Please some one help me!!!

I am having a fit trying to download the driver for the Pic AXe.027 cable

I build trailcams and this cable loads the 20x2 chip,But the drivver Downloads,but I get all kinds of warnings that this program might not be safe .and it will not load .
I have tryed disabling my firewall ,but I think my windows has some kind of smart screen,Red dialogue warning boxes come up ,As far as I have got is the picture of the stereo plug is on my device manager.
When I click on it ,it says windows was unable to find a driver for this program ,I know many people who have downloaded this program, some have had minor problems ,but not like this.
Do I need to plug the device in before the computer will recognize it? It does not rec. just the .027 cable,

I think we need a bit more information.

• What version of Windows, Apple, Linux are you using?
• What brand and version of Virus Checker are you using?
• Where are you downloading the AXE027 driver from (exact URL)?
• More details of the EXACT error messages you are receiving.

Welcome to the PICAXE forum.

In additional to the information requested by IWP (above), have you followed explicitly the instructiuons in the Rev Ed produced AXE027 datasheet here: http://www.picaxe.com/docs/axe027.pdf

I suggest not as the first statement in section 3.1 answers your question:

The first time you connect the AXE027 PICAXE USB cable you will be automatically prompted
to install the software driver files..

Click to expand...

You should not be trying to install the drivers without the AXE027 connected - otherwise the Operating SYstem will not know which USB port to configure the driver for.

westaust55 said:

The first time you connect the AXE027 PICAXE USB cable you will be automatically prompted
to install the software driver files.

Click to expand...

You should not be trying to install the drivers without the AXE027 connected - otherwise the Operating SYstem will not know which USB port to configure the driver for.

Click to expand...

I think there's some confusion over "install" which is a two part process; "installing the drivers to disk to be ready for use" and "installing the drivers for Windows to use", the second cannot complete if the first hasn't been completed. This gives three means of completing the process -

1) Don't plug the cable in. Download the AXE027 Driver Pre-Installer and run that. This installs the driver files to disk. When the cable is then inserted the New Hardware Found Wizard will automatically find the drivers on disk and install them for Windows to use.

2) Don't plug the cable in. Download the AXE027 Driver file and unzip the file. This places the driver files on disk. When the cable is then inserted the New Hardware Found Wizard will ask where those files are and once pointed to them will install them for Windows to use.

3) Plug the cable in. The New Hardware Found Wizard will ask where those files are and, as they are not yet on disk, one needs to pause, not proceed with doing anything with New Hardware Found Wizard, move the Window out of the way but don't close or cancel it. Download the AXE027 Driver file and unzip the file which places those files on disk. Once that's done one can return to New Hardware Found Wizard, continue the install which once pointed to the driver files will install them for Windows to use.

So the means to an easy life are to have the drivers installed (1) or on disk (2) before the cable is plugged in.

If that's not done, the cable is plugged in before New Hardware Found Wizard can complete its task, one has to pause, do what one should have done earlier, then continue with the New Hardware Found Wizard.

That is not too hard to follow but this is where things can go wrong and cause difficulties later. If New Hardware Found Wizard is closed or the cable removed before driver installation is complete it may mark the cable as "Unknown Device" and will keep it that way. If running the Driver Pre-Installer I believe it requests the cable be unplugged and if part way through running New Hardware Found Wizard that may bring this about. So, once the cable has been plugged in, the Driver Pre-Installer should not be used; you've burned one of your bridges.

Under Windows XP ( and it's possibly similar with later versions ), if installation fails there's a New Hardware Found Wizard message to that effect with just an OK button presented with a check box which determines whether Windows should treat the device ( our AXE027 cable ) as an "Unknown Device" forever, or attempt to install drivers again the next time the cable is plugged in.

Unfortunately the default is "Unknown Device", so if you don't select otherwise then further insertions of the cable won't bring up New Hardware Found Wizard; it knows it's an unknown device as you told it that! You then have to jump through the hoops of using Device Manager to remove the existing "Unknown Device" or manually "Update Drivers" in order to have an AXE027 cable recognised.

