Windows 7 GPS receiver

[DVOM]

I'm running Delorme Street Atlas on Win 7. Occasionally the OS will lose connection to the GPS/USB receiver.

When I was using XP, the fix was to simply unplug the GPS receiver, wait a few seconds, then plug it back in. XP would find it, connect, and I'd go on my way.

My problem is that Win 7 won't automatically connect when I replug the GPS back in. I have to open Computer Management and have it scan for new hardware. This is completely unacceptable at 65 MPH.

Any thoughts on what I can do to get it to automatically connect?

I should give a little more info here, I'm using Win 7 as a VMWare host with another install of Win 7 as a VM running Delorme SA. I would just use the XP VM but I'll be darned if I can get Win 7 to allow XP to network. Win 7 allows XP to have internet but it won't allow it to access the shared Win 7 folders with music and podcasts.

TIA

[DVOM]

Sooo....have I stumped the panel of experts? I couldn't even get any takers on the problem of networking this POS with XP?

LOL

The amazing thing is Linux will network with it just easy as ..................

I don't know if that says more about how far Linux has come or how "not so far" Microsoft has come.

I know, I know, that's not a "bug", it's a "feature".

All I can say is, it's a good thing Microsoft isn't in charge of the telephone system. Of course they wouldn't have any dropped calls, 'cause ya can't drop a call that never connected in the first place.

"Can ya hear me now?"

LOL

But, I did figure out that when Win 7 drops the connection with my GPS receiver, if I unplug the receiver and replug it as fast as possible, then the OS will grab it again and all is good. At least as good as can be expected from MS and their merry band of morons.

[SuperSparks]

In the VM>Settings>Options tab>Shared Folders setting for the WinXP guest, check "Map as a network drive in Windows guests". I found that enables me to use shared folders on the Win7 host.

Which version of Win 7 are you using?

[jdc2000]

DVOM - If it is any consolation, I have seen the same problem of refusing to reconnect on Windows 2000.

[DVOM]

Sparks my man, that did the trick, I'll see how it works tomorrow. In the past I've found that problems with a VM's behavior can actually be problems with the host.

For instance, Delorme didn't run perfectly in Vista, and it had the same exact problems in an XP VM when using that same Vista install as the host.

But it did run perfectly in that XP VM when using an XP host.

All this, of course, means that my current GPS/USB problem may have actually been the Win 7 host's problem.

And in answer to your last question, I'm using 7137 Win 7.

[SuperSparks]

What I meant was whether it's Professional or Ultimate? Because if you are using one of those you could try WinXP Mode, which is a modified installation of Virtual PC using a ready-made VM. It has excellent integration with the host, to the extent that it is pretty much transparent as far as folder sharing, etc. goes. I normally prefer VMware Workstation to anything else, but I have been impressed with XP Mode.

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/vir.../download.aspx

[DVOM]

jdc2000, Thanks, I was considering trying W2k as a VM but with your comment I'm going to abandon that idea.

Now that I've got XP64 running as a VM in a Win 7 64 host, it's working even better than it did with an XP host. Amazingly, the GPS reconnect is lightning fast.

[DVOM]

Sparks, I'm using Win 7 64 bit Ultimate. That XPMode thingy looks interesting. However, at this point, with time at a premium, I'm going to wait on further experimentation until I upgrade to a new laptop when Win 7 becomes available pre-installed.