Test and Measurement Forum

I used my TC-08 serial SN#AMY38/105 for 7 years. It has been working fine on any PC/laptop on Windows XP.
Once I have updated my laptop to Windows 7 Enterprise 32-bit. I've updated the Pico software to 5.22.3 for Win 7 too.
The hanging problem broke out.
Whatever sampling rate I choose, the program hangs up after some samples are logged.
I suspected that the software is not yet fully compatible to Win 7 Enterprise.
My laptop spec. is:
Intel Core 2 Duo CPU U9400 @ 1.40 GHz
RAM 3.00 GB
Hard Disk Space 85 GB

Best Regards,
David

Hi David,

Are you using a USB - Serial converter, and of so is it one that was purchased from us or sourced elsewhere?

Which COM port is being used?

Regards,

Hi,

I also have the same problem.
Annually we check our TC-08's using a thermocouple simulator and after having 'record' problems tried four different computers.

Three XP and one Win7 PC, were tried and the record function locks up randomly on each, sometimes after a couple of seconds and sometimes after a few seconds and on a couple of attempts not locked up at all. Although if just monitoring the data (temperatures) everything appears to work satisfactorily. Unfortunately the data must be recorded not just observed and this is when the problem arises.

We use only direct port serial connections ie no converters.

Our USB TC-08's don't show the same problems.

Paul

Hi Paul and David,

I've undertaken some testing on my Windows 7 32-bit PC (works fine) and a Windows XP (32-bit) PC (software freezes at random) using PicoLog 5.22.4 and a direct serial connection.

This is most likely due to the fact that the device is not receiving enough voltage under load conditions (7V) and therefore we recommend the use of a USB-Serial converter. We do sell one that we know is compatible with the device:

http://www.picotech.com/usb_data_acquisition.html

Within PicoLog, you would have to select the COM port corresponding to the USB-Serial connection (this will be shown in the Device Manager)

For Windows XP or later, drivers would have to be downloaded from our website. You can also try an equivalent cable if you wish.

Best wishes,

Hi,
i too am having intermittant lockups with picolog 5.22.4 running under windows 7. There does not seem to be a pattern to it, sometimes it will sample for 8 seconds sometimes 250 seconds.

i am using a Keyspan USB-serial adaptor and a TC-08

I am going to need to do some tests soon and require it to run for around 1.5hrs so need it to be reliable.

thanks
Dave

Hi Again,

Further to my last post about problems with the TC-08 locking up, i have now installed the software on two other machines running XP and neither of them have any problems at all, this is with the same USB-serial adaptor.

Any ideas?

Hi Dave,

Just to confirm do you have the correct drivers for Windows 7 for your device?

Also, which COM port has been assigned to the USB - Serial adaptor?

Regards,

Hello Hitesh,

the driver should be ok, this device is used with several other programs and worked fine. the COM port was COM 1.

We have now been trying two other laptops running XP. both are having similar problems where the sampling just stops after a random time. the laptops are running on mains power and have screen savers disabled. we tried 2 different USB/serial converters with the same result. on the bench, the logger seemed to work fine on the XP machines but on the vehicle being tested it fails. Could the sensors touching the frame of the machine be a problem? the machine is 24v with negative ground.

Has this problem been seen with the USB version? i desperatly need a reliable logger as we are heating a large tank of fluid and a failure half way (or some way) through the process means stopping and waiting for the fluid to cool again.

regards
Dave

Try the latest version of PicoLog R5.22.6 which has a fix for this issue, there were two calls to the same piece of code which could cause a lock up.

Hi Martyn,

i downloaded the latest version and it has now been running for 30 mins recording perfectly on my windows 7 machine. there have been several screen saver interupts (as it was on battery power) and it still works.

so, looking good so far.
thanks for your help
Dave

Hi Martyn,

the windows 7 machine now works fine with 5.22.6 but when i install it on an XP machine and run the recorder, i get a device status message saying "tc0832.dll not found". i checked in the pico technology\pico full folder and the tc0832.dll file is in there.
i reinstalled 5.22.4 and it starts up normally without the error message on the XP machine but will probably fail while recording. i re installed 5.22.6 in the XP machine again with the same result.

i re installed 5.22.4 and coppied the tc0832.dll file to a memory stick then reinstalled 5.22.6. the fault was the same so i deleated the dll file and coppied the one from the memory stick. it then worked fine.

regards
dave

Thanks for that feedback Dave, I will get someone to look at that.