Desktop IDE Serial Monitor not working

Troubleshooting
1

I am confused.
I have been successfully using Desktop IDE on Windows 10 for a few months developing with Photons. I recently bought an Electron 3G for a new project and followed the Particle instructions to install CLI in or order to flash via usb to save 3G data. After getting the CLI set up I can no longer connect to my devices using the Desktop IDE Serial Monitor.
Photon is COM4 and connects with Putty but not IDE.
Electron is COM5 and won’t connect with Putty nor IDE.
I just don’t have a good grasp of the relationship between the COM ports, drivers, IDE software, and serial terminals.
Any guidance is much appreciated.

2

Are you using

  • a USB-Hub or
  • tested different USB-Ports like 2.0 (blue one) or 3.0 (red one) or
  • tested another Laptop (Windows or MacOS)?
  • Latest version CLI installed (npm install -g particle-cli)?
  • Gave TeraTerm instead of putty a try?

Prepare us with a screenshot from your DeviceManager, pls.
The Photon is blinking fine?

3

Thanks for the reply.
no hub, same USB port, same laptop (only one), latest CLI, npm v 5.6.0, node v 8.10.0
Here is more info on my situation;
Photon is now working with the Serial Monitor in Dev.
Electron is breathing cyan and I can flash fw via CLI but can’t seem to get Serial Monitor or Putty to connect. Device Manager says:
Electron (COM6) "This device cannot start. (Code 10)"
Driver Provider: Particle
Driver Date: 1/10/2014
Driver Version: 5.2.0.0
Digital Signer: Spark Labs Inc

4

First, make sure your devices have a system version >= 0.6.3.

Then with Windows 10 you should remove the Particle Serial device drivers (especially the 2014 ones refering to Spark rather than Particle).
In order to get rid of the drivers from your system completely you need to apply some registry tweak outlined here
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/315539/device-manager-does-not-display-devices-that-are-not-connected

When removing the drivers make sure to tick the “remove from harddrive” checkbox.

5

That removed the Electron driver from Spark Labs. Now Electron and Electron DFU Mode show up as libusbK USB Devices in Device Driver. I still can’t connect via Serial Monitor or Putty to the Electron. Is that driver correct? Should I be able to connect to the Electron with the Dev Serial Monitor?
Thanks for your help!

6

You should only see the libusbK driver when the device is in DFU Mode.
If you also see it when it’s not, then that might be the reason for your original trouble.
In that case also remove the libusbK driver from your hard drive (while no DFU device is present).
Unplug the device, restart your machine, open DevMgr and then plug in the Electron in normal mode.
Then Windows should select its own COM drivers for the USB Serial device.

7

I’m on Windows 10, using electron and I could never see any serial output using the the IDE so I stopped using it.

TeraTerm works great.

8

Thanks. Device Manager shows;
libusbK USB Devices
Electron DFU Mode
Ports (COM & LPT)
Photon (COM7)
Electron (COM6)
I can flash to the Electron with CLI but not connect with Dev Serial Monitor.
I can connect to the Photon with Dev Serial Monitor.

9

Thanks, I’ll try TeraTerm
I really like the integrated Serial Monitor in Dev and am still hoping to get it working with the Electron.

10

Thanks for everyone’s help.
Now CLI successfully opened a serial connection to the Electron.

1 Like