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'Prolific' driver fix !!


Skipper Billy

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I have had endless issues with Windows deciding that its own driver is better than the Prolific USB/Serial driver for my mount.

In previous versions I rolled back and even found a patch that stopped Windows 'updating' it.

The latest 'Anniversary' edition of Windows 10 has just had a major update and none of the above tricks works now - it even updates the driver when not connected to the internet!!

I lost another night last night pratting about but eventually found this.

http://www.totalcardiagnostics.com/support/Knowledgebase/Article/View/92/20/prolific-usb-to-serial-fix-official-solution-to-code-10-error

It blows out all Windows versions of the particular driver, installs the correct one and ring-fences it to prevent Windows 'updating' it.

It is early days but it appears to work like a charm.

Just posting this as I cant be the only person to have so many dramas with my mounts driver.

If W10 gets any 'smarter' I will be going back to W7 !!!

 

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I feel your pain Bill, I too have to keep reinstalling the older prolific driver for my EQ6, a right PITA it is :help:.

I`ll try your suggestion and report back!. I did note that he suggests driver no. 3.3.2.102 but the driver I keep having to reinstall is v10518 (maybe they are the same thing??)

cheers

Steve

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This might not be exactly the best help, but I recently solved the Prolific driver issues on a Windows 10 laptop by purchasing an FTDI chipset based cable to connect to my HEQ5! Works a treat and no more fiddling about trying to reinstall old drivers. All new FTDI based installs happen in seconds and work instantly. Worth considering.

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2 hours ago, Skipper Billy said:

I had no idea that the FTDI cable existed - I am hoping its the best £40 I have ever spent - if it saves many hours of unplugging, plugging in, deleting drivers, reinstalling drivers whilst using every expletive I know then it will be !!!

Been there, done that, got the t-shirt and the clumps of hair missing! I haven't regretted the spend yet.

When you are going to install the FTDI cable, make sure that you reactivate the 'auto update of driver installation' thingy in the windows system preferences that you had to disable to stop the prolific mess. Then, so long as you are connected to the internet, just plug in the FTDI cable and watch and smile as it swiftly installs itself with a 2016 driver in moments (or at least only a few minutes). Open up the device manager and you can smile again when you see that it has a lovely clean entry in the Com Ports section and there is no yellow triangle in sight!

Good luck and enjoy!

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I placed my order, had a payment confirmation from PayPal and never heard a thing from Astronomiser... A package arrived a couple of weeks later with a handwritten address and the cables I had ordered. So, I wouldn't get too panicky, give it time and I'm sure your cables will arrive.

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Prolific has only given me problems over the years.....

But if i'm not mistaken, there is a setting in windows, to not automatically choose updated driver versions for devices (but that then is valid for anything you plug in, so could give you problems if you're using this as a normal computer also for other things), thats how i got it working eventually. The rollback also only worked until i restarted the computer.

Kind regards, Graem

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2 hours ago, graemlourens said:

 

Prolific has only given me problems over the years.....

But if i'm not mistaken, there is a setting in windows, to not automatically choose updated driver versions for devices (but that then is valid for anything you plug in, so could give you problems if you're using this as a normal computer also for other things), thats how i got it working eventually. The rollback also only worked until i restarted the computer.

 

That process doesnt work after the Anniversary W10 update sadly.

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People have been reporting all sorts of trouble with these. And Prolific has stated they intend to send out a 'bug' to wreck the imitation copies of the 2303's that were pouring out of China. So one needs to beware of your source when pouring one into your computer. So I'm hoping I can attach the real thing below - or at try:

 

PL2303_Prolific_DriverInstaller_v1_12_0.zip

 

This is freeware. Prolific isn't mad because "freebies" out of China are circulating. They just don't want to be held liable if a counterfeit turns someone's mount & $16,000 telescope turn into a Whirling-Dervish and throw their scope across the county!

Let me know how it goes, please?

Thanks!

Dave

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