Dan Robinson
EF5
This month, I had to replace my chase laptop and by doing so move to a Windows 10 environment. I thought I would make this post to document some of the problems and solutions I encountered when installing some common chasing applications.
ThreatNet/WxWorx:
Threatnet was the most trouble to get working in Windows 10. Just about every step required some extra workarounds.
First, you might need to fix the drivers of the radio receiver:
- First, plug in the receiver via USB and let Windows detect and install drivers (just wait about 20 seconds after plugging in the usb cable).
- Go to Settings, type "device manager" in the search and select Device Manager from the list.
- in Device Manager, you should see the radio as some type of serial controller (if it isn't working, there will be a yellow triangle/exlamation mark symbol on it). On mine there were two separate devices not working.
- For each one showing the yellow triangle icon, right click on it and choose "properties".
- Click on the "Driver" tab
- Click the "update driver" button.
- On the next window that appears, select "Search automatically for updated driver software".
- Let the driver update process finish.
- repeat for any serial controller/port device that has the yellow triangle/exclamation icon.
If the devices show up with no errors, then it should work - but if XMlink shows no data or can't see the radio when you run ThreatNet, the drivers are probably to blame.
Now for the software install. The Threatnet Install now requires running four installers in this order:
- Main program install CD (Setup_Mobile.exe)
- Mapping Upgrade install CD (if you purchased the mapping upgrade)
- V1.31 upgrade EXE (downloadable from the Baron site)
- V1.33 upgrade EXE (downloadable from the Baron site)
In Windows 10, if you try to run the ThreatNet installer, you might get an error saying "this operating system is not supported". If that happens, follow these steps to install the software:
1.) copy the installer EXE files from the CDs to a local drive and run them from your hard drive.
2.) For each EXE in the process (do them in the order listed above), right-click on the EXE and select "troubleshoot compatibility", then select "Try recommended settings", then "test the program".
3.) The installer should now run - let the process complete like you normally would.
4.) After each installation is complete, go back to the "troubleshoot compatibility" dialog, click "next", then "yes, save these settings for the program".
After everything is installed, you need to right-click on the ThreatNet icon and go through the same "troubleshoot compatibility" steps as above.
After this, Threatnet/WxWorx should run normally.
GPS:
I could not get the old BU-353 GPS puck to work in Windows 10 using the workarounds on the Globalsat site. I didn't like having to spend extra money, but it's only $32 for the newer version of the puck, BU-353-S4. I had no problems using this newer version.
GPSgate:
No issues encountered in installation and running after switching to the BU-353-S4.
Delorme Street Atlas:
Go into the Delorme GPS settings and switch GPS type to Generic NMEA, then select one of the GPSGate ports. Make sure you select "start GPS with program" in that same settings dialog.
GrLevel3:
I had no problems installing and running the GRLevel3 version 2.50 in Windows 10.
Audio issues:
If you have your laptop's audio going to your car stereo via the headphone jack, you may run into an annoying issue with Windows 10 cutting power to the headphone jack when no audio is playing. In my car this results in static in the speakers, just like it does when nothing is hooked up to the headphone jack. It also cuts off the first part of any audio that does start playing (music, system sounds, etc).
I fixed this problem by performing the following steps:
- In the system tray at lower right, right-click the speaker icon
- Select "Playback Devices"
- Select the audio device that shows "headphones" (most of the time this is a Realtek device)
- Click the "Properties" button
- Click on the "Advanced" tab
- Uncheck "Allow applications to take exclusive control of this device"
- Click OK.
ThreatNet/WxWorx:
Threatnet was the most trouble to get working in Windows 10. Just about every step required some extra workarounds.
First, you might need to fix the drivers of the radio receiver:
- First, plug in the receiver via USB and let Windows detect and install drivers (just wait about 20 seconds after plugging in the usb cable).
- Go to Settings, type "device manager" in the search and select Device Manager from the list.
- in Device Manager, you should see the radio as some type of serial controller (if it isn't working, there will be a yellow triangle/exlamation mark symbol on it). On mine there were two separate devices not working.
- For each one showing the yellow triangle icon, right click on it and choose "properties".
- Click on the "Driver" tab
- Click the "update driver" button.
- On the next window that appears, select "Search automatically for updated driver software".
- Let the driver update process finish.
- repeat for any serial controller/port device that has the yellow triangle/exclamation icon.
If the devices show up with no errors, then it should work - but if XMlink shows no data or can't see the radio when you run ThreatNet, the drivers are probably to blame.
Now for the software install. The Threatnet Install now requires running four installers in this order:
- Main program install CD (Setup_Mobile.exe)
- Mapping Upgrade install CD (if you purchased the mapping upgrade)
- V1.31 upgrade EXE (downloadable from the Baron site)
- V1.33 upgrade EXE (downloadable from the Baron site)
In Windows 10, if you try to run the ThreatNet installer, you might get an error saying "this operating system is not supported". If that happens, follow these steps to install the software:
1.) copy the installer EXE files from the CDs to a local drive and run them from your hard drive.
2.) For each EXE in the process (do them in the order listed above), right-click on the EXE and select "troubleshoot compatibility", then select "Try recommended settings", then "test the program".
3.) The installer should now run - let the process complete like you normally would.
4.) After each installation is complete, go back to the "troubleshoot compatibility" dialog, click "next", then "yes, save these settings for the program".
After everything is installed, you need to right-click on the ThreatNet icon and go through the same "troubleshoot compatibility" steps as above.
After this, Threatnet/WxWorx should run normally.
GPS:
I could not get the old BU-353 GPS puck to work in Windows 10 using the workarounds on the Globalsat site. I didn't like having to spend extra money, but it's only $32 for the newer version of the puck, BU-353-S4. I had no problems using this newer version.
GPSgate:
No issues encountered in installation and running after switching to the BU-353-S4.
Delorme Street Atlas:
Go into the Delorme GPS settings and switch GPS type to Generic NMEA, then select one of the GPSGate ports. Make sure you select "start GPS with program" in that same settings dialog.
GrLevel3:
I had no problems installing and running the GRLevel3 version 2.50 in Windows 10.
Audio issues:
If you have your laptop's audio going to your car stereo via the headphone jack, you may run into an annoying issue with Windows 10 cutting power to the headphone jack when no audio is playing. In my car this results in static in the speakers, just like it does when nothing is hooked up to the headphone jack. It also cuts off the first part of any audio that does start playing (music, system sounds, etc).
I fixed this problem by performing the following steps:
- In the system tray at lower right, right-click the speaker icon
- Select "Playback Devices"
- Select the audio device that shows "headphones" (most of the time this is a Realtek device)
- Click the "Properties" button
- Click on the "Advanced" tab
- Uncheck "Allow applications to take exclusive control of this device"
- Click OK.
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