Update on serial port redirection and advice needed

April 15, 2008

About a month ago, I posted about having serial port redirection issues.

Vera directed me to a KB article where I had to get Microsoft support to

provide a hotfix on the Terminal Server. This was done and this is where the

project stands:

The program does work on a thin client that has Windows XP Embedded, however

it still does not work on another thin client that has Windows CE 4.2. The

case with Microsoft has not been closed yet and still is a open issue (the

Microsoft support is well worth the cost). They have referred me to KB

#887695 where I contacted HP and they walked me through the steps of

upgrading to the current CE version.

So I know the server is redirecting the ports correctly, there is not a

problem with the code, everything works as it should with Windows XP

embedded, but not with the current Windows CE (and 99% of our clients are

running CE).

Any thoughts or suggestions?

April 15, 2008

Re: Update on serial port redirection and advice needed

What's the hardware you connect to the serial port?

If you need to interact with a hardware device that needs a locally

installed driver, you'll need Windows XP embedded.

This is one of the major decision questions when buying thin

clients.

_________________________________________________________

Vera Noest

MCSE, CCEA, Microsoft MVP - Terminal Server

TS troubleshooting: http://ts.veranoest.net

*----------- Please reply in newsgroup -------------*

=?Utf-8?B?QnJhZA==?= <Brad@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote on 15

apr 2008:

> About a month ago, I posted about having serial port redirection

> issues. Vera directed me to a KB article where I had to get

> Microsoft support to provide a hotfix on the Terminal Server.

> This was done and this is where the project stands:

>

> The program does work on a thin client that has Windows XP

> Embedded, however it still does not work on another thin client

> that has Windows CE 4.2. The case with Microsoft has not been

> closed yet and still is a open issue (the Microsoft support is

> well worth the cost). They have referred me to KB #887695 where

> I contacted HP and they walked me through the steps of upgrading

> to the current CE version.

>

> So I know the server is redirecting the ports correctly, there

> is not a problem with the code, everything works as it should

> with Windows XP embedded, but not with the current Windows CE

> (and 99% of our clients are running CE).

>

> Any thoughts or suggestions?

April 15, 2008

Re: Update on serial port redirection and advice needed

The hardware is what is called a MOCON Skye Model 2000b. It is a burst

tester to see at what PSI a bag (or storage box) will burst when air is being

pumped into it. It is only one-way direction. When the bag bursts, the

current psi and some other data is sent to the unit's display and through the

RS232 serial port.

Microsoft directed me to KB 887695 "Cannot receive data from an RDP

re-directed serial port in Microsoft Windows CE .NET" which directs the

reader to KB 837392 "How to locate core operating system fixes for Microsoft

Windows CE Platform Builder products" which pretty much says to contact the

manufacturer (in this case HP) to get an update. HP provided me with the

update yesterday. However, I just spoke with them again this morning and

they are going to review this KB article, escalate the case and they are

supposed to get back with me in the next couple of hours.

But because it is a one-way data communication, does there have to be a

driver?

"Vera Noest [MVP]" wrote:

> What's the hardware you connect to the serial port?

> If you need to interact with a hardware device that needs a locally

> installed driver, you'll need Windows XP embedded.

>

> This is one of the major decision questions when buying thin

> clients.

>

> _________________________________________________________

> Vera Noest

> MCSE, CCEA, Microsoft MVP - Terminal Server

> TS troubleshooting: http://ts.veranoest.net

> *----------- Please reply in newsgroup -------------*

>

> =?Utf-8?B?QnJhZA==?= <Brad@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote on 15

> apr 2008:

>

> > About a month ago, I posted about having serial port redirection

> > issues. Vera directed me to a KB article where I had to get

> > Microsoft support to provide a hotfix on the Terminal Server.

> > This was done and this is where the project stands:

> >

> > The program does work on a thin client that has Windows XP

> > Embedded, however it still does not work on another thin client

> > that has Windows CE 4.2. The case with Microsoft has not been

> > closed yet and still is a open issue (the Microsoft support is

> > well worth the cost). They have referred me to KB #887695 where

> > I contacted HP and they walked me through the steps of upgrading

> > to the current CE version.

> >

> > So I know the server is redirecting the ports correctly, there

> > is not a problem with the code, everything works as it should

> > with Windows XP embedded, but not with the current Windows CE

> > (and 99% of our clients are running CE).

> >

> > Any thoughts or suggestions?

>

April 15, 2008

Re: Update on serial port redirection and advice needed

No idea, that's a question for the vendor of the device.

Does it come with any software? Have you checked the system

requirements? I can't find them on Mocons website.

_________________________________________________________

Vera Noest

MCSE, CCEA, Microsoft MVP - Terminal Server

TS troubleshooting: http://ts.veranoest.net

___ please respond in newsgroup, NOT by private email ___

=?Utf-8?B?QnJhZA==?= <Brad@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote on 15

apr 2008 in microsoft.public.windows.terminal_services:

> The hardware is what is called a MOCON Skye Model 2000b. It is

> a burst tester to see at what PSI a bag (or storage box) will

> burst when air is being pumped into it. It is only one-way

> direction. When the bag bursts, the current psi and some other

> data is sent to the unit's display and through the RS232 serial

> port.

>

> Microsoft directed me to KB 887695 "Cannot receive data from an

> RDP re-directed serial port in Microsoft Windows CE .NET" which

> directs the reader to KB 837392 "How to locate core operating

> system fixes for Microsoft Windows CE Platform Builder products"

> which pretty much says to contact the manufacturer (in this case

> HP) to get an update. HP provided me with the update yesterday.

