[WT-support] Removing "stale" COM ports

[Bob Wilson, N6TV]

Sometimes you connect a new USB-to-Serial adapter, or a new USB radio
(IC-7600, TS-590S, K3S, etc.), and Windows assigns it a very high COM port
number, higher than COM12, which Win-Test doesn't support.

One trick is to clean up old COM ports that Windows reserves but you no
longer require.  Then you can select the port number you want.

This web site documents the steps in great detail, with screen shots:

http://www.rttycontesting.com/tutorials/removing-hidden-com-ports/

Or for those already experienced in using Windows:

   1. Create a new Windows Environment Variable
   named devmgr_show_nonpresent_devices with value 1
   2. Open Windows Device Manager (Start, Run, devmgmt.msc)
   3. Enable View | Show hidden devices
   4. Expand Ports to see all the assigned but unused serial ports
   5. Right click on each and Uninstall
   (If you no longer need the device driver, you can check the box to
   remove that too, but this is optional)

You can then right click on the radio's assigned COM port, Click the Port
Settings tab, then [Advanced...] button, then use the drop-down list to
change the COM port number to COM12 or less so that Win-Test can access it.

73,
Bob, N6TV
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