You have a com port issue as the Wild Thing 2 Super Unlooper is not recognized by your computer.

Here are a few quick things to check.

If you have a palm pilot hooked into your pc, you must disable the sync icon in the lower left corner of you screen, it looks like a circle.

*********************Troubleshooting Your Com Ports**********************

PRINTING THIS MAY BE A GOOD IDEA BEFORE CHANGING ANY SETTINGS MAKE SURE TO NOTE THE CHANGES AS WELL AS THE ORIGINAL SETTINGS IN CASE THEY NEED TO BE REVERSED

 For most people who purchase an unlooper, getting it to work is no problem.  However for some reason the program will not detect it. Com ports are the main issues of connectivity.

 When modems are installed, they seem to hog all the available com ports.

 This document will give you the understanding of how to troubleshoot com ports and make you appear to be a computer wizard to many others.

 Most common problem!

The most common problem is that one does not really know the COM port number on the back of the computer.  Some computers will be labeled COM 1 and the port will be COM 2 or 3 or 4.  So the first step is to try changing the changing the COM port in Wildthing from COM 1 to COM 2.  This is in the setup menu.  To get to the setup menu you click on options and then setup.  Make sure you try all COM ports (com 1,2,3&4) when you get the right com port within 2-10 seconds the program will detect the Wildthing and play the Wildthing theme.  If the port does not initialize it is either in use or not available. 

IF THAT DIDN'T FIX THE PROBLEM WE ARE GOING TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF HOW COM PORTS and DEVICES WORK.

 Most devices like a modem or sound card, in a computer use something called an IRQ (Interrupt Request) along with an I/O address.  One problem in computers these days is that you run low on IRQ's.  Think of an IRQ as a pipe or a road that runs to the device.  The computer only has so many and only one pipe can be used at one time.   Running low isn't necessarily a problem but another device may be using the same IRQ that we are trying to use for the Wildthing programmer meaning the computer doesn’t have the path to communicate with the programmer.

 EXAMPLES OF DEVICES THAT USE IRQ's

COM / serial Ports, Modem, Sound Card, Video cards (sometimes), USB, Sometimes, Ethernet/LAN Cards)

 The IRQ's that are available on all systems for devices to use are.

IRQ 3,4,5,7,9,10,11,12    that may seem like a lot but they can disappear fast (e.g. is you have a PS/2 Mouse IRQ 12 is automatically taken)

 All serial ports are very limited.  A current Plug and play modem will work on any free IRQ but something like a COM port has to have a specific one.  (Old modems have to steal an IRQ from the serial port and will cripple the use of the port it is using)

 Com 1 = IRQ 4  (Address 3F8h)

Com 2 = IRQ 3  (Address 2F8h)

Com 3 = IRQ 4  (Address 3E8h)

Com 4 = IRQ 3  (Address 2E8h)

** Com 3/4 Are only used as alternate if some other device has take the address***

 You can check what is on each IRQ in windows by using your right mouse button on my computer and clicking on properties. Now click on the device manager tab and double click on computer. This list will show you exactly what is used by each IRQ.

 Pay attention to IRQ 3 & 4.  They should listed:

IRQ 03 - Communications port (COM2)

IRQ 04 - Communications port (COM1)

 You may also exit the device manager and go back into it.

You can check what is on each IRQ in windows by using your right mouse button on my computer and clicking on properties.  Now click on the device manager tab.

Click on ports.  This will show the COM ports and the printer port installed.

 IF you have a modem go to Control Panel, then double click on modems.

If you go to diagnostics tab you will see what COM port your modem is connected to.

If you click on it e.g. Com 1 (click on the letters so they highlight.  You may now click on "more info" it will tell you what Interrupt it is using (interrupt is just another way of saying IRQ).

 Now look up on the chart above and maybe a device is taking the IRQ.

 Now what to do?

1. IF THERE IS NOTHING ON THE IRQ's or No Com ports are shown (MOST COMMON)

 On the back of your PC, you will see a 9 or 25 pin male Serial Port.

Knowing which one is Serial Port 1 and Serial Port 2 on the back is helpful.

If you have a Tower you will likely have one of the two following setups.

 OLDER SYSTEMS (Serial Port-1 9-pin known as DB9, Serial port-2 25 Pin known as DB25)

These serial ports usually run across the tower and will not be located close to the keyboard.

(One should also note that older systems do not have these ports wired into the motherboard but attached by ribbon. This ribbon connects inside on to the motherboard and can come loose or even plugged in backwards.  Also the ribbon for both Serial 1 and Serial 2 have the same size plug inside the computer and can even be reversed) this is not usually something to worry about.)

 NEWER SYSTEMS (Serial Ports on these systems are going to be placed vertically.  They will pretty much be beside the printer).  The one closest to the top of the case is either Serial Port 1 or Serial Port A, bottom one is 2 or B.

 Now we must enter the BIOS of your system. You do this by turning your computer off.  When you turn it on press the DEL-Key to enter setup.  On brand name computers it is usually F2.

 In the menus you should see a menu Containing Serial / COMM Ports.  Usually it is under Integrated Peripherals.

 The general rule is to Disable BOTH the Serial ports.  Now enable the on you wish to use, should be 1 or A.  Set it at COM 1.  Depending on the computer, Com1 will be one of the following.

- COM1

- COM1 IRQ4

- 3F8h

- 3F8h IRQ4

 Leave the 2nd one as DISABLED.

 If your system will not let you boot due to a conflict go back in to the BIOS and set it to COM2 or 2F8h, IRQ 3.

 Restart your Wildthing and try the com port settings on Com 1 or Com 2.

 *********************

IF SOMETHING ELSE IS ON THE IRQ for the COM PORT record what the device is.

Now find it in the device manager and double click on it.

Now click on the resources tab. Uncheck use automatic settings.  Now you may change the IRQ's to another (by clicking on the Interrupt request and pressing change setting) to free the connection for your programmer.

 IF YOU ARE STILL HAVING PROBLEMS YOU MAY WANT TO CONTACT YOUR COMPUTER VENDOR AND THEY WILL LIKELY HELP YOU CONFIGURE YOUR SYSTEM PROPERLY.

Questions email to Dragon's Landing.