CF-30 MK3 com port and arduino IDE issue

Does anyone know why I'm having an issue? I have posted over on arduino.cc, but think it might be a TB specific question.
I'll try to be brief.

I am having issues with Arduino IDE and clone Nano's (with ch340 usb/serial chips). The nano is about 2 years old

If I plug the arduino chip into USB, the arduino runs it's sketch like it should.
As soon as I launch the IDE (ardunio software) on my CF30, I get crazy blinking on pin13/built in LED. When I open the serial port monitor, the crazy blinking stops. If I close serial monitor, crazy blinking begins again until I close the IDE application and then the arduino behaves correctly.

The IDE will still upload (program) the arduino like it should, 1 time. If I try to upload the same or another sketch to the Nano, it tells me that access is denied to the com port (it shouldn't be). I have to unplug the Nano and plug it back in.

Is there some way to monitor what's going on with my com port without interfering with it's operation? (I do not have access to a scope)

I think, for some reason, the IDE is misbehaving with the com port, but I don't know why.

CF-30KTPAX2M (but mine *does have wwan, gps, and BT) 250gb sata drive and 4gb ram.

Win7, no service pack, and I have installed the CH340 driver, I have disabled serial mouse detection on boot via the registry key.

To be clear, I have used this nano (2 of them actually) many times on 4 other computers runnig xp or win7 with this IDE and this CH340 driver(s). Both nano's do it on this 30. I think it is something specific to the CF30, that I'm just unaware of.

*EDIT
I just tried disabling the GPS in bios and playing around a bit with no effect.