are usually dedicated by the system so I'm not sure if the reassignment actually works with them or not.

GregP

I tried an uninstall and reinstall on the USB/COM adaptor. It shows the same results (default to COM7) and drivers. I'm guessing that the COM3 and COM4 shown as in-use but not shown in the device driver COM ports active list are being grabbed by my USB printer and mouse?? (Last time I successfully used the adapter to talk to the ECU I think I still had a wired PS2 mouse which could have left COM4 available for the adaptor)

-g

MrForce

So are you right clicking to go online and choosing Com 7?

GregP

Yes

MrForce

What error message do you get?

GregP

The same as if you ask for a connection with nothing hooked up, "Couldn't open a COM port on your computer."

GregP

Well, there is definitly something weird going on with my laptop. I found a COM port monitor program (Portmon). I loaded it on my work laptop and it correctly identified both the physical and virtual com ports and showed the CalMap program sending multiple read requests to COM1 (which wasn't hooked to anything).

I came home and loaded the same software on my laptop. First it didn't automatically recognize the laptop, I had to ask it to connect to the local machine. Next, it didn't find any COM ports at all. Not the USB/COM adaptor, not the virtual ports, not the one to my Blackberry (which does work).

Both laptops are running XP Pro, but the programs response is totally different between them. I have no idea what is different but there must be something buried in Windows somewhere. Even the windows Device Manager is different on the two, on my home system it doesn't have the "resources" tab to check IRQ or memory addresses at all.

Confused and still stuck - Greg

GregP

I made some progress but no actual resutls. I found that COM4 was being used by the laptop internal modem. I disabled the modem and was able to assign the USB/COM adaptor to COM4.

I hooked it up and when I start the laptop software I do get a couple blinks of the Rx light on the adaptor, so it looks like the software is trying to talk to the COM port but it still won't connect. I have the COM settings the same as my notes on the manual from before. The car starts so the ECU isn't dead, but I have no idea where to go next. The vendor (ACCEL) tech support isn't any help, no reply to their support email line and their FAQ/Question section hasn't had anything new since 2007.

I may just throw it all away and get a carburator and manifold.

GregP

Ok, engage stupid flag.



The USB/COM adapter wouldn't auto-install at COM1, but since it didn't show as in use I thought I'd try forcing it to COM1 using the hardware manager. It still gives the "can't connect" message, but after the message cleared it connected and accessed the ECU. I thought I'd gotten it to conect on COM4 before as the old computer had the mouse on COM1, but COM1 now works. Now I need to try loading a better map file and see if I can lean it out enough that it isn't belching smoke and blackening the plugs so I can see if I can actually tune it a bit.

Just an FYI, I had tried COM2 previously which did not work either.

-Greg