GF Module Stopped Responding

[jimthomasjohnston]

Hi Peter,

Just wondering if you have ever had anyone mention this problem to you before? I do not think it to be a FSUIPC problem.

During a flight, my GF-166 Com 1 radio module just stopped working. It continued to display both the active and stand by freq, however the buttons no longer worker and I could not change the stand by freq with the rotary dial. When I called up the FSUIPC menu and went into the "Buttons" page, the module's buttons were no longer detected by FSUIPC. The module had worked flawlessly for the beginning of the flight. I am using GFDisplay to run the lights/displays of my Go Flight Modules and have all the functions programmed in FSUIPC. The modules are running through WideFS on a separate computer. I am using FSUIPC 3.9, WideFS 6.78, Windows XP 64 bit, and FS 9.1. Normally, the modules work perfectly. After re-booting the client computer, it again worked normally. I am thinking that it may have something to do with the power on the USB port. If that is the case, then would the module continue to display the radio freq, or would the whole module just go blank? I have ensured that all "Allow this computer to turn off this device to save power" on the "USB Root Hub Properties" power management tab are unchecked thinking that this might solve the problem, however it continues to happen periodically. Any ideas?

Jim

[Pete Dowson]

During a flight, my GF-166 Com 1 radio module just stopped working. It continued to display both the active and stand by freq, however the buttons no longer worker and I could not change the stand by freq with the rotary dial. When I called up the FSUIPC menu and went into the "Buttons" page, the module's buttons were no longer detected by FSUIPC. The module had worked flawlessly for the beginning of the flight. I am using GFDisplay to run the lights/displays of my Go Flight Modules and have all the functions programmed in FSUIPC. The modules are running through WideFS on a separate computer. I am using FSUIPC 3.9, WideFS 6.78, Windows XP 64 bit, and FS 9.1. Normally, the modules work perfectly. After re-booting the client computer, it again worked normally.

Strange. Sounds like some sort of glitch on that Client PC -- maybe in the WideFS communications? Did you check the WideClient and WideServer Logs to see if any errors were reported?

Mind you, if the Sever stopped receiving reports from the client, it would time-out and stop sending the data which was updating your displays, and wideclient would also show "waiting for connection" again.

So, I can only think that something happened in the USB chain of things, or WideClient's link to GFDev.dll, the GoFlight driver.

I am thinking that it may have something to do with the power on the USB port. If that is the case, then would the module continue to display the radio freq, or would the whole module just go blank?

Isn't the GF device receiving power from a powered hub in any case? And as you surmise, I can't imagine the USB link would continue to work in one direction only.

I have ensured that all "Allow this computer to turn off this device to save power" on the "USB Root Hub Properties" power management tab are unchecked thinking that this might solve the problem, however it continues to happen periodically. Any ideas?

So it isn't a one-off glitch? Hmm. That is suspicious, then. Possibly pointing more towards hardware. Things to try in a process of elimination:

1. A different GDdev.dll driver -- I put the very latest in the Updates Announcement recently. Try that. Or even try a much older one, also there.

2. A different USB socket -- well away from the one you are using (the PC USB sockets are usually in pairs, sharing the same internal chips, so try to use one from a different pair).

3. A different USB cable.

4. If you are using a hub, a different socket on that hub.

5. If possible, try it on the FS PC for a while, see if it ever occurs there too.

If all 5 tests still give the problem, I'd strongly suspect the GF unit itself. Otherwise the tests should show where it is in the USB chain of things.

Regards

Pete