Can't get Prolific USB to Serial to work

I've read that if I install an older driver it should work. But I seem unable to even get an older driver to install.

I'm on Windows 10 Pro.

Any suggestions?

I have also had this problem. Make sure the older driver is installed on your computer by running the installation file you downloaded. Then manually select it as the driver when you update the device in Device Manager. Make sure you go through the "manually install" route and "let me pick the driver" option when you do it. Select the older driver and it should install that one.

I have one of those USB/RS232C adapters. The site says the driver will not work on Win 8/8.1 (and Win 10). I have a dual boot with Win 7 and Win 10 only because I need the RS232C adapter to transfer embroidery patterns to my wife's Singer Embroidery machine.

I've tried the adapter/drivers on Win 8 and Win 8.1 even though they say it won't work, and it didn't work either installing in the native Win 8/8.1 mode or in a compatibility mode for Win 7 (and even Win XP).

I can confirm that the older drivers do work. I am using a driver version 3.3.2.105 (you do not need to install in compatibility mode).

The reason is that Prolific USB/Serial chip 'clones' are often used in generic USB programming cables and the newer Windows drivers actual detect this and refuse to work. The older drivers do not do this and so they will continue to work.

The downside is that W10 may automatically update them in future and you will then need to manually install the older driver again. So far though, this has not happened to me.

In my case, the driver installed, but it wouldn't connect with the Singer Embroidery machine. I tried it on two different desktops with different motherboards.

So, check that it actually is working and not just that Windows shows it "installed".

I tried a USB/RS232C device from another company that was supposed to be compatible and superior to the Prolific. It installed but would not communicate with the Singer XL6000 embroidery machine. The only one that works with this model Singer is the Prolific.

I'm an "old line" modem and network tech and dealt with RS232 interfaces and controls for many years. If I had a breakout box or a "sniffer" I probably would find there is a control signal that is missing or not the correct voltage.