I've got a AKM cable I built from the kit, based on the Max232 chip for my 92 TPI with 730 ecm. I'm using it with a Vaio laptop with no serial port, so I bought a USB to serial adapter. I'm also running on Windows XP Pro.

I built the converter, put the cable together, and hooked it up to my laptop. The first test I was instructed to do was to test the converter in Hyperterminal - it worked perfectly. So I tried it with the car - nothing. I came back to look for answers. I have no infrared ports or anything, no sync software or stuff like that. I found an ALDLtest program from www.ttspowersystems.com (they make Datamaster) and tried it. It tests in three phases: 1st with DTR power, 2nd with RTS power, and 3rd with both DTR and RTS. I have no idea what those mean. The first two phases failed, but the third one passed.

I figure that anybody who understands this stuff would see some clues in there. The cable assembly is at least somewhat working if it succeeds in Hyperterminal and in one of the phases of ALDLtest, I just don't know where to go from here.

What should I do? Thanks guys, hope you can help.

 

Win XP and USB to serial adaptors are a flakey arrangement at best. Some people have gotten them to work and others have just given up. What I'd suggest is to look on Ebay for an older Pentium 1 laptop (100-166 mhz), they have serial ports, and use win 98 on it. The laptops can be had for well under $100, usually $50 or so. Just be sure to get one with an "Active Matrix TFT" display, these are the best for visability,

 

Yeah I'm working with Andrew from AKM cables to try and get it to work on my laptop - I don't think I'm going to get another laptop and try to get it to work on this one for now. Any suggestions?

 

Try using Dos or Win 98. I found using Craig's software, that it didn't really like Win 2K or XP. (More proof M$ is evil). When running on XP or 2k it wouldn't connect most of the time, it sometimes would connect then lose it. Booted off an old Win 98 CD connects everytime and Quickly!

HTH

 

I recall rumblings of XP dos support being reduced from what 98 had. We have a dos serial comunications program at work that works real buggy. It will work one time. Then 6 hrs later no communcations errror messages. It's $5k to upgrade so were real motivated to make it work.

 

take it easy on the DOS stuff guys. =) MS DOS is, what, 15 years old now? and M$ is evil for pushing it to the way-side? Yikes. Blindly jump on band wagons much? =)

That Craig's software doesn't work in 2K/XP is not 2K/XP's fault. Its because his software is written in QB, which, by itself is 10 years old. Even the most recent QB linker/compiler far outdates 2K/XP, hence the incompatibility! You can *always* (do as I've done to make craigs sw work and) create a DOS boot disc and copy his exe to the diskette. Works without problem! Craigs software rocks.

And, if you truly can't get DOS to work or, like me, simply think its unnecessary anymore, the next version of GMECM Edit (under a new name) will support 8192 ALDL data monitoring. =)

 

I found that amusing too, considering the DOS that most everyone knows and remembers is....TA DA! MS DOS! So mickeysoft is evil for outdating one of their own operating systems...not like they put anyone out of business by getting rid of MS DOS.

DOS is way more that 15, first it was IBM's DOS (in the day of ...the 8086 & 8088 machines), then along came the devil disguised as little Billy Gates.....

 

No they aren't evil for pushing it to the way side...evil cause programs don't work (backwards compatible). There are other types of systems that don't break stuff like the "new" versions of windows do. Dos is easy..I just wish I didn't have to carry around the DOS boot disk...can't wait to try the new program.