Oh no!! No serial port after new motherboard. Only usb's.

[amy s.]

I had my Gerber 4b and Graphtec plotters both running perfectly with Flexi8. After having a new motherboard installed, now there is no serial port on the back of my pc to plug the 4b into. Do I just get a usb to serial cable (USB to RS232)? Could it be that simple?[FONT=Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif] Will it mess up my port settings from the previous set up?[/FONT]

 

[myront]

that's where I'd start. cables are cheap enough.

 

[oksigns]

I had my Gerber 4b and Graphtec plotters both running perfectly with Flexi8. After having a new motherboard installed, now there is no serial port on the back of my pc to plug the 4b into. Do I just get a usb to serial cable (USB to RS232)? Could it be that simple? Will it mess up my port settings from the previous set up?

You shouldn't have to worry about port settings with USB.. as long as your computer is newer than Win98SE.

 

[amy s.]

You shouldn't have to worry about port settings with USB.. as long as your computer is newer than Win98SE.

Its my understanding I can't run anything newer than 98 for the 4b to work.

 

[WildWestDesigns]

Its my understanding I can't run anything newer than 98 for the 4b to work.

Get a serial card add on?

I would be concerned if the USB support in Win 98 would support the cables that have the USB/serial ends to them.

If you could run it through a VM, might be able to have the virtualization software deal with the conversion info that's going on.

That would be my biggest concern. I run Win98 through a VM, but I don't have anything that needs serial, so I can't test it with that, so I'm just speculating here for what it's worth.

 

[Rodan68]

I'm running a plotter with Flexi 8 using a USB to Parallel cable on Windows 7. The port setup is named USB_Printer if that helps.

 

[amy s.]

I'm running a plotter with Flexi 8 using a USB to Parallel cable on Windows 7. The port setup is named USB_Printer if that helps.

Are you running a 4b plotter? I need this plotter to cut heavy sandblast mask for sign foam signs.

 

[Rodan68]

Are you running a 4b plotter? I need this plotter to cut heavy sandblast mask for sign foam signs.

No, It's an old Vinyl Express plotter which I think has a Mutoh body. I did lose the ability to communicate with the plotter in both directions, though. I can send info to it but I can't poll information from it like vinyl width. I have to enter that manually.

 

[rossmosh]

USB to RS232 are notoriously finicky. Sometimes they work and sometimes they don't. I've known of people buying 2-3 different cables before finding one that magically works. Buying an actual card to go in your desktop works much better and are less than $20.

 

[Jburns]

What he said above. You will be happier with a true serial port if you have the expansion slot

 

[amy s.]

USB to RS232 are notoriously finicky. Sometimes they work and sometimes they don't. I've known of people buying 2-3 different cables before finding one that magically works. Buying an actual card to go in your desktop works much better and are less than $20.

Since this was all hooked up and running fine using the serial port I had before the new motherboard, if I get a serial card put in and hook up to it will everything communicate just like it did through the old serial port? (I didn't realize I was losing the serial with the new motherboard or I would not have changed).

 

[SightLine]

If you go with a true serial add on card then yes it should work just the same..... by the way - not very common as a off the shelf mother board but they do still make boards and systems with an on board serial port. Primarily only see them on business and commercial computers though.

 

[rossmosh]

Since this was all hooked up and running fine using the serial port I had before the new motherboard, if I get a serial card put in and hook up to it will everything communicate just like it did through the old serial port? (I didn't realize I was losing the serial with the new motherboard or I would not have changed).

Literally all you have to do is order a card from amazon. Open up the computer. Stick the card in the PCI slot. Close up the computer. Install the driver off the disc (or just let Windows auto load it). It should be plug and play and take no more than 20 minutes. Google/Youtube should be able to provide you with any instructions if you've never installed computer hardware. It really is super easy.

 

[WildWestDesigns]

Literally all you have to do is order a card from amazon. Open up the computer. Stick the card in the PCI slot. Close up the computer. Install the driver off the disc (or just let Windows auto load it). It should be plug and play and take no more than 20 minutes. Google/Youtube should be able to provide you with any instructions if you've never installed computer hardware. It really is super easy.

It's my understand that they are still running Win 98

Its my understanding I can't run anything newer than 98 for the 4b to work.

