# need to activate a serial port



## DannyB (Jul 6, 2000)

Hi there. Ok heres my problem. I want to use a digital camera on my comp. I have windows 95. As far as I can tell, I have two com ports active. Com1 is for the mouse and Com2 is for the modem. On the back of my computer is an available serial port connection. I tried to connect my camera per instructions but the computer didn't recognize it. But since my system only shows 2 com ports (in device manager), how do I get the system to recognize this open serial connection? I checked my bios (american megatrends) and I could not find anything in there that had to do with com/port/peripheral/....enabling. So I hope I kind of made sense here. Well, any kind of help would be appreciated. Thank you!

Dan
P.S. I followed all instructions for the camera, and nothing happens.


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## Prismjohn (Apr 29, 1999)

If com1 is being used by the mouse and the modem is being used by com2 I am curious as to how you have another com port apparently available, its unusual for a machine to be fitted with more than 2 external com port connections, are you sure the mouse is not a PS2 type?

Aside of that you will find that com1 and com3 use the same interrupt request (IRQ4), com2 and com4 also use the same interrupt (IRQ3), so this may account for your problem, it should be possible to re-assign a different IRQ via the bios (failing that then do it via control panel).
Another point, is the modem an internal type? If so, and it is on com2 then this would conflict with the external port you are trying to use (which would also be com2), you will need to re-assign the IRQ (and possibly the address) via the bios to get around this problem.
Have a quick look in control panel to see if there is a conflict between your modem and the com2 port on the machine.


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## DannyB (Jul 6, 2000)

Thanks for your reply... okay then, my modem is internal. Thats why I have an unused serial connection in the back. So how do I re-assign the IRQ or address of the modem if it is not in bios in the first place? Will I be able to do it in the control panel/system/device manager? 
And how do I know if my mouse is a PS2? The mouse has a 9 pin female connector on the end. Any more clues will be appreciated. Thank you for your time.
Dan


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## Prismjohn (Apr 29, 1999)

Reading between the lines I would say that your mouse is a serial type (has a rectangular plug on the end - PS2 type has a round plug). If your modem is internal then you cannot change the IRQ via the bios, you should however, be able to change the IRQ for the on-board com2 port. First port of call (excuse the pun) is to go to Windows Control Panel, System and then click on Device Manager - see if you have any exclamation marks beside either the ports or the modem. If not then check the properties for both anyway, paying attention to addresses and IRQ's. I have known device manager ignore a conflict on one device when another device was trying to use the same resources (A sort of 'Windows' favouritism!)
Hope this info helps.

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