I received my new RC5000i yesterday, and have been mired in communication problems since.
While awaiting delivery of the remote I searched for and read all prior posts on the subject of communication problems, hoping to avoid the same.
My HW specifics are: 1ghz Pentium 3 (full computer, not a notebook) with 512mb ram running Win2k sp1 and all incremental updates. No dialup modem or Hot Sync that would access com ports.
I installed Touch Screen Setup v1.0.14, rebooted, connected my RC500i to COM1, started TSS, and attempted to upload from rc device with the following:
Com1: opened but no response from RC device.
Com2: opened but no response from RC device.
I Installed & tried Tonto.
Tonto reported "Pronto was not located on any ports."

Remembering past posts, I thought I'd increase my options and bought a Keyspan HS USB-Serial Adapter. The Keyspan gave me COM3. After attempting an upload:
Com1: opened but no response from RC device.
Com2: opened but no response from RC device.
Com3: opened but no response from RC device.
Again when I tried Tonto, it reported "Pronto was not located on any ports."

I then deleted all com ports from the hw configuration, disabled motherboard com ports in bios, purged the registry, and rebooted. The Keyspan USB com port was now re-installed as com1.
I attempted communication with TSS (Com1: opened but no response from RC device.) & Tonto (Pronto was not located on any ports.).
I repeated the process on a second computer with the same results.
In the interest of brevity I have left out most references to re-boots of computer, and pin resets of the remote. I have tried both liberally, throughout the process.

Any suggestions as to what to try next. I wish I knew someone with the same family of remote so that I could test whether this might be a cable or remote problem.

Have you tried downloading? Some people with com problems can download but not upload.

>>Have you tried downloading? Some people ...

Yep. Many times with no joy.
I forgot to mention that I also tried turning on the backlight / touching the screen before up or downloading.

Do a Search Forum on Win2K or WIN 2000 or . . . it might be time to invest in a Serial to USB Adapter (again, use Search Forum - LOTS of links on this subject). Here's one (of many):

Topic: usb to serial adapter


    MIKE

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Thanks for the reply. I realize my post was a tad long, however I did outline how I have already tried both suggestions.
I am running out of ideas. I am beginning to think that there is something physically wrong with either the cable or the jack, although there are no visible indications of such.

Well this evening I found someone I knew that also owns an RC5000i. I brought my remote over and tried it on his computer; communicated perfectly.
Unhooked his cable and tried mine; same communication problems that plagued me for the past few days.
I borrowed his cable for a few days, and when I got home it also worked perfectly on my computer.

Thanks to those that replied with suggestions.