Com ports blocked on my new laptop

[Randomized]

Just bought a new low-end laptop to use for a control station on my hobby controller (model trains). This requires the use of a COM port.

The &^%^ laptop is blocking access to the com ports!

I spent all day messing with this problem, and managed to isolate the problem to some process holding onto COM ports that it apparently never uses (probably some bit of the bloatware that came on the machine). Anything connected to the USB ports works fine, UNLESS it's the USB-to-serial cable I need for my particular application. When I try to run the program I need, I get a message that the com port is already in use.

I've eliminated a cable problem by attaching the USB end to my desktop, which opens the port without a problem.

If anybody has any idea how to get the system to let go of the COM ports, I'd sure appreciate learning how!

Meanwhile, tomorrow I'll be railing at HP support for sending a machine that doesn't allow user access to the com ports.

Thanks in advance!

Mark P.

[banhien]

@Randomized 

No, new notebooks do NOT have COM port, you have to use USB-COM adapter. The problem is not all USB-COM adapters work.

Regards.