README.TXT Driver File Contents (ctixpe120.zip)

Windows 2000/XP/2003 BlueStorm/PCI Express, BlueStorm/LP and Xtreme/104 Plus Drivers

File:  Readme.txt
Date:  09/15/2006 ver 0.32

File Revisions:
	ctifsxp.sys     1.0.4.0
	ctifsprt.sys    1.0.1.1
	ctiblsnf.sys    1.0.0.0
	ctifsxp.dll     1.0.1.2
	ctisnbco.dll    1.0.0.0
	ctisnpco.dll    1.0.0.0
	ctifsbrd.inf    0.17
	ctifsprt.inf    0.23
	ctifsxp.chm     April 18, 2006


TABLE OF CONTENTS
1) INTRODUCTION
2) INSTALLATION INTRODUCTION
3) DRIVER INSTALLATION
   - Software First Install
   - Hardware First Install
4) RECENT BUG FIXES & ENHANCEMENTS IN THE DRIVER
5) ACCESSING ADVANCED COM PORT PROPERTIES
6) CONTACTING TECHNICAL SUPPORT


1) INTRODUCTION
   The following ReadMe file contains information on how to install
   Connect Tech's BlueStorm/PCI Express, BlueStorm/LP or Xtreme/104 Plus
   Serial Driver for Windows 2000/XP/2003.


2) INSTALLATION INTRODUCTION:
   This package contains serial drivers for use on Connect Tech's
   BlueStorm/PCI Express, BlueStorm/LP and Xtreme/104 Plus multi-port serial
   boards.

   The Connect Tech BlueStorm/PCI Express, BlueStorm/LP and Xtreme/104 Plus
   features compatibility with standard 16x50 multi-port serial cards.
   The BlueStorm/Xtreme also features other modes of operation to
   achieve high performance and efficiency. The BlueStorm/Xtreme104 Plus
   is a PCI compliant Plug and Play device under Windows 2000, XP
   and Windows Server 2003. The BlueStorm and Xtreme/104 Plus features
   baud rates of up to 921,600 baud and automatic hardware and software
   flow control under Windows 2000/XP/2003. This ensures high through-put
   and virtually eliminates data loss,while not over burdening your CPU.

   For a more detailed description of our products please visit our
   WWW site at: http://www.connecttech.com


3) BlueStorm/PCI Express, BlueStorm/LP and Xtreme/104 Plus DRIVER INSTALLATION:

   There are two ways the drivers can be installed.  Either the software
   (drivers) can be installed first or the board can be installed first
   and Windows will ask for the drivers after the board is detected.

   Software First Install

   Find the driver install package and run DpInst.exe in the directory.
   The installer will guide you through the install process.  The board
   will then be detected and installed when the board is physically
   added to the system.
   
   Software First Installs are a great way to update existing drivers as
   well. 

   Hardware First Install

   Installation consists of installing the BlueStorm or Xtreme/104 Plus
   into a PCI/PCI Express slot and booting up Windows XP/2000/2003. The PCI
   BIOS and Windows will detect the board as an unknown PCI device, and will
   request that you insert the driver diskette.  Windows XP/2000/2003 drivers
   are installed using information provided in an .inf file.  The driver
   files can be found on the BlueStorm and Xtreme/104 Plus distribution
   diskette. Simply use the Windows device driver installation dialogue
   by telling it the location of the driver files.

   For Example a:\ or c:\temp\ or where ever you have placed them.

   Caution: Windows 2000/XP/2003 may tend to get confused as to the location
   of the driver files and may ask you again where they are located. Simply
   tell the Windows 2000/XP/2003 once again where the BlueStorm driver files
   are and the installation will continue.

   Windows 2000/XP/2003 will now "detect" and install all the BlueStorm ports
   into the system. This process takes a few minutes. 

   The new BlueStorm or Xtreme/104 Plus Serial ports should be compatible with
   all Windows 2000/XP/2003 serial applications, for example Procomm Plus, RAS
   and so on.



