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    Undocking a Dell Laptop...Problems With Com1

    Discussion in 'Dell' started by jimh009, Mar 2, 2008.

  1. jimh009

    jimh009 Notebook Enthusiast

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    Hello,

    I have a older Dell Laptop (D610) and the docking station they sell for it. All works great...except that I can't undock the laptop without shutting it down first. Any time I attempt to undock the computer without shutting it down (such as Start > Undock), I get an error message saying that something is running on the Communications Port (Com1) and that it can't be shut down.

    Does anyone have any idea what might be running...or at least how to fix this? I would love to be able to undock "on the fly" without having to constantly shut down and reboot.

    OS is XP Pro Service Pack 2.

    Thanks.

    Jim
     
    jimh009, Mar 2, 2008
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  2. nizzy1115

    nizzy1115 Notebook Prophet

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    What devices do you have plugged into the dock? Are all of them through the usb ports?
     
    nizzy1115, Mar 2, 2008
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  3. jimh009

    jimh009 Notebook Enthusiast

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    I have tons plugged into the dock...nothing into the laptop itself. I have speakers, external mouse, external keyboard, two external HD's (USB), two flash card readers (USB), printer (USB). Broadband is via Wireless network...so I don't have any network cables plugged into it.
     
    jimh009, Mar 2, 2008
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  4. andyasselin

    andyasselin Notebook Deity

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    do you have active sync installed? it has set the monitor the com point or any fax software?
     
    andyasselin, Mar 2, 2008
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  5. jimh009

    jimh009 Notebook Enthusiast

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    Hi,

    No active sync installed. No fax software installed except for the built-in fax software part of XP Pro.
     
    jimh009, Mar 2, 2008
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  6. nizzy1115

    nizzy1115 Notebook Prophet

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    If you don't use the com port at all, can you disable it via the device manager and see if you still get that message?
     
    nizzy1115, Mar 3, 2008
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