How can I get rid of the yellow exclamation mark against Com1

[Ukdodger]

I've tried cleaning the registry, uninstalling and reinstalling the port then rebooting but it's still there. Looking around the net there appears to be software that claims to be able to fix it but none of it is from MS. So I'm scared to use it. Also tried the MS Mrfixit but it couldnt. Does anyone have any ideas.

Thanks

 

[Berton]

Does your Notebook/Laptop actually have a 9-pin Serial [Comm] port on it? If so you might be able to Disable it in the BIOS. But that entry may also exist in the BIOS even if the port isn't physically there so also should be disabled. The disabling should keep Windows from knowing about it, if still in the Device Manager list right-click and Uninstall. If it comes back just Disable it.

 

[Ukdodger]

Does your Notebook/Laptop actually have a 9-pin Serial [Comm] port on it? If so you might be able to Disable it in the BIOS. But that entry may also exist in the BIOS even if the port isn't physically there so also should be disabled. The disabling should keep Windows from knowing about it, if still in the Device Manager list right-click and Uninstall. If it comes back just Disable it.

Thanks Berton. Yes it does but that's the serial port I'm trying to use. If I install a driver for the software I want to use it creates Com4 which is a working port. But the software in W7 expects to see Com1 which has the yellow mark. Somehow I need to map the software to com4 or fix the yellow mark on com 1. The software is old 32 bit which I have installed on a VM in W7.

 

[Berton]

Is your Win7 32-bit or 64-bit? If it's 32-bit you shouldn't need a VM to run 32-bit programs. Running programs in a VM that control devices such as ports on the computer tend to be problematic.

 

[Ukdodger]

Is your Win7 32-bit or 64-bit? If it's 32-bit you shouldn't need a VM to run 32-bit programs. Running programs in a VM that control devices such as ports on the computer tend to be problematic.

Thanks. Sadly it's 64 bit.

You're right about problematic!

The VM is configured to use com4 in the host and Com4 in the host has a working driver and no exclamation mark against it (unlike com1 in the host). But the link still doesnt work. What I dont know is if it's com4 that isnt working somehow or if it's the serial parallel cable connected to the 9way that's a dud. It was a cheap Chinese import. Do you know how I can test com4 as far as the 9way?

Thanks for you input.