Just wanted to let eveyone know that I was able get the Radio Shack USB to Serial adapter to work with WinALDL & Windows XP.
I had previously seen posts of people having problems with adapters, so here is a combo that does work.

 

I had some trouble with this on a five-year-old Toshiba running W98SE. I was trying to use WinALDL and Tuner RT simultaneously. WinALDL needed to use the native serial port (didn't have the configuration option for, hm, COM 3 or COM 4?), Tuner could use the new ports. However, I kept getting system lockups when switching back and forth between the programs. Could be the RadShack drivers, could be the programs themselves, could be the old hardware. I'm back to an A/B box (sigh).

 

could you try the moates scan software with this adapter to see if it scans? are you scanning a MAF or SD car?

here is the thread I am using to address this
Need help connecting ALDL cable to laptop

please lend your 2 cents

 

My car is TBI & I think the Moates software only works with TPI ecm's.

I'll try it when I switch to TPI, but unfortunately that won't be for a year, or so.

Sorry!!

 

please please please (I hate to beg) please do you have any victims (I mean friends) that will let you on thier TPI car? (mine is a 730)

 

I'll see what I can do, but I can't promise anything. I only know a couple people with TPI cars, and my driver's license got suspended last week, so it will be tough for me to meet them somewhere.

 

Looks like I won't be much help. The only guy I know locally with a TPI car is a 1985, and I read that the Moates software doesn't work with that year. I'll keep my eyes out though.

 

I bought one Ill let you know how it works with my deal.

 

I tried the same combo with Datamaster, but couldn't get it to work.

 

returned my RS adapter, got a 2nd laptop didnt work, cable scanned with friends old laptop, got 3rd laptop, works great.

 

I had the typical troubles when I started trying to use WinALDL with my Compaq running XP. The shac cable works great for me. I tried others that didnt work prior to the shack but I cant remember the names of the ones that didnt work for me.

 

as i posted RS serial / usb worked for me on XP. all i have done to date is confirm it is a startup of winaldl. i checked TPS function. no real data logging yet but should work out.