I wish you could be bothered, as I still see no reason to reboot the pc.
All hardware devices need a driver. And all drivers are loaded automatically or manually depending on the device (serial device, USB device etc etc). without a driver software ie the OS, program etc cannot speak to Hardware ie a stb, mouse, printer etc and visa versa. The driver is needed as an interpretor for want of a better word (it understands both languages enough for them to be able to communicate with each other). Now operating systems, software, and hardware have advanced in the way they manage how drivers are loaded, and how to assign and manage resources like COMM ports. nutnut is correct in the sense that something on the motherboard loads basic drivers for a mouse, a keyboard, and yes a serial device etc etc. What can that be, and has that evolved with the software it contains. Without it a computer cannot run, once basic drivers are loaded loaded what then manages the drivers and how has that evolved.
So to elaborate. The older the BIOS, OS, Computer, the different ways they load, assign, and deal with conflicts that may occur with a serial device amongs lots of other things.
Now rather than me explain all this, i prefer to just make the process as simple as possible that covers all bases (as much as I can at least).
I try to help people as much as I can with what knowledge I have, and I try to do it in laymans terms as much as possible to cover different peoples knowledge and abilities. Posts like this just complicate and confuse a lot of people when there is absolutely no need.
My advice to you and people like you is help rather than criticise. I do not pretend to know everything, but as long as I have helped some people that is enough for me.
If you find it hard to find your answer now, use google as this is the last I will comment on this matter as it distracts from what the thread is about and for.
jodav :)
