Using external Infrared on Win7 VM to update an old device

[matko84]

Hello to all of you,

I have a very interesting situation to solve. I have an old diving rebreather. It has a equipment which has its own smart computer inside that calculates stuff. It forces me to do an update on it to let me use it. To complete the update ı need to use a special software of the producer. I got the software but it only works on Win7. I set up a win7 too. But the rebreather only gets connected with a infrared device of the producer. I got that too. The producer no longer supports the infrared device software and the software program. Thats why I use Win7 VM. After all of this when ı set everything, I noticed the infrared device that ı externally connect is not working (it has a red light that needs to blink if its working). Someone told me the infrared might be not working because ı use a free version of virtualbox and that is has not giving me access to ports.

I contacted with the rebreather producer too, they told me they keep an old computer to only use on this discontuined product of them if someone needs servicing.

Could a full version of virtualbox solve my problem?

[mpack]

Someone told me the infrared might be not working because ı use a free version of virtualbox and that is has not giving me access to ports.

Whomever told you that is feeding you ignorant BS. De-friend that person immediately.

There is not now and never has existed free and non-free versions of VirtualBox. VirtualBox is always free. The only thing that (optionally) costs money is contracted support from Oracle. If you don't need or can't afford that support then you can discuss your problem here in the user forums - as you did.

That said, if you are referring to some kind of USB device then you may need to install the plugin (extension pack) that provides USB2/USB3 emulation. This is only needed by VirtualBox versions prior to 7.x, since after that the necessary emulations are built into the main app.

Further discussion will require a VM log. Make sure the VM is fully shut down, then right click it in the manager UI. Select "Show Log" and save "VBox.log" (no other file) to a zip file. Attach the zip here.

[matko84]

I checked and my virtualbox version is 6.1.18

I also attached the Win7 logs.


I'm so excited to see a poosibility to achieve a result on my problem

[mpack]

You are running a rather old version of VirtualBox, 6.1.18 (Jan 2021). The current release in the 6.1.x branch is 6.1.40 (Oct 2022). Remember that the extension pack must be updated.

Speaking of which: the good news is that you did indeed remember to install the Extension Pack, and it has a matching version. Full marks.

Your host is exceedingly limited for something expected to run 2 64bit OS's at the same time. The official minimum RAM spec for Win7 64bit is 2048MB, you have not provided that and you can't really afford to either. With the PC you have allocated I would install Win7 natively. To run Win7 as a VM a PC with more resources would be better.

Increase graphics RAM to 128MB. Install the Guest Additions (this not the same as the host extension pack).

You still have not confirmed that the comms device you speak of is a USB adapter. If yes then try creating a USB filter for it. See USB Basics and Troubleshooting.

Where did you get this Win7 ISO? I see no evidence in the log that the VM boots from it. It looks very suspicious: a typical cracked ISO which only someone really dumb and poor would risk! Even aside from the risk of malware we cannot assume that this ever worked. I suggest you buy a genuine Win7 CD + Product Key from eBay, but make sure it's a full Pro install, not an upgrade disk, ideally not Dell etc branded either. Then make your own ISO image from it.

[matko84]

Okay I will take a look at your recommendations about system and win7 key. I might find another strong PC for to accomplish updating the rebreather.

I didn't think this was a complicated problem that even the manufacturer couldn't offer me a solution. I just downloanded the win7 from somewhere on the internet. I remember ı was checking somethings on the wayback machine but I dont remember exactly where. But ı will listen your advice to go legit.


I'm adding the photos of the infrared device.

https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img923/8256/n0mqI8.jpg
https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img923/8234/GDQvG7.jpg

The infrared device has another manufacturer. This link is from their website. https://ww2.scubapro.com/en-GB/HKG/inst ... face-(irda).aspx


Also I just noticed on the one ı have the disc says usb 1.1 , but since my laptop doesnt have a CD rom ı remember ı found its content from somewhere on its manufacturer website. After noticing this ı took a look at the internet and saw there are some versions with "usb 2.0" on them (such as https://www.tradeinn.com/diveinn/en/scu ... 2.0/5104/p ) I dont know if this information has value but ı thought worth to share.

[mpack]

Ah, I see. It's a USB IrDA adapter. USB 1.1!

I found the following website which looks like it may be of interest: https://dataloggerinc.com/resource-arti ... le-win-10/. It is always better to not rely on VMs to talk to physical hardware if you can possibly avoid it, that's just not their forte.

[matko84]

I did this “downloading irda feature on win10” thing when I firt started this updating advanture. Since we checked most of the process, Im going to talk about the remaining rest, cause I still dont see a clear path. And maybe you can see another small detail, you have a nice persprective.



When I first reached the manifacturer, they send me a software guide pdf and the old version of the program. Because they have removed the guide and the old version from their website of the program to promote their new version. I’m adding the pdf and the program screenshots here.

https://www.poseidon.com/en-se/support/ ... /firmware/ (this is the link to the last version of the program and guides (which doesnt apply or work with my device) for the newer version of my device)

https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img924/8272/GT3xrK.png - this is the screenshot of this program

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1gqoLh9 ... sp=sharing - the pc software conf guide for my version and device


And I dont remember why, but this program must have a something to do with this all process too. I dont clearly remember but, might be an instructor or a friend probably mentioned about this to me. (if ım not wrong