4) RECENT RELEASES and ENHANCEMENTS TO THE DRIVER:
   Revision 0.31 July 11 2006
   1. Special version that moves only one character to the TX FIFO at a time
      and has the TX FIFO trigger level hard coded to 1 to slow down output
      so that it is more compatible with connected devices that cannot process
      the speed that our board can send at.  Effectively it lowers the
      efficiency or duty cycle of the transmitted data slightly.
      THIS VERSION IS NOT FOR GENERAL RELEASE!!
      IT FIXES A SPECIFIC PROBLEM FOR A SPECIFIC CUSTOMER

   Revision 0.30 May 11 2006
   Revision 0.29 May 10 2006
   Revision 0.28 May 09 2006
   The following is a summary of the changes in this release:
   1. Board and Port identification in device manager will have serial number
      added.

   Revision 0.27 May 03 2006
   The following is a summary of the changes in this release:
   1. Changed driver to read in FIFO setting on open. Default value assigned if
      no flag is set in registry.

   Revision 0.26 April 25 2006
   The following is a summary of the changes in this release:
   1. Changed errors on open port and advanced property page.
   2. Changed driver to read in FIFO setting on open.

   Revision 0.25 April 21 2006
   The following is a summary of the changes in this release:
   1. Registry fixup similar to 0.24

   Revision 0.24 April 21 2006
   The following is a summary of the changes in this release:
   1. Fixed issue with reading tx and rx fifo settings from registry.  Fixes a
      possible problem with enable/disable of the FIFOs in the advanced properties
      page causing the port to not be able to be opened.

   Revision 0.23 April 20 2006
   The following is a summary of the changes in this release:
   1. Removed reference to RS423 for BlueStorm/Express install.

   Revision 0.21 and 0.22 April 18 2006
   The following is a summary of the changes in this release:
   1. Removed "-" from PCI Express name.
   2. Fixed error in ctifsprt.inf

   Revision 0.20 Feb 23 2006
   The following is a summary of the changes in this release:
   1. Added support for new BlueStorm/PCI Express board.
   2. Updated DpInst components to newer version.  No longer requires signed
      driver package.

   Revision 0.17 Nov 19 2004
   The following is a summary of the changes in this release:
   1. Fixed another issue with RTS/DSR states being changed incorrectly when
      port is opened.

   Revision 0.16 Nov 11 2004
   The following is a summary of the changes in this release:
   1. Fixed an issue with RTS/DSR states being changed incorrectly when port is
      opened.

   Revision 0.15 Nov 5 2004
   The following is a summary of the changes in this release:
   1. Fixed an issue with the default values of the Handflow settings.  If a Get/Set
      handshake IOCTL sequence was performed without masking off the upper bits
      the handflow could be set to an invalid value.

   Revision 0.14 Sept 17 2004
   The following is a summary of the changes in this release:
   1. Changed INF files to support software first install and added necessary
      files to support it.

   Revision 0.13 Sept 16 2004
   The following is a summary of the changes in this release:
   1. Changed ctifsprt.sys to version 1.0.0.9.
      Updated bus detection routines.
	  Changed driver naming to a more generic CTI PCI naming structure.
   2. Changed ctifsxp.sys to version 1.0.0.6.
      Changed driver name to more generic CTI PCI naming scheme.
   3. Revised INF files with naming scheme and changed some of the RS485
      port detection.
   4. Help file updated.
   5. Advanced property page changed version 1.0.0.3 to remove references to BlueStorm.

   Revision 0.12 July 22 2003
   The following is a summary of the changes in this release:
   1. Changed ctifsprt.sys to version 1.0.0.8.
      Fixed some RS485 issues and advanced port settings not being applied correctly.
   2. Revised INF files to properly enable RS485 features.

   Revision 0.11 July 17 2003
   The following is a summary of the changes in this release:
   1. Changed ctifsprt.sys to version 1.0.0.7.
      Implemented RS485 features.
   2. Revised INF files to properly detect RS485 capable boards.

   Revision 0.09 March 28 2003
   The following is a summary of the changes in this release:
   1. Changed ctifsprt.sys to version 1.0.0.5.
      Fixed a lockup issue on Windows 2000.

   Revision 0.08 March 27 2003
   The following is a summary of the changes in this release:
   1. Changed ctifsprt.sys to version 1.0.0.4.

   Revision 0.06 March 17 2003
   The following is a summary of the changes in this release:
   1. Fixed issue with IOCTL_SERIAL_SET_FIFO_CONTROL disabling FIFOs and ISR
      malfunctioning afterwards due to Rx/Tx count registers not working correctly.

