Anyone got an old laptop circa windows 95/98 with a serial port they no longer need?

I do!

Is it that you need something with a serial port? I only ask as I need a serial port to communicate with equipment in my job, but all the new ones only have USBs. Quick trip on fleaBay and I got a USB to serial adaptor. Works perfectly.

I do also have and old 98 based laptop with a serial port, but I'm not sure what state it's in.

i have a compaq with a detachable keyboard :p

dont think it runs windows though!

What's the required use? It's important, because depending on the application/use it's possible that it will be picky about the use of a USB>Serial adaptor.

I might have something available. It's just whether it'll fire up or not - it's been sitting for a while!

But post back on the thread with what your plan is, and I'll see if I can help out.

Steve

I need a serial port to communicate with equipment in my job, but all the new ones only have USBs.

You're not looking in the right direction - Toshiba Tecra M10 and A11 do. And they come with downgrade media to XP Pro from Windows 7

Damn, I forgot about this

It is/was to have a go at VDS Pro.

I managed to get an old Thinkpad A21M to work after punching it 4-5 times and giving it a charge

The serial lead I have didn't work though so I am still on the hunt for one.

I have a USB to serial adaptor, however, USB does not work in DOS.

Damn, I forgot about this

It is/was to have a go at VDS Pro.

I managed to get an old Thinkpad A21M to work after punching it 4-5 times and giving it a charge

The serial lead I have didn't work though so I am still on the hunt for one.

I have a USB to serial adaptor, however, USB does not work in DOS.

Could always give this a go!

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/PCMCIA-RS-232-RS232-Serial-DB9-CardBus-Adaptor-Card-/260435003384?cmd=ViewItem&pt=UK_Computing_LaptopAccessories_PCMCIACards&hash=item3ca322c7f8

Cheap enough!

I can't resist adding this link (which will be no help to you whatsoever...)

Could always give this a go!

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/PCMCIA-RS-232-RS232-Serial-DB9-CardBus-Adaptor-Card-/260435003384?cmd=ViewItem&pt=UK_Computing_LaptopAccessories_PCMCIACards&hash=item3ca322c7f8

Cheap enough!

I have got an old laptop, with a serial port, which I have got VDS-Pro to work on fine but the lead is no good.

It is the lead I am looking for.

Plus, I think PCMCIA has the same problem as USB in the fact that it is not accessible through DOS.

I can't resist adding this link (which will be no help to you whatsoever...)

Not very helpful but definitely worth watching

I have got an old laptop, with a serial port, which I have got VDS-Pro to work on fine but the lead is no good.

It is the lead I am looking for.

Plus, I think PCMCIA has the same problem as USB in the fact that it is not accessible through DOS.

Not very helpful but definitely worth watching

Ah I see!

Right then, do you still have the faulty lead?

If it is a basic serial cable then its just a case of getting a 'null modem cable' from Maplins etc or making one yourself!

Very easy to do if you can use a soldering iron!

What connector type is it? ie 9 pin canon 'd' or 25 pin? etc

Cheers

Nee

It is a serial to OBD II lead as used for VCDS.

It's not that the lead is faulty, I have just read on a few forums that VDS-Pro is very fussy.

Edited 26 June, 201016 yr by Bertee

I was using an old Dell, but a thieving toe-rag stole it from my house last week :'( , along with a £1500 laptop and a £1800 mountain bike

I am now in a pickle as what to do, as my vag-com lead has never worked very reliably with usb -> serial adapters.

I bought my VCDS lead from eBay for about £15 and it does everything perfectly well.

The serial one I got the first time with a usb-> serial adapter but it never worked and it doesn't work with VDS-Pro.

What about a PCMCIA Serial Card? Would they work?

i.e.

It's been suggested before but it's not what I am after.

It's the lead I am looking for not the serial port :yes:

What about a PCMCIA Serial Card? Would they work?

i.e.

This works for me and my serial cable on my serial'less current laptop

I am considering selling my old laptop which I used to use - IBM Thinkpad 600E - Pentium 2 and it runs Windows XP Pro OK. Has vagcom installed on it, but it wouldn't include a cable. Battery life is nil too.

