Com Ports missing?

[alonso]

Hi guys,

I have a Dell vostro 1500 laptop that came with vista on, I got sick it so I installed a downloaded copy of xp on which is great but I'm missing all com ports!

I've installed all Dell drivers from the site including chipset but still nothing. I've gone to add new hardware and installed the com port which is now showing in device manager but with a !

I cant seem to find a driver? In resources it says "the device isnt using any resources because it has a problem"

I need to reprogram my dm500 but cant connect my serial lead!! Its doing my head in..

ANy ideas??

 

[hatab]

that's odd serial port will be part of chip set driver, i know you have said you have installed com port in new hardware, when you reboot is it still there or has it gone ?

on some laptops you can turn off devices in the bios, the o/s then doesn't see them, can you check that ser port is enabled might be under legacy devices.

 

[alonso]

thanks for the reply mate, yeah it stays there after reboot still with ! on it..

I've been into the bios and cant see com ports? Not a lot of options either. I also stuck the latest bios firmware on..

cheers

 

[hatab]

support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/.../pdf/TT9792MR.pdf

this is the link of the manual for a vostro 1500, as standard there appears in views of lappy and in the specs that it doesnt have a serial port ?

is the serial port you have an express card or a usb to serial adapter ?