[wxqc] Weather station crash

[Merton Campbell Crockett]

If you have a Davis Instruments Vantage Pro2 with a USB data logger,  
Silicon Labs has updated their CP2101 USB to UART device driver last  
year.  I believe this is included in the WeatherLink 5.8.x update for  
Windows systems.

The new Silicon Labs driver is supposed to correct problems on systems  
running Mac OS X 10.5.2.  It appears to work on the PowerMac platforms  
but causes a kernel panic when used on a Intel-based Mac Pro (2008).

Adding ferrite cores to your USB cable to reduce RFI and EMI is, also,  
reported to help but not on a Intel-based Mac Pro (2008).  :(

Merton Campbell Crockett



On 09 Apr 2008, at 18:41:39, Rex Pirkle wrote:
> 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
>
>
>
>
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Merton Campbell Crockett
m.c.crockett at roadrunner.com