It's not for VCDS though, it is for VDS-Pro which is a DOS only program.

I finally got an old Thinkpad working (with an absolutely knackered battery) and I got VDS-Pro working but I still need a serial lead.

Preferably one that is known to work with VCDS, which might give me a better shot at it working.

Sorry, can't help on the cable but it sounds like the thinkpad you have is very similar to mine Has it got that really annoying red button in the middle of the keyboard which does the mouse?

Yeah, probably the worst nipple I have ever played with

Yeah, probably the worst nipple I have ever played with

Be like the one on the 600 .

Lead - ideas on here -http://www.allpinouts.org/index.php/Category:Serial_Cables

Ideas for the PC gurus to throw back at him - is it the lead or IRQ settings - maaaaaaaaaaaaaaaany years ago we used ti use laptops to program the bigger Panasonic swirches( null modem 25/9 pin type) and after asking their tech support for help when my laptop wouldn't see the switch software , I had a look - and it turned out that the program assumed ( dangerous thing) that t he laptop would be set to one IRQ .Quick play to reset IRQ and bingo -problem solved -something the Gurus hadn't seen .

As for making leads - Maplin have(had) serial plugs with crimp connectors a while back .We used to find at 9600 that Cat 5 cable worked nicely ( ans because we had boxes of it )

This works for me and my serial cable on my serial'less current laptop

I am considering selling my old laptop which I used to use - IBM Thinkpad 600E - Pentium 2 and it runs Windows XP Pro OK. Has vagcom installed on it, but it wouldn't include a cable. Battery life is nil too.

Which specific PCMCIA serial card do you have? the rosstech site says they only support one (of an expensive) bred. I would happily invest in a cheapo on if I thought it would work ok :-)

Be like the one on the 600 .

Lead - ideas on here -http://www.allpinouts.org/index.php/Category:Serial_Cables

Ideas for the PC gurus to throw back at him - is it the lead or IRQ settings - maaaaaaaaaaaaaaaany years ago we used ti use laptops to program the bigger Panasonic swirches( null modem 25/9 pin type) and after asking their tech support for help when my laptop wouldn't see the switch software , I had a look - and it turned out that the program assumed ( dangerous thing) that t he laptop would be set to one IRQ .Quick play to reset IRQ and bingo -problem solved -something the Gurus hadn't seen .

As for making leads - Maplin have(had) serial plugs with crimp connectors a while back .We used to find at 9600 that Cat 5 cable worked nicely ( ans because we had boxes of it )

Again, this has been answered on this thread already.

It is a Serial-> OBDII lead that I need.

The lead I have doesn't work via VCDS in windows and it doesn't work via VDS-Pro in DOS. It has never worked and I bought a USB one which does work fine for VCDS in windows.

I need a serial->OBDII lead that is known to work with VCDS as I think that will stand a better chance of working with VDS-Pro.

I do not need a serial->USB converter or a Serial PCMCIA card.

I also do not need to make a null modem cable or any other type of cable and I do not think Maplins sell OBDII plugs?

I too have been messing with PC's for a looong time, my first being a Wyse 286 with a green screen, and I too am used to IRQ's being the cause of most headaches but on this occasion it is definitely the lead as it has never worked (cheap eBay one).

I too have been messing with PC's for a looong time, my first being a Wyse 286 with a green screen, and I too am used to IRQ's being the cause of most headaches but on this occasion it is definitely the lead as it has never worked (cheap eBay one).

Sorry ,Bertee - not trying to teach Gran about removing the inside of eggs - so apologies for that -now this lead ( at risk of offending again) -did aGoogle on OBD11 - CAME UP WITH THIS SITE http://www.carplugs.com/

OK, So its a working serial cable that you need to run on the DOS program?

Im presuming your Serial Ports are properly configured and the baud rate, etc settings all set up correctly in DOS.

Have you tried another serial device on the port to confirm its OK. An old modem for instance.. (might be worth rigging up a serial loopback device to test it)

Does the serial to OBDII cable have any electronics, circuitry,etc on it?

Have you checked there are no wire breaks in your cable using a multimeter?

Edited 30 June, 201016 yr by Rhoobarb