Arduino and Vista

[goldstar31]

Initially, I can and have downloaded Arduino onto my 'office' PC which runs Windows 7. However, I am trying to do the same on an old Toshiba Satellite laptop which is running Vista. Really, the laptop is passed its sell by date but trying to use it in the workshop would be ideal. I have a right hand which 'locks up', trigger finger, arthritis and you name it!

I have a Uno which is not recognised apart from showing up as an 'Unknown device'. Again, I do not have 'Ports' showing and the quoted workaround of 'Arduino Enhanced Release' eventually fails.

I would add that the Vista download is from a re-install.

Anyone help, please?

Thanks

Norman

 

[Nerdz]

I think you might have to download the Driver for it, probably the FTDI driver.

http://arduino.cc/en/guide/windows#toc4

 

[goldstar31]

I think you might have to download the Driver for it, probably the FTDI driver.

http://arduino.cc/en/guide/windows#toc4

Thank you but the apparent problem is that the 'Ports' are not showing in my version of Vista hence I cannot get to Arduino Uno or whatever.

However, your help is much appreciated

Norman

 

[Nerdz]

I would actually try posting/searching on the arduino forums, Ive heard that they are very helpful there.

 

[goldstar31]

I would actually try posting/searching on the arduino forums, Ive heard that they are very helpful there.

Thanks Chris. Actually there are similar questions already posted to mine and the replies are quite unhelpful because the moderators 'assume' that the posters are are not following the words and music already 'written in tablets of stone'. The seemingly workable reply is to re-write the wrongs which clearly do exist in Vista- theirs and mine. I thought that there was a chance that there might be a more workable solution.

Seemingly, the postings suggest that I am not alone in my problem.

However, my thanks for your time and help


Norman

 

[rodw]

Don't give up, I was never silly enough to use Vista but typically it will be a driver installation issue. If the driver does not install, there will be no port. Unplug the Uno and install the FTDI driver. You may need to unistall some stuff first. There is a command line that will clear out all the USB drivers.

 

[goldstar31]

Rod

Thanks - printed a ream-almost, of stuff with no success.

Anyway, my thanks.

Cheers

Norman

 

[Henry]

If the laptop is for the workshop and you don't need to connect it to Internet downgrade the OS to XP I think that you will be able to find a copy at home or go for the Windows 7. Vista has been one of the Microsoft bigger pranks.

 

[goldstar31]

If the laptop is for the workshop and you don't need to connect it to Internet downgrade the OS to XP I think that you will be able to find a copy at home or go for the Windows 7. Vista has been one of the Microsoft bigger pranks.

Thank you. Now might I ask whether I can 'get away' with using my registered copy of W7 on the intended workshop Vista? I have the Recovery Disks as the original was in the PC.

The other alternatives are to see whether I can run Arduino from a spare tablet or scrap the idea and try to run a dual boot with Ubuntu or try with Raspberry Pi( which is unused)

My problem really is space in a tiny 8 x 6 workshop which is crowded with a Myford, a Clarkson T&C and a mill drill - oh, and a drilling machine. Sometimes, me as well:hDe:- no room for a chair!

So I hope that all this effort will be of assistance to others who are going down this road.

Regards

Norman

 

[Nerdz]

You Might actually be able to do that-Just never connect it to the internet. M$ has a tendency to "phone home". If you never are connected it will never know if windows is valid or not, just that the key is valid. Ive had a separate computer for programming PICs for a while and tried my hardest to not connect to the net-But the fact of the matter is, I didn't want to keep running to my other computer to copy and paste code.