Garmin GPS & Windows XP Professional

[Emjaytoo]

I am trying to connect my Garmin Etrex to my laptop via a USB serial adapter so I can use chart plotting software. Every time I connect the Etrex the laptop becomes highly unstable and crashes completely in a matter of seconds. I have been told the laptop thinks thinks the Etrex is a microsoft ball point mouse and I should disable that. Every time I try that the laptop freezes. HELP!

 

[Birdseye]

This is a subject that has come up many times. There is a microsoft tool called comdisable which you can download from MS and which basically tells your lappy that the port it is listening to is not a serial mouse. However, I suggest you do a search on this forum and YM for much better explanations than I am capable of.

 

[henkm]

Birdseye is right.
The links are:
http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=en&am...s.asp.att.net#s
and
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;819036

Nice nick name you have chosen, "Kim";-)

Henk

--
http://www.filo.nl/zeilen

 

[boatmike]

Yes it is a common problem. Assuming that your GPS input is in NMEA mode and works OK on serial which of course can only be tested if you have a computer with serial ports, then your problem is with the serial/USB converter. The Garmin one which is about £45 does not work with XP as its driver CD was written for win 98. Buy one from Tiny computers (as I did) or Maplin on line for about £12. Install the driver disc that comes with it and plug in and it should work. What is happening now is that when you plug it in the mouse arrow flies all around the page and switches everything on and off at random doesn't it? While this is happening you can't use com-disable or any thing else and in any case you don't want to disable the port, just tell it this ain't a mouse! It's all in the driver disc.