, so the disc would have to have Win 98 drivers or they would have to go hunting around for those drivers on the web or find equivalent. Or maybe their old Win 98 install disc for generic drivers that may work.

Win 98, based on my memory of it on the laptop and running it in the VM now, either searched for it on the install disc or you could locate it on the HD for it, but it didn't auto load from the web on it's own.

I think it would be far easier to get the card working on a newer rig with a newer OS, run Win 98 in a VM, if indeed they have to have Win 98 to run the 4B and just pass that serial port into the Win 98 vm and run it that way.

Edit to add:

Is the Gerber software from that era 16 bit or 32 bit? Win 98 was a hybrid. May be able to bypass the old software and still use it on a modern system directly. Serial ports do have more leeway in that regard. May or may not work. Just spitballing here.

 

[amy s.]

If you go with a true serial add on card then yes it should work just the same..... by the way - not very common as a off the shelf mother board but they do still make boards and systems with an on board serial port. Primarily only see them on business and commercial computers though.

Is it not too complicated to put a serial card in? I've looked at a couple of videos on youtube and it doesn't seem too difficult...I'm assuming I need to get the right one for my particular motherboard. I really appreciate your input on this. You guys have been so helpful.

 

[amy s.]

Literally all you have to do is order a card from amazon. Open up the computer. Stick the card in the PCI slot. Close up the computer. Install the driver off the disc (or just let Windows auto load it). It should be plug and play and take no more than 20 minutes. Google/Youtube should be able to provide you with any instructions if you've never installed computer hardware. It really is super easy.

Wow! Very helpful. Thanks a million.

 

[amy s.]

It's my understand that they are still running Win 98
, so the disc would have to have Win 98 drivers or they would have to go hunting around for those drivers on the web or find equivalent. Or maybe their old Win 98 install disc for generic drivers that may work.

Win 98, based on my memory of it on the laptop and running it in the VM now, either searched for it on the install disc or you could locate it on the HD for it, but it didn't auto load from the web on it's own.

I think it would be far easier to get the card working on a newer rig with a newer OS, run Win 98 in a VM, if indeed they have to have Win 98 to run the 4B and just pass that serial port into the Win 98 vm and run it that way.

Edit to add:

Is the Gerber software from that era 16 bit or 32 bit? Win 98 was a hybrid. May be able to bypass the old software and still use it on a modern system directly. Serial ports do have more leeway in that regard. May or may not work. Just spitballing here.

I don't remember if its 16 or 32 bit. I had drivers installed and working on the previous serial port so would that not work if I put a new serial card in?

 

[WildWestDesigns]

I don't remember if its 16 or 32 bit. I had drivers installed and working on the previous serial port so would that not work if I put a new serial card in?

Worth a shot.

If it doesn't and you have your Win 98 install disc, could try to see about using the generic drivers off that disc.

 

[rossmosh]

It's my understand that they are still running Win 98

I skipped right over that. In that case, you want to read very carefully if it will work with your Win98 machine. You might have to email/call the manufacturer first. The other option is to use eBay. They often have old parts on there that might work for you.

I just looked on Amazon and found this model at the top of the list. SD-PCI15039. Looked on their website and it says "OS SUPPORTED:All windows OS" so that one should work for less than $20. I'd still confirm with the manufacturer.

 

[amy s.]

Oh my!! Now what?

I found out yesterday that I have NO expansion slots on my motherboard. Now what? I'm stumped. Anybody have any suggestions which way I should go now? I'm a one person shop and don't want to invest in expensive equipment for what I do. I use the Graphtec for general vinyl jobs but seriously need a sprocket plotter for sandblast mask cutting. Do I change the new motherboard out to get another expansion slot...if that's possible....or get a new pc with more slots and go through setting everything up again.....or what? I'd rather not have to buy a whole new system to get a serial port. I don't do high volume work, I make sandblasted signs for a company that develops housing projects throughout the Midwest, so my old 4b has been reliable for 20 years for the number of signs a year I do. Is it time to get a different plotter.....what would be an appropriate upgrade? I've read here that getting a good used Gerber HS15 is the way to go for a small shop?? Would it also be tied to the serial connector issue? I've
been running Win 98 because the 4b would not work with anything newer.
Appreciate any advice.