[wxqc] Weather station crash

[Rex Pirkle]

For those of you suffering fatal WeatherLink crashes, Mark offers good
advice -- check your device drivers for updates, and not just USB.  I
had the same symptoms Robert Pick reported two years ago under WL 5.6,
and driver updates resolved it. 

This is what I did on my Win-XP Dell machine to solve the USB lock-ups
-- the diagnosis will certainly not be the same for other computers:

Using  Program>Accessories>System Tools >System Information, my system
summary in 'Conflicts/Sharing' section indicated that IRQ 16 was shared
by two resources:
IntelR 82865G Graphics Controller, and
IntelR 82801EB USB Universal Host Controller (24D2 and 24DE) 

Working under the assumption that this shared IRQ 16 may a source of
hardware conflict, I took the following steps--
First, I checked for driver updates for both of these items, and found a
Microsoft update available for the 82865G Graphics Controller and
installed it.  The USB driver was already current.  

I installed a separate 2-port USB PCI card. This particular card is
listed as 'NEC PCI to USB Enhanced Host Controller", and used IRQ 22 and
23.  IRQ 22 is now shared with an IntelR V9x DFV PCI Modem (I never
use), and IRQ 23 shares with the onboard IntelR USB adaptor (24DD).  

Presently the WX station connection is made to the PCI USB card (no
hub), using  IRQ 22 -- now separate from the Graphics Controller IRQ 16.
The station has been rockin' along without a major hang for a couple of
years -- at least not on file transfers due to USB.  

In summary, I do not know if the 'fix' is due to the graphics driver
update, separation of IRQ, or new USB port hardware.  My experience is
that WL seems to have problems working on a USB hub -- it likes it own
port.  Power Management shutting off the USB may have also been a
factor, but I never confirmed that.  Hope this helps. 

Rex Pirkle    
AR863/K8CYJ-5

-----Original Message-----

Really, honestly, for sure, I mean it. _IF_ your issue is the usb/serial
driver.  Get the update.    I did do some script magic myself (at first)
to check and restart my app.  But then found the blogs, tried that and
it has NEVER crashed again.  IF it is the problem.

Mark