Com ports

[LM317]

Hi um
I am pretty New to arduinohelper but I love it!
But I am not sure what plug to plug my arduino into
And I'm not sure where to go or how to change the port my arduino is in
My PC
HP
Windows XP Media center edition
Please help!
Thanks
-LM317

[pert]

I am pretty New to arduinohelper but I love it!

What's arduinohelper?

But I am not sure what plug to plug my arduino into

Any USB port on your computer should work

And I'm not sure where to go or how to change the port my arduino is in

You shouldn't need to change the port your Arduino is on but you will need to select the correct port in the
Arduino IDE Tools > Port menu.

[LM317]

The thing is I can't find ports in my windows XP menu
Please help

[pert]

The thing is I can't find ports in my windows XP menu

What "windows XP menu"? I never said anything about a "windows XP menu". I said the Arduino IDE Tools > Port menu.

[LM317]

My phone changed it to arduinohelper
It's a website http://arduinohelpers.simdif.com

I get this error message when I use just any port
Arv dude
I googled it and it said it was cause I need to change what serial port it was in
I use Microsoft Windows XP
I don't no how the heck to go to serial port in menu
It's not there in plain sight like you think it would be!
Please help!
Thanks
LM317

[pert]

I get this error message when I use just any port
Arv dude

No, that's not the error message you get, there's much more to it and it's avrdude, not "Arv dude". You need to realize that when programming you need to be very precise. When you're trying to get help here on the forum take that same approach.

I don't no how the heck to go to serial port in menu
It's not there in plain sight like you think it would be!

• Open the Arduino IDE
• Click on the Tools menu
• Click on the Ports selection inside the Tools menu.
• If the Ports selection is grayed out that means there are no ports available.

Please help!

Obviously I'm trying, you don't need to say it every time.

[LM317]

Pert I thank you for being so patient with me!
It is greyed out all I get is com port 3
But when I get my arduino into the computer
In any port
It gives me that error message
Also I couldn't remember exactly what the error message was I was trying to give you an idea
If you have a solution to this please post!
Thanks
LM317

[pert]

It is greyed out all I get is com port 3

Is is grayed out or is there COM3 on the list. If there are any ports available then the Tools > Port menu shouldn't be grayed out.

The way to find the port of your Arduino is:

• With the Arduino board unplugged from the USB open Tools > Port and note the listed ports.
• Close the Tools > Port menu.
• Plug in the USB cable on the Arduino board
• Wait a bit for the Arduino board to connect
• Open Tools > Port, the new port on the list is your Arduino board. In some cases it will have the name of the board next to the port name but this doesn't happen with all boards.

After doing that do you see plugging your Arduino in to the USB cause a new port to appear in Tools > Port?

[sterretje]

It's very long ago that I used XP.

First step is to tell us where you bought the Arduino (link please). You might have bought a clone that uses the CH340 chip and you need a driver for it.

Other step:
Open the device manager (just in case: that is not the IDE but part of windows) in Windows XP. Look for the section with something like 'ports' in it (not sure of the exact name). If it's not there, don't worry.
Next connect the Arduino using the USB cable. That section should now show up if it didn't before or it should now show a new com port.
If it does not show a new comport, you're either missing the driver or your board is faulty.

[LM317]

Pert I will try your thing when I get home later

I don't have the link for the place I bought it but it is from

Vilros.com
It is arduino uno
And it doesn't need anything like that
Cause it worked on my old windows 7
Laptop
But it broke

[sterretje]

Cause it worked on my old windows 7
Laptop
But it broke

Ah, that makes a difference.

But some steps still apply If nothing shows in device manager, you will also not be able to see it in the IDE.

[LM317]

I tried that in device manager
It pulls up something called unknown USB device?

If it is missing a driver can I just install one?

So what the heck is this problem
Thanks
LM317!?

[pert]

Vilros.com
It is arduino uno

It looks like it has the ATmega16u2 for the USB to serial chip so you should be able to use the drivers found in the Arduino IDE installation folder. So click on the unknown USB device, then click on the option to specify the location to search for drivers, then point it at the drivers folder under the Arduino IDE installation folder.

[LM317]

Perp I just want to thank you for your help!!!