The current AXE027 Installation guide requires that the Device Driver files have been placed on disk before Step 1; "Plug the AXE027 USB cable into an available USB port on your computer ... Do NOT connect to Windows Update - as you have already downloaded the correct driver files", and Step 2 selects the procedure to use if the Pre-Installer was used or just the Driver files were downloaded and unzipped.

Things shouldn't go wrong but they obviously do and we are looking at how the installation guides can be clarified to minimise and resolve problems when they do arise.

Charlie53 said:

the drivver Downloads,but I get all kinds of warnings that this program might not be safe .and it will not load ... Red dialogue warning boxes come up ,As far as I have got is the picture of the stereo plug is on my device manager.

Click to expand...

It appears that the download was successful but that the installation of the driver was not.

Is the stereo plug in Device Driver identified as "AXE027 PICAXE USB" ? Also what did all those warning say ? Did you download the AXE027 Driver Pre-Installer and run that or download and unzip the AXE027 Driver files ?

Well to start, I have Norton anti virus,on my PC, It running windows 7,in a HP 300 touchsmart.I have tried Disabling the firewall.
I have went to the site and downloaded the proper file ,Then I get prompts saying that windows cannot find a driver I get a code 28,and they suggest I go to the site.
And then I get a window ,asking if I want windows to search the web or look inside windows for a Driver.
I have tried both,when I open the Icon up on my device manager it has an exclamation point with a yellow triangle,
And it keeps telling me to go to the Pic Axe site and DL my driver.Which I have 50 times!
when I do DL the file ,it prompts me to unplug everything,then another Dialogue box pops up ,with Setup ect. I hit setup ,
It shows it on my devices but that is as far as I can go.
I plug the cable in ...and my computer never ID's the thing.

It is like nothing is in the cable,My computer recognizes everything that is used... Camera cards.... USB printer cables everything except this thing.

Charlie53 said:

I have went to the site and downloaded the proper file ,Then I get prompts saying that windows cannot find a driver I get a code 28,and they suggest I go to the site.

Click to expand...

But there's undoubtedly more to it than that, such as what you did to cause the prompt that says Windows cannot find a driver; was that when you plugged the cable in for example ?

Have you read and followed the AXE027 Installation Guide ...

http://www.picaxe.com/docs/axe027.pdf

If so, where in that process did it go wrong ?

The best way to resolve things is to unplug the AXE027 then remove the exclamation entries in Device Manager. Download and run the AXE027 Driver Pre-Installer or download and extract the AXE027 driver files. Only then plug in the AXE027 cable, and follow the Installation Guide above.

Keep a list of of exactly what you do at each step, what warnings you get, what works and what doesn't and from that it will be much easier to resolve things that are not working and identify why it's going wrong.

Most problems with AXE027 installation seem to be in not following the required sequence; downloading the Pre-Installer but not running it, downloading the Driver files but not extracting them to a separate folder, or attempting to continue after there's been a problem thus digging a deeper hole. With a comprehensive list of what was done and what happened it will be easier to get to the bottom of things if it's still not working.

Charlie53:You may just have some quirk with your HP300,so at least also try another PC ?! The PICAXE Editor is not resource demanding, so almost any old XP clunker can be used anyway.

Naturally I hesitate to mention alternative cables (as the AXE027 is the PICAXE standard), but the cheap (~US$3) greeny-blue "HL-340" have been confirmed as PICAXE friendly-they transfer programs faster too.

I've only used them with XP, however others report Vista & Windows 7 compatibility. They're widely sold on eBay (c/w CD), but I just download drivers online. Stan.

manuka said:

Charlie53:You may just have some quirk with your HP300,so at least also try another PC ?! The PICAXE Editor is not resource demanding, so almost any old XP clunker can be used anyway.

