Third day on PLM and lockup

[Xtension]

PLM has been running fine for three days then this morning HS suddenly can't talk to it.

Here's my log...

9/22/2011 5:55:25 AM X10 Received G5 (Occupancy Sensor Master Bedroom Motion Sensor) G Off
9/22/2011 5:55:25 AM Device Control Command sent to Occupancy Sensor Master Bedroom Motion Sensor: G5 Off Dimval: 0 Data: 0
9/22/2011 5:55:57 AM X10 Received G3 (Occupancy Sensor Garage Motion Sensor) G Preset Dim 15
9/22/2011 5:56:01 AM X10 Received G3 (Occupancy Sensor Garage Motion Sensor) G Off
9/22/2011 5:58:58 AM Insteon ** An error occurred in this plug-in. The details have been written to the log file - C:\Program Files\HomeSeer HS2\Config\Insteon Error Report.Log
9/22/2011 5:58:58 AM Insteon ** To request help with this problem please post this log file to the forum along with a detailed description of what lead to this problem.
9/22/2011 5:58:58 AM Insteon ** An error occurred in this plug-in. The details have been written to the log file - C:\Program Files\HomeSeer HS2\Config\Insteon Error Report.Log
9/22/2011 5:58:58 AM Insteon ** To request help with this problem please post this log file to the forum along with a detailed description of what lead to this problem.
9/22/2011 5:58:58 AM Insteon A device attached to the system is not functioning.
9/22/2011 5:58:58 AM Insteon Attempting to restart the RF PLM Interface...
9/22/2011 5:59:03 AM Insteon Attempting to restart the RF PLM Interface...
9/22/2011 5:59:08 AM Insteon Attempting to restart the RF PLM Interface...
9/22/2011 5:59:13 AM Insteon Attempting to restart the RF PLM Interface...
9/22/2011 5:59:18 AM Insteon Attempting to restart the RF PLM Interface...
9/22/2011 5:59:23 AM Insteon Attempting to restart the RF PLM Interface...
9/22/2011 5:59:28 AM Insteon Attempting to restart the RF PLM Interface...
9/22/2011 5:59:33 AM Insteon Attempting to restart the RF PLM Interface...
9/22/2011 5:59:38 AM Insteon Attempting to restart the RF PLM Interface...


Later this morning I tried to manually restart the plug-in...

9/22/2011 9:06:22 AM Plug-In Shutting down generic Plug-In: Insteon
9/22/2011 9:06:50 AM Plug-In Initializing Plug-in: Insteon on COM port 6
9/22/2011 9:06:50 AM Error Initializing interface: Insteon->Could not open COM6 - Access to the port 'COM6' is denied.
9/22/2011 9:06:50 AM Plug-In Finished initializing plug-in Insteon
9/22/2011 9:11:01 AM Plug-In Shutting down generic Plug-In: Insteon
9/22/2011 9:11:01 AM Plug-In Initializing Plug-in: Insteon on COM port 11
9/22/2011 9:11:01 AM Error Initializing interface: Insteon->2nd attempt to global init the plug-in was ignored.


Is this the lock-up problem that's plagued the USB PLM since Smarthome released it?

This looks like the virtual com port (VCP) drivers have failed. I've seen this happen with other types of applications that rely on the FTDI VCP drivers.

Is shutting down and rebooting the HS machine the only way to recover from this?

I only have three serial ports on my HS box so I chose the USB version over the serial. Should I have purchased the serial PLM to avoid this problem or does it suffer from lock-ups as well?

[mnsandler]

this is the 'usb disconnect' issue related to the vcp driver. see the following thread for suggestions on how to resolve

http://board.homeseer.com/showthread.php?t=147962

there is no longer a plm lockup issue (usb, serial or otherwise) that problem has been fixed

[Xtension]

Thanks Mark,

I'll update the VCP driver and see if that solves the problem.

[mnsandler]

Good luck.

Not to scare you as most users are able to resolve this, but one user tracked his usb disconnect issue down to his washing machine producing noise on the PL and this causing the usb disconnect issue. the thread is in thsi forum somewhere.

[Xtension]

I'll look for the thread. My wife is certain that my washer wasn't running at 6 AM!

I have a dedicated line running to my panel for the PLM. This morning I opened one of the garage doors several minutes before the PLM lock-up. The operator motors are 1/3 HP DC but the motor speed controllers could be inducing some PL noise (Genie Excelerator door openers). HS may have discovered the condition a few minutes later trying to poll or turn lights off just before sunrise. Never thought about filters on the garage door openers. This might explain why the PLC (PLM now) seems to be more reliable when I'm away from home for the weekend.

Only other thing I can think of right off hand is the 240 volt air compressor cycling. I was within earshot of the compressor this morning around the time the PLM locked-up and didn't notice it running.

I'll investigate and post my findings.

Thanks

[Xtension]

Mark,

Updating the VCP driver to the latest version (2.8.2.14) appears to have resolved my lock-up issues. The version I had was from 7/2010.

Thanks