We have received some reports on Windows 8 not detecting the device properly after a new GHI SDK installation or after “Windows Update”. From what we have seen, Windows sometimes “loses” the driver and tries to search for a driver. Through Windows driver database, it finds “Windows Sideshow” and installs that.
This can be easily solved by “right click” on the device and then “Update Driver” and point it to the drivers at
C:\Program Files (x86)\GHI Electronics\GHI Premium NETMF v4.2 SDK\USB Drivers\GHI_NETMF_Interface
To help us identify if the this issue, please let us know if you have experienced any issues with Windows 8 and what do you see on device manager should you have any problems. A snapshot is best.
Please keep this thread strictly for “my Windows 8 can’t detect my device” and not for any “I can’t update firmware” questions
Edit: We learned that the GHI boot loader, which exposes itself as a virtual serial port, does not work properly on windows8. It seem to be worse when using USB3 on windows 8. Beside the loader, we are not seeing any issues in the NETMF drivers (deploying/debugging). We think this is a timeout issue in windows8.
laptop with Win8 64 and only USB3 ports (ASUS N56V)
Pic 1 - right after Spider is plugged in - doesn’t show up as Sideshow, but unknown device
Pic 2 - unknown device’s driver properties
Pic 3 - unknown device’s driver details
Pic 4 - manual driver update
Pic 5 - failed result of driver update
Same results regardless of:
USB port used
set of USB/gadgeteer cables
mode the Spider is in (loader or firmware update)
Had occasional issues with my previous laptop (Win7 64), but that seemed to be USB port specific.
Edit 1: Added Pic 6 & 7 with extra info from the Device Driver tabs.
Edit 2: Just noticed the Events tab has a date prior today. When I get home I will uninstall the drivers and try again.
@ Gus, I have seen this with one of my Cerberus (although I haven’t tried any others) and a Spider that had 4.1 on it, but not either of my Hydras (one with 4.1 and one with 4.2). I went into device manager, picked Update Driver, browsed to the appropriate 4.2 folder and it worked fine.
I did not see this after Windows update, this was upon plugging the device into the PC for the first time after I upgraded to Win8 and installed the 4.2 October release.
The Spider happened yesterday, the Cerberus was last week.
I am using a power USB hub.
I haven’t plugged either of my mountaineer boards, EMX or CWX into this PC since I upgraded to Win8, can try to do those sometime this week to see if they have the same behavior.
We learned that the GHI boot loader, which exposes itself as a virtual serial port, does not work properly on windows8. It seem to be worse when using USB3 on windows 8. Beside the loader, we are not seeing any issues in the NETMF drivers (deploying/debugging). We think this is a timeout issue in windows8.
FWIW – I uninstalled all the GHI entries from Programs And Features. Next I opened the zip, went to “\Installation Files\GHI NETMF USB Drivers x64” and ran the msi (I didn’t run the main installer).
I then connected my GHI Arachnid, and same results. What was interesting to me is that under the Unknown Device, it still was showing events from the date of 11-23.
Oh! so your device has firmware on it! But it still won’t work on windows8. The only thing left is NETMF USB drivers vs. WinUSB drivers. The SDK coming tomorrow give you the 2 options. Can you take the device or work, update it with SDK coming out tomorrow and then bring it back home to try.
I never had this issue with that Win7 64 system.