Cannot remove orphaned com ports !!!!!

Using Vista Home Premium 64-bit, after numerous attempts at installing a
USB to serial converter based on the FDTI 232R chip I have the converter
working but also have numerous extra com ports
(1,2,3,4,5,8,9,10,11,12,14,and 15) that I cannot remove. From Control
Panel > Printers > Right-click anywhere > Click on Ports Tab these com
ports are visible but when selecting a port and clicking the delete
option I get an error message that states "Selected port cannot be
deleted. The request is not supported".
I also tried to delete using device manager but the extra ports do not
show up there, even when using the environment variable
'DevMgr_Show_NonPresent_Devices = 1" and selecting 'Show hidden devices"
option in Device Manager.

I have the following a batch file and have never had any issues deleting no
longer existant items:
You need to right click the batch file and run as adminstrator.
------------------------------------------------------------

set devmgr_show_nonpresent_devices=1
cd %SystemRoot%\System32
start devmgmt.msc

-------------------------------------------------------------

Then just select to show hidden devices and the no existant ones appear.

Are you using the 64-bit version. Also you run the batch file from the
Command Promp correct??? (I am far from an expert on this)

Thanx for your response

Using 32 bit Vista Ultimate.
Copy the text into notepad and save it as <whatevername you want>.bat
The right click the .bat file and select run as adminstrator. It will open
the command prompt and the Device Manager will open up.

Not sure but you may have to change the system32 portion since you are
running the 64 bit.

I know you set the environment variable which should have done the same
thing but you can double check here to be sure its typed in correctly to the
environment variables

I checked the environment variable and it is correct plus also did the
batch file routine with the same results. I should point out that
hidden devices do show up BUT just not the com ports. Im guessing its
something weird about 64-bit or possibly the FTDI chip thats my problem.
I suppose I will have to manually edit the registry to delete but I am
not sure how to do just yet.

Thanx for your help.

I'm having the same problem with the orphaned com ports but I haven't
been able to successfully install the adapter. I was able to remove the
com ports from the registry so they no longer show up in the printer->
ports tab but the next attempt to install the adapter driver still used
the next successive com port (I'm up to com 7 now). sonerai3, can you
tell me how you were finally able to install your adapter?

Make sure that you run the driver install file BEFORE connecting
converter. The file is CDM 2.04.06.exe from the FTDI website; this file
installs the inf files (I believe) from a command prompt window and then
when these files are installed and the converter is plugged in the
hardware should be recognized and the virtuak com port drivers
installed. I can remember if unplugging and re-plugging the converter
was successful in recognizing the hardware correctly or not. To be
honest with you I just switched back to XP for now. I had the 64 bit
version of Vista which absolutely will not work with any drivers that
are not digitally signed (32 bit Vista will). This problem made my
recently purchased USB oscilloscope and function generator useless plus
other Vista problems (hardware recognition being one of them) made me
decide to put Vista aside for a while. Good luck!!

Thanks for the fast reply. In my continued search for a solution I found
a driver that worked, or at least seems to. I'll keep your information
handy in case I have more problems. I was however unable to figure out
how to get the drivers to use a lower COM port. It seems that all COM
ports that were used in prior failed attempts are now unavailable. My
latest, and hopefully last driver install, is using COM8. Please let me
know if you ever get an answer to that problem.

I never did (until going back to XP OS). Once it installs and shows up
in device manager you can right-click, select 'Advanced' and then name
the port whatever you want I believe. Good luck

[NeverOutofTune]

I found one method to remove orphaned com ports in Vista (Vista 32 Business Edition). I used this method to remove "in use" but abandoned ports created by trying to install a USB RS232 adapter. I finally got the adapter installed and working but as COM11. I wanted it as COM1 but COM1 and several others where "in use"

1) Identify the working port (for me COM11)
2) Identify the orphaned ports (for me was around 6 of them)
3) Keep the USB RS232 adapter connected and restart in Safe Mode
4) Go to Device Manager (within Computer Properties)
5) Open up "Ports" and find the good COM port
6) Right Click on this port and select "Properties'
7) Go to the Port Settings tab and press "Advanced"
8) In the COM Port Number pick list, pick one of the orphaned ports
9) Press OK.
10) You will get a message stating this COM name is being used. Press Yes
11) Repeat steps 8 - 10 for all other orphaned COM ports
12) Assign your device to the port you want
13) Close all windows and Restart

You may be able to do this without going to Safe Mode.