HP48-USB Data Cable Drivers & Configuration Guide: Reviewed: May, 2011. Overview: The HP48 Series of Graphing Calculators can be loaded with new software applications via USB port with the HP48-USB Data Cable. The HP48 previously was restricted to use a COM PORT (serial port) only. However, most new computers in the market today do not come with a legacy physical serial port. The HP48-USB Data Cable will allow you to transfer files to your computer and vice-versa via USB port. The HP48-USB Data Cable is USB Specification 2.0 Compliant. What this means is that it is compatible with USB 1.1, 2.0, and 3.0. USB 3.0 is backwards compatible with USB 2.0, thus, it will work with USB 3.0 ports. 1
Hardware and OS Requirements: Available USB Port Windows 2000 Windows XP Windows Server 2003 Windows Vista Windows 7 Windows Driver Installation: Before proceeding, you must install the windows driver for the HP48-USB Data Cable. Do not connect the cable to your computer yet. 1. Insert the DVD-Rom provided into your CD/DVD reader. 2. From the self auto-run window that appears, refer to the driver installation option. If the self auto-run window does not appear, you can go the DVD-Rom root menu by clicking on My Computer and then search for HP48-USB DVD-Rom. Once you open the DVD-Rom, you will see various folders, then open the folder named HP48-USB-LINK- Drivers and then open Windows folder. There you will find the driver for windows and install the appropriate driver for your windows OS. When you run the driver installation package for your operating system, you will be prompted with the installation wizard. You should see similar prompts as follows: Figure 1: Asks to install a new copy of the drivers or an update. Select Install a new 2
Figure 2: Refers to information about the driver. Click Next. After Figure 2, the wizard will determine which drivers to install based on your operating system. At the end, you will be prompted with Figure 3. Figure 3: The installation wizard has determined the appropriate drivers. Finalize the installation by clicking Install from Figure 3. Now, the HP48-USB Data Cable drivers are installed on your computer. Virtual Port Number Re-Assignment: After the windows driver installation has been finalized, it automatically assigns a virtual port number on your computer; you may be required to change it. The reason is because the HP48 file transfer software (HP Connectivity Kit v3.0) only recognizes ports 1-4. See Figure 4 for details. 3
Figure 4: The HP connectivity software v3.0 only recognizes ports 1-4. From figure 4, the only port selection that the software allows is for ports 1-4. Thus, it is necessary to verify the automatically assigned port number by the driver installation package. IMPORTANT: At this point, please connect the HP48-USB Data Cable to one available USB port on your computer. 4
Under Windows XP: 1. Right-Click on My Computer and select Manage. 2. Once under Computer Management select Device Manager. 5
3. Under Ports (COM & LPT), the last entry has the name: Silicon LABS (COM3) This means that the automatically assigned port number was PORT 3 (Communications port 3). In this case, no port re-assignment is needed, since port 3 is within the range of ports 1-4. In case the automatically assigned port number is higher than 4. Example: Silicon LABS (COM10) or Silicon LABS (COM16) or Silicon LABS (COM20) etc. 4. Then, a port re-assignment is needed and must be re-assigned to port 1-4 (port 1 or port 2 or port 3 or port 4 only). Right-Click on the port to be re-assigned and select properties. 6
5. Once under Properties, select the Port Settings tab and then the Advance button. 7
6. Under Advance Settings at the bottom click on the COM Port Number as shown: Then, select an unused port from 1-4, Click OK and Click OK again. 7. UNPLUG the HP48-USB Data Cable from your PC, wait a few seconds, and then CONNECT the HP48-USB Data Cable again to your PC. The port re-assignment should be seen in our case we changed from port 3 to a re-assigned port 2, just as example for this tutorial. You can see that the port was re-assigned to PORT 2 (COM2) now. Note: In some computers after doing a port re-assignment, a full system RESTART may be required, if so please RESTART your computer. 8
Communication port re-assignment under Windows Vista and Windows 7 follow similar procedures as those outlined for Windows XP. Please see how to access the Device Manager below: Opening the Device Manager under Windows Vista: 1. Click the Start Menu and select Control Panel 2. Under Control Panel to the left side click on Classic View 3. Once Classic View is activated, click on Device Manger : Once in Device Manager locate the entry Ports (COM & LPT) and follow the same instructions as those outlined under Windows XP for port re-assignment or port verification. 9
Opening the Device Manager under Windows 7: 1. Click on the Start Menu and select Control Panel 2. In Control Panel, select System and Security 3. Then, locate the option Device Manager Once you have accessed the Device Manager, locate the Ports (COM & LPT) option and follow the same instructions as those outlined under Windows XP for port re-assignment or port verification. 10