Port Tests
Last updated on May 26, 1999
COM PnP Enumeration
Serial Enumeration Test
Multiport Serial COMx
LPT PnP Enumeration
Serial Port (COMx)
Parallel Port

COM PnP Enumeration


Type Interactive
Operating system Windows 95 & 98
Log filename devenum.log
Processing time Approximately 10 minutes
Status Required
Requirements Unused COM port and a separate Plug And Play COM device
Included in these HCTs: 8.x, 9.x

This test evaluates automatic enumeration of COM devices (such as an external modem) by first enumerating the current COM devices in the system. It then prompts the user to input the number of currently open COM slots on the machine. After the user inputs the appropriate number, the test displays further instructions and an "Ok To Continue" dialog. This dialog must NOT be cleared until after the user fills the remaining COM slots with devices, and waits for the devices to enumerate properly. The test monitors the dynamic COM enumeration, verifying all COM devices are automatically detected and that the drivers load properly.

Steps for running test:

  1. Disconnect any serial PnP devices from the COM ports.
  2. Run the test.
  3. Identify to the test how many ports you have available to add COM PnP devices to.
  4. Connect the number of COM PnP devices to the COM ports that you indicated.
  5. The operating system will identify and enumerate the new devices as you plug them in.
  6. Finish the test, it will count the newly added devices and report what it found.

Note: A manual device manager refresh is acceptable to receive a test pass

Parameters

None.

Issues

You must have an unused COM port and a separate Plug and Play COM device such as an external Plug and Play modem available for this test. Start the test and enter the number of currently open COM ports on the machine. When the "Ok To Continue" dialog appears, connect the Plug And Play COM device to the unused COM port and then click OK.


Serial Enumeration Test


Type Interactive
Operating system Windows 2000 (RC3 or later)
Log filename serenum.log
Processing time Approximately 10 minutes
Status Required
Requirements Unused COM port and a separate Plug And Play COM device
Included in these HCTs: 8.x, 9.x

This test evaluates the enumeration of PnP COM devices by polling for the PnP id from the serial port.
Steps for running test:

  1. Connect the serial PnP device to one of the COM ports say COM1.
  2. The serenum test will run, Click on GetID in the File menu.
  3. The scope should show various hardware signals while the PnP ID of the device should also be dumped on the screen.
  4. The test creates a log file serenum.log which contains the PnP ID

    Serial PnP devices must return a PnP ID for this test to pass.

Parameters

None.


LPT PnP Enumeration


Type Interactive
Operating system Windows 95 & 98
Log filename devenum.log
Processing time Approximately 30 minutes
Status Required
Requirements Unused LPT port and a separate Plug And Play LPT device
Included in these HCTs: 8.x, 9.x

This test evaluates automatic enumeration of LPT devices (such as a printer) by first enumerating the current LPT devices in the system. It then prompts the user to input the number of currently open LPT slots on the machine. After the user inputs the appropriate number, the test displays further instructions and an "Ok To Continue" dialog. This dialog must NOT be cleared until after the user fills the remaining LPT slots with devices, and waits for the devices to enumerate properly. The test monitors the dynamic LPT enumeration, verifying all LPT devices are automatically detected and that the drivers load properly.

Parameters

None.

Issues

You must have an unused LPT port and a separate Plug And Play LPT device such as an external Plug and Play printer available for this test. Start the test and enter the number of currently open LPT ports on the machine. When the "Ok To Continue" dialog appears, connect the Plug And Play LPT device to the unused LPT port and then click OK.


Serial Port (COMx)


Type Automatic
Operating system Windows NT® 4.0, Windows® 2000
Log filename serialx.log (where x is a number from 1 to 9)
Processing time Approximately 30 minutes per port
Status Required
Requirements Loopback connector (see tables below for loopback connector pin-outs)
Included in these HCTs: 8.x, 9.x

This test uses communication I/O system calls to verify serial port access. It tests one selected COM port, COM1 to COM9.

Parameters

Specify the number of the serial port to be tested.

Configuration

Select the COM port you want to test. If there is a mouse, debugger, or any other device plugged into the COM port, do the following:

  1. Turn off the machine.
  2. Unplug the device.
  3. Connect a loopback connector to the selected port.
  4. Turn the machine on again.

The following tables specify the connections for the loopback connector. If you are using an existing connector, verify that it meets these specifications.

Connections for a Serial Loopback RS232C Connector
Connect this pin To this pin
Tx Rx
RTS CTS,DCD (Same as CD)
DTR DSR,RI

 

Connections for an IBM AT-Compatible with a 9-pin Connector
Connect this pin To this pin
2 3
7 8 and 1
4 6 and 9
(5 is signal ground; leave it unconnected)

 

Connections for an IBM AT-Compatible with a 25-pin Connector
Connect this pin To this pin
2 3
4 5 and 8
20 6 and 22
(1 is frame ground; leave it unconnected)
(7 is signal ground; leave it unconnected

If the test fails, run the Registry Editor (REGEDT32.EXE). Go to: \\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Serial\Parameters\ForceFifoEnable
Switch the ForceFIFOEnable value from 1 to 0, and run the test again.


Multiport Serial COMx


Type Automatic
Operating system Windows NT® 4.0, Windows® 2000
Log filename multiser.log
Processing time Approximately 2 minutes per port
Status Required
Requirements A Loopback connector on all COM ports
Included in these HCTs: 9.x

This test is a multiport version of the the Serial Ports (COMx) test.


Parallel Port


Type Interactive
Operating system Windows NT® 4.0, Windows® 2000
Log filename parallel.log
Processing time Approximately 2 minutes
Status Required
Included in these HCTs: 8.x, 9.x

This test checks the functionality of the LPT ports by writing random strings to the parallel port. These random strings contain the first seven bits of ASCII display characters.

Parameters

Specify the port to test. By default, the test uses the first available parallel port.

Configuration

Before starting this test, you must attach a simple printer to the port being tested. Since this test sends printer codes to the port, rather than use a printer driver, you should be using a dot matrix printer that is capable of displaying single lines of plain text. Laser printers that accept plain text may require a manual page feed after each printed string.