7.1.cx.03 - VirtualPC
Keyspan Support For VirtualPC...
Information on how to use Keyspan serial products with VirtualPC is provided per the request of
VirtualPC users.
Keyspan does not support VirtualPC
due to the fact that VirtualPC cannot
provide the same USB and serial resources that you would find on a 'real' Windows computer.
Because of this, serial devices running under VirtualPC (or any emulator) may or may not work.
Serial and USB devices expect to communicate with hardware based serial and USB ports.
Software based emulators, like VirtualPC, cannot provide the same level of performance as
hardware based USB and Serial ports. Depending on you serial device and its software, you may
or may not be able to reliably use VirtualPC as a way of using a serial device. Please keep this in
mind as you read these instructions.
Before you begin...
This Configuration Example shows you how to configure VirtualPC (with Microsoft Windows)
to use a Keyspan serial port. There are two ways of doing this depending on your Keyspan serial
product:
Method 1
involves VirtualPC emulating
COM1
or
COM2
by using an existing Mac serial port.
This method is compatible with all Keyspan serial ports. This method is recommended for use
with DOS programs or any software that is not compatible with Microsoft's 'Win32 Communica-
tions API' (ie any pre-Windows 98 or 2000 programs)
Method 2
involves VirtualPC emulating USB and installing Keyspan's Windows software. This
method only compatible with Keyspan serial ports that have Windows software. This method is
recommended when you have: a) VirtualPC version 4.0 or later b) a Keyspan serial port that has
Windows software. This method is not compatible with Mac only serial ports (ie USA-28, USA-
28X, USA-18X, SXPRO, etc.)
IMPORTANT!!! YOU CANNOT USE BOTH METHOD 1 and METHOD 2 AT THE SAME
TIME. Remember to disable USB is you have VPC set to use COM1/COM2 or disable COM1/
COM2 if you are using the USB.
Both methods accomplish the same the same thing (adding a a serial port) but one method may
work better than the other depending on what serial device is used, what operating system is in-
stalled, which Keyspan serial port is used, etc. or neither method may work. You may be able to
find more information on the internet as to how to speed up VirtualPC as this often is a factor in
getting a successful outcome.
7.1.c.03.a - VirtualPC - Method 1
Keyspan USB Serial Adapter Software v2.x for Mac OS X User Manual
Rev 2006aug07 Page 27