   Revision 0.05 March 5 2003
   The following is a summary of the changes in this release:
   1. Special pool tags reorganized
   2. Versions of drivers incremented due to tag change.

   Revision 0.04 March 4 2003
   The following is a summary of the changes in this release:
   1. Change product name in ctifsprt.sys file

   Revision 0.03 March 3 2003
   The following is a summary of the changes in this release:
   1. Fixed Tx dropped char issue
   2. Fixed TxHolding stuck issue.
   3. Fixed hardware flow control issue.

   Revision 0.02 Feb 18 2003
   The following is a summary of the changes in this release:
   1. Fixed issue with interaction of flow control settings.

   Revision 0.01 Feb 12 2003
   The following is a summary of the changes in this release:
   1. Updated help file.
   2. Updated above readme fixing some errors in the files list.
   3. INF file version refresh.
   4. Updated cocpyinf.dll to newer version.

   Revision 0.00 Feb 5 2003
   The following is a summary of the changes in this release:
   1. 1st release.  Beta.

5) ACCESSING ADVANCED COM PORT PROPERTIES:

   The following instructions outline the process used to access the
   driver's advanced COM port properties configuration dialogue.

   From the Control Panel double click on the System Icon.

   The system properties dialog box will pop up and click on the
   Hardware Tab.

   Click on Device Manager button.

   Double Click the Ports (COM & LPT) section.

   Double Click the COM port you want to change.  This will bring up a 
   Properties page.

   Click on the "Port Settings" Tab.

   Click on the Advanced Button.  The Advanced Port Settings Dialog box
   will pop up.

   There are a number of things that can be changed here.
   
   FIFO LEVELS
   Receive and transmit buffer FIFO levels can be changed.  Higher
   values may increase performance, but sometimes high buffer levels can
   cause connection problems.  Usually the best setting is to leave them
   in the default position.

   COM PORT NUMBER
   A combo box is also provided to allow for COM port number reassignment
   if necessary.

   RS485 OPTIONS
   If the port is a RS485 port (as opposed to the standard RS232),
   selections for different RS485 modes will be enabled.  The default is
   Full Duplex, but 1/2 duplex and Multi-Drop Slave are also available.
   See the on-line help for a description of these modes.

   Also some versions of our boards provide configurable line interfaces such
   as RS232 and RS485/422.  The RS485 options will be enabled on all
   ports even if the port is not currenly set as a RS485 port.

   RS232 ports must be set to Full Duplex.

   Clock Frequency
   The BlueStorm's crystal frequency is automatically detected and
   displayed. Contact Connect Tech if you require custom baud rate
   support.

   Reload the Driver
   If checked then the port will be reinitialized by reloading the
   driver.


6) CONTACTING TECHNICAL SUPPORT.

   If you have any problems, questions or suggestions regarding the
   BlueStorm/PCI Express, BlueStorm/LP or Xtreme/104 Plus, please feel free
   to contact Connect Tech Inc.   Connect Tech can be reached in a variety of
   ways:

   MAIL: Connect Tech Inc.
         42 Arrow Road
         Guelph, Ontario, Canada
         N1K 1S6

   TEL 1 519 836 1291 or 1-800-426-8979 in North America
   FAX 1 519 836 4878

   INTERNET:
   Sales:        sales@connecttech.com
   Tech Support: support@connecttech.com
   WWW:          http://www.connecttech.com

   Be sure to check the support section of our home page for answers to
   technical questions at http://www.connecttech.com. Also be sure to
   browse the knowledge data base. If you do not find what you are
   looking for, please contact the support department and let us know.
   We will be glad to help you.

 --- End of README ---



Download Driver Pack

How To Update Drivers Manually

After your driver has been downloaded, follow these simple steps to install it.

  • Expand the archive file (if the download file is in zip or rar format).

  • If the expanded file has an .exe extension, double click it and follow the installation instructions.

  • Otherwise, open Device Manager by right-clicking the Start menu and selecting Device Manager.

  • Find the device and model you want to update in the device list.

  • Double-click on it to open the Properties dialog box.

  • From the Properties dialog box, select the Driver tab.

  • Click the Update Driver button, then follow the instructions.

Very important: You must reboot your system to ensure that any driver updates have taken effect.

For more help, visit our Driver Support section for step-by-step videos on how to install drivers for every file type.

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