<HTML><HEAD>
<STYLE id=eMClientCss>blockquote.cite { margin-left: 5px; margin-right: 0px; padding-left: 10px; padding-right:0px; border-left: 1px solid #cccccc }
blockquote.cite2 {margin-left: 5px; margin-right: 0px; padding-left: 10px; padding-right:0px; border-left: 1px solid #cccccc; margin-top: 3px; padding-top: 0px; }
.plain pre, .plain tt { font-family: monospace; font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; }
a img { border: 0px; }body {font-family: Times New Roman;font-size: 12pt;}
.plain pre, .plain tt {font-family: Times New Roman;font-size: 12pt;}
</STYLE>
<STYLE></STYLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY scroll=auto class><STRONG>
<DIV>Bob,</DIV>
<DIV>Glad you are always a source of help.</DIV>
<DIV>If you turn on a radio this weekend, try to find me at TO5A and say hello.</DIV>
<DIV>73, Al</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>------ Original Message ------</DIV>
<DIV>From: "Bob Wilson, N6TV" <<A href="mailto:n6tv@arrl.net">n6tv@arrl.net</A>></DIV>
<DIV>To: "Win-Test Reflector" <<A href="mailto:support@win-test.com">support@win-test.com</A>></DIV>
<DIV>Sent: 22/10/2014 21:41:50</DIV>
<DIV>Subject: [WT-support] Caution: latest Windows Update breaks fake "FTDI" USB-to-Serial adapters</DIV></STRONG>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV id=xa22e47dcc14048f49edb729c330c253c>
<BLOCKQUOTE class=cite2 cite=CAOmNKGLpotnJDkFxFj+gus8YA1qkDJGRX3LP=-hM6HKeFC0Lsw@mail.gmail.com type="cite">
<DIV dir=ltr>I have not experienced this myself. I don't know anyone personally who has seen this yet.
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV>Reports indicate that the latest Windows Update will permanently damage a USB-to-Serial adapter if it is found to be using a "fake" or "cloned" FTDI chip instead of a genuine FTDI chip.</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV>This applies to Windows 7 and later. You can read more about it there:</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE style="BORDER-TOP: medium none; BORDER-RIGHT: medium none; BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; MARGIN: 0px 0px 0px 40px; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV><A href="http://hackaday.com/2014/10/22/watch-that-windows-update-ftdi-drivers-are-killing-fake-chips/">http://hackaday.com/2014/10/22/watch-that-windows-update-ftdi-drivers-are-killing-fake-chips/</A></DIV>
<DIV><A href="http://www.eevblog.com/forum/reviews/ftdi-driver-kills-fake-ftdi-ft232/">http://www.eevblog.com/forum/reviews/ftdi-driver-kills-fake-ftdi-ft232/</A></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE>
<DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV>Recommendation: if you use a USB-to-Serial adapter based on the FTDI chipset, avoid any Windows Updates until after contest season, or use Windows XP instead of Windows 7 or 8.</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV>If you use an adapter based on Prolific, you may have other problems. I believe there are far more fake Prolific adapters than fake FTDI adapters. These fake Prolific adapters often cause a random "Blue Screen of Death," or they work for a little while then mysteriously stop working.</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV>How do you know if you have a genuine USB-to-Serial adapter or a fake one? There apparently is no easy way to tell (yet). Post something here if you discover a utility that can help.</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV>In the mean time, buy name brand (such as GearMo) from reputable dealers (such as Amazon.com), and you should be OK.</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV>73,
<DIV>Bob, N6TV</DIV></DIV></DIV></DIV></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV></BODY></HTML>