I purchased Microsoft's Streets & trips including the Mirosoft GPS receiver.
Installed in a laptop running Vista. In scanning the Com ports the computer sees the GPS but says it's not valid. I did a re-install & got the GPS to work once. It usually shows up as Com port 3 or 4

Is there a chance the GPS receiver is defective? It's Microsoft's model 1372 & also labled Navation GPS 168.

Suggestions welcomed.

Frank

Hi Frank, and welcome to Laptop GPS World. Are you testing it indoor. If yes, try to take it outside of the house, and into your car, to see if better signal reception corrects the issue.

Hi,
Thanks for reply. Tested outdoors with laptop initially. Went to website & downloaded driver but I not smart enough to confirm where the driver down load went. Vista doesnt allow a com check. Program sees Com 3 but says GPS not valid.

Thanks
Frank

No download is needed for that GPS. Plug it in and if the driver fails go to Windows update and a correct driver will be installed.

You can check the COM in Vista by typing 'Device Manager' into the 'Start Search' field above the Start button. Click on the Device Manager link that is listed. When Device Manager opens, click on the + next to Ports (COM & LPT) to expand it. The Navation 168 will be listed as a u-blox 5 GPS and GALILEO receiver (or something similar) followed by its COM port. Set S&T to that COM port.

Terry

Attached Images

uBlox.jpg (181.9 KB)

Hi,
Thanks for reply. I'm running Vista, build 6, 32-bit, and when using the Device Manager, one can not see the com ports. Your thumb nail is identical to my Windows XP Device Manager. Anyway when GPS is plugged in, it gives an immediate USB device not recognized. Vista gives the opportunity to search & update the device driver & when that is done the info comes back that the GPS is current.

When Streets & Trips is started it says device not recognized at com 3. The word Microsoft lights each time it connected to USB. I'M beginning to wonder if there is a problem with Vista.

Thanks

That screenshot was from Vista Home Premium 32 bit. The Navation 168 works fine on Vista and gives the information I showed. Is it Device Manager you can't find, the Ports section or the COM listing? If just the COM listing,try removing the driver completely, unplug the GPS. Then plug it back in and let Vista install the driver again.

Terry

Some people have reported that some unusual problems with S&T under Vista can be resolved by disabling UAC. It is easy enough that it is worth trying if all else fails.

Type msconfig in the Start search box and select the msconfig.exe link. When the msconfig box comes up look for Disable UAC on the Tools tab. Highlight it and choose the Launch button. A reboot is required and you will get a warning about it in the notification area.

If that doesn't help, you can enable UAC again by the same method (Choose Enable UAC on the Tools tab).

Terry

Hi Terry,

Was beginning to go nuts, why my screen shot of Device manager was different than yours. Turns out laptop had been changed to selective startup not normal (son will walk plank). Changed boot up to normal..changed UAC to off. Plugged in GPS & on bootup..laptop said "hey lookie here a GPS..I'll install software" Started Streets and Trips & configure GPS & low & behold it was there.

Now all I have to do it learn how to use it :>)
MANY thanks for your help & suggestions.

Frank

Glad to hear it is working ok now. Did you see if Device Manager now lists the COM port? I wonder what was turned off in msconfig that would prevent the GPS from being discovered by Windows.

Terry

Autodetecting and installing new hardware, probably.

...ken...