WinXP: Release locked serial port

[transporter_ii 0]

Verified this on at least three different laptops. If you open up GE MDS programming software (you don't even have to connect to an MDS radio), the comm port is left locked when you exit the software, and the next thing you want to use that uses the same comm port won't work. The fix is to go to Control Panel > System > Device Manager > Comm ports and turn off the comm port and turn it back on. The comm port will work fine after that. Does anyone know of a batch script or little program that will release the comm port and free it up without having to go three layers deep into Device Manger and then having to click "no" to rebooting the computer on top of all of that? Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Transporter_ii

[BobLfoot 301]

Just a thought - there must be a CPU process tying up the com post. Try this. Open your Task Manager and note all running processes. Open and then close the MDs software. Recheck Task manager and see what new process was left running. Kill this process and see if you get your port back. If that works, you should be able to craft a script or activeX to call a WinApI to kill that process.