Naturally I hesitate to mention alternative cables (as the AXE027 is the PICAXE standard), but the cheap (~US$3) greeny-blue "HL-340" have been confirmed as PICAXE friendly-they transfer programs faster too.

I've only used them with XP, however others report Vista & Windows 7 compatibility. They're widely sold on eBay (c/w CD), but I just download drivers online. Stan.

Click to expand...

Discussing alternatives and speeds is probably a bit premature at this moment.
However, wrt the AXE027, Technical has previously posted information on changing latency settings to speed up data transfer using the AXE027.
See: http://www.picaxeforum.co.uk/showthread.php?18867-Speeding-up-your-AXE027-Download

WestAust55: I respectfully disagree about alternatives! Newbies continue to have config. hassles for a myriad of reasons, & may become so disheartened that they give up entirely. I'm not just talking youngsters either! Many past PICAXE courses I've run have had adult attendees bringing in wierd USB-D9 cables that they grabbed en route from Jaycar etc. MEGA FRUSTRATION MAY ABOUND!

For almost -modest cough- 10 years I've been extolling the virtues of "grabbing an old serial fitted laptop" when programming woes arise, & regularly took a dozen old Toshiba laptops along to courses for just this. However such bulky beasts are increasingly thin on the ground,& my weary back doth increasingly protest as well... THOUGHT! Anyone want to point me to a dozen cheap HP style 10" lightweight XP netbooks?

Our downunder AXE027 prices are ~US$30 via Surplustronics and MicroZed.Although costly, even this is ~US$15 cheaper than Surplustronic's classic crazy charge - my 2011 lobbying finally lead them to reduce prices to ease the pain for fellow Kiwi PICAXErs.That AXE027 latency tweak (which I knew of,but seldom mention to newbies) perhaps should be MUCH more widely documented & promoted. Program passover for the new "M2"s can otherwise-become-very-tedious-indeed-with-this-classic-cable.

In contrast (for cheapness and speed),I've dished out perhaps crates of those blue-green D9_USB cables (costing ~US$2-$3 each in bulk) to local PICAXErs. I've yet to hear of a problem & am increasingly surprised Rev.Ed doesn't mention them, if only for the fact that their colour makes them easier to identify in a cabling snake pit !

EXTRA: It's also worth keeping a very clear eye on the competition of course. I remain firmly PICAXE slanted, but the likes of Gravitech's mini USB fitted ~US$40 A-nano may appeal to newbies. These nano's use the digital camera style USB-miniUSB cables that now clutter many homes.

FWIW it's been pondered that a PICAXE set up in this nano style may have considerable outa-the-box merit,& it'd be much easier to program than using "C" required by the A family... Stan.

I tend to agree with manuka. NOT that I am trying to muddy the waters at this point, but do you guys remember the thread recently with the guy trying to get his USB cable going? After lots and lots of fualt-finding, he went to an XP machine(he was using Vista) with a bog-standard serial port, and it worked right away for him. When he tried putting the USB cable on the XP box, it still would not talk to the PICAXE board...

That thread can be found here:
http://www.picaxeforum.co.uk/showthread.php?20129-Picaxe-8M2-Hardawre-Not-Found-HELP

I do all my programming using a standard serial port on an "Old clunker XP laptop", to paraphrase manuka for a moment...

manuka said:

WestAust55: I respectfully disagree about alternatives! Newbies continue to have config. hassles for a myriad of reasons, & may become so disheartened that they give up entirely. I'm not just talking youngsters either! Many past PICAXE courses I've run have had adult attendees bringing in wierd USB-D9 cables that they grabbed en route from Jaycar etc. MEGA FRUSTRATION MAY ABOUND!
Stan.

Click to expand...

In making my comment, I was thinking that as Charlie53 had indicate:

I am having a fit trying to download the driver for the Pic AXE027 cable.

Click to expand...

Had thought it may be better that we help him sort out the AXE027 problems before introducing USB alternatives which as you state have cause many to gnash their teeth/weep/etc.
Once up and running with the AXE027, then yes, other options can be considered as you suggest.