> However, I just spoke with them again this morning and they are

> going to review this KB article, escalate the case and they are

> supposed to get back with me in the next couple of hours.

>

> But because it is a one-way data communication, does there have

> to be a driver?

>

> "Vera Noest [MVP]" wrote:

>

>> What's the hardware you connect to the serial port?

>> If you need to interact with a hardware device that needs a

>> locally installed driver, you'll need Windows XP embedded.

>>

>> This is one of the major decision questions when buying thin

>> clients.

>>

>> _________________________________________________________

>> Vera Noest

>> MCSE, CCEA, Microsoft MVP - Terminal Server

>> TS troubleshooting: http://ts.veranoest.net

>> *----------- Please reply in newsgroup -------------*

>>

>> =?Utf-8?B?QnJhZA==?= <Brad@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote on

>> 15 apr 2008:

>>

>> > About a month ago, I posted about having serial port

>> > redirection issues. Vera directed me to a KB article where I

>> > had to get Microsoft support to provide a hotfix on the

>> > Terminal Server. This was done and this is where the project

>> > stands:

>> >

>> > The program does work on a thin client that has Windows XP

>> > Embedded, however it still does not work on another thin

>> > client that has Windows CE 4.2. The case with Microsoft has

>> > not been closed yet and still is a open issue (the Microsoft

>> > support is well worth the cost). They have referred me to KB

>> > #887695 where I contacted HP and they walked me through the

>> > steps of upgrading to the current CE version.

>> >

>> > So I know the server is redirecting the ports correctly,

>> > there is not a problem with the code, everything works as it

>> > should with Windows XP embedded, but not with the current

>> > Windows CE (and 99% of our clients are running CE).

>> >

>> > Any thoughts or suggestions?

April 15, 2008

Re: Update on serial port redirection and advice needed

Like I thought, there is no driver for the device. I am still waiting on HP

to call me back.

"Vera Noest [MVP]" wrote:

> No idea, that's a question for the vendor of the device.

> Does it come with any software? Have you checked the system

> requirements? I can't find them on Mocons website.

> _________________________________________________________

> Vera Noest

> MCSE, CCEA, Microsoft MVP - Terminal Server

> TS troubleshooting: http://ts.veranoest.net

> ___ please respond in newsgroup, NOT by private email ___

>

> =?Utf-8?B?QnJhZA==?= <Brad@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote on 15

> apr 2008 in microsoft.public.windows.terminal_services:

>

> > The hardware is what is called a MOCON Skye Model 2000b. It is

> > a burst tester to see at what PSI a bag (or storage box) will

> > burst when air is being pumped into it. It is only one-way

> > direction. When the bag bursts, the current psi and some other

> > data is sent to the unit's display and through the RS232 serial

> > port.

> >

> > Microsoft directed me to KB 887695 "Cannot receive data from an

> > RDP re-directed serial port in Microsoft Windows CE .NET" which

> > directs the reader to KB 837392 "How to locate core operating

> > system fixes for Microsoft Windows CE Platform Builder products"

> > which pretty much says to contact the manufacturer (in this case

> > HP) to get an update. HP provided me with the update yesterday.

> > However, I just spoke with them again this morning and they are

> > going to review this KB article, escalate the case and they are

> > supposed to get back with me in the next couple of hours.

> >

> > But because it is a one-way data communication, does there have

> > to be a driver?

> >

> > "Vera Noest [MVP]" wrote:

> >

> >> What's the hardware you connect to the serial port?

> >> If you need to interact with a hardware device that needs a

> >> locally installed driver, you'll need Windows XP embedded.

> >>

> >> This is one of the major decision questions when buying thin

> >> clients.

> >>

> >> _________________________________________________________

> >> Vera Noest

> >> MCSE, CCEA, Microsoft MVP - Terminal Server

> >> TS troubleshooting: http://ts.veranoest.net

> >> *----------- Please reply in newsgroup -------------*

> >>

> >> =?Utf-8?B?QnJhZA==?= <Brad@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote on

> >> 15 apr 2008:

> >>

> >> > About a month ago, I posted about having serial port

> >> > redirection issues. Vera directed me to a KB article where I

> >> > had to get Microsoft support to provide a hotfix on the

> >> > Terminal Server. This was done and this is where the project

> >> > stands:

> >> >

> >> > The program does work on a thin client that has Windows XP

> >> > Embedded, however it still does not work on another thin

> >> > client that has Windows CE 4.2. The case with Microsoft has

> >> > not been closed yet and still is a open issue (the Microsoft

> >> > support is well worth the cost). They have referred me to KB

> >> > #887695 where I contacted HP and they walked me through the

> >> > steps of upgrading to the current CE version.

> >> >

> >> > So I know the server is redirecting the ports correctly,

> >> > there is not a problem with the code, everything works as it

> >> > should with Windows XP embedded, but not with the current

> >> > Windows CE (and 99% of our clients are running CE).

> >> >

> >> > Any thoughts or suggestions?

>

April 17, 2008

Re: Update on serial port redirection and advice needed

Vera,

Would you know if there is a way to upgrade CE to XP Embedded on clients?

HP gave me the latest upgrade for CE that they have and it is strange that

it still does not work. The device feeds the data to the program when

running on Windows XP Embedded, but not Windows CE.

Any new thoughts? We also do have a call into one of the engineers for the

company that makes the device.