Anyway that was just my thoughts and not out to argue over the matter - just help Charlie53

I had the same problem last weekend installing driver on new HP. I must have downloaded the driver five times. I did download the zipped file and saved it in a renamed file and opened it from there. I do not remember the exact process but it had to instal twice.

It works now.....my program on the other hand

Doug H.

Yes, when the cable is connected and "found", you have to install the drivers twice.

See step 6 on page 3 in the AXE027 datasheet.

I am going to try a few more things ,but w hen you plug a USB into a computer ...it should recognize it.
I have tried 2 different Computers and neither have recognized it,I think there may be a bad apple here,
If I plug a camera USB in I get prompted,If Ic annot get some satisfaction from this product ,I will indeed ask for my money back ...30bucks American.

I am going to try a few more things ,but w hen you plug a USB into a computer ...it should recognize it.
I have tried 2 different Computers and neither have recognized it,I think there may be a bad apple here,
If I plug a camera USB in I get prompted,If Ic annot get some satisfaction from this product ,I will indeed ask for my money back ...30bucks American.

Yes, even before the USB driver software is installed, when you first plug in the AXE027 cable the PC operating system should indicate that new hardware has been found.
If you are not achieving that position with the AXE027 but you do get the message when another device (not a straight through USB cable) is connected into the SAME USB port then indeed it is likely the AXE027 cable is in question.

westaust55 said:

If you are not achieving that position with the AXE027 but you do get the message when another device (not a straight through USB cable) is connected into the SAME USB port then indeed it is likely the AXE027 cable is in question.

Click to expand...

Or the issue could be that the cable is silently recognised as an unknown device due to an earlier configuration issue.

Charlie53 said:

I have tried 2 different Computers and neither have recognized it,I think there may be a bad apple here

Click to expand...

Have you tried what was suggested in post #7 ?

A guy on another forum brought up a concept ,called teamviewer,you can see and guide me and tell me what I am doing .
With my permission of course.
This is what I have on my desktop
Pic Axe Editor
Serial Pic programmer.

Neither one will take me any where.
OK let me ask a stupid Question,...since I am having trouble ...I sent my 20x2 chip to be programmed,it is to run a trailcam which I build for my own use for photographing wildlife,it requires hacking the cam first but I am blabbering again.
Do I need the board and chip connected to my stereo plug which is connected to the .027 cable?I am just grasping at straws here.

Charlie53 said:

Do I need the board and chip connected to my stereo plug which is connected to the .027 cable?I am just grasping at straws here.

Click to expand...

Not to install the AXE027

Teamviewer is fine (I use it to sort my parents' computers out - well they are both over 80, and doing pretty well (computer-wise) on the whole), but you need an audio channel e.g phone/skype as well to talk about plugging it in now/taking it out etc. Notepad on the screen can also be used - you both type into it, so you can get a stilted conversation going.

You might find someone up for it...

Charlie53: Just where are you in Tennessee? Some kind soul may be able to call by & fix things for you, or you could drop by their place. Repay them the favour of course! (No- don't look at me, as I'm in down under New Zealand! ). Many High Schools are using PICAXEs & could probably assist too. Perhaps even grab one of those cheapie Ebay cables I'd mentioned? Stan.

I have no problem with it, I just hate to think something has got the best of me,I am going to do this if it is the last thing I do.
I have a question,can I Download the driver to another computer and ,Maybe e-mail it to my computer in a Zip file?
And open it when I recieve it,and force feed this Hussy,JK.I will shut all my security off,I did not know but windows has a filter that acts as a type of anti virus.

To answer your question manuka,I am right below the Cumberland gap in Harrogate Tenn,about 50 miles northeast of the Smoky Mountains.

1 more question ,can I order a driver on disc. or even burn one to disc.?

I do thank you guys and gals for putting up with me in my state of frustration,I am much more pleasant ,in person.

@ Charlie53 : Have you tried what was suggested in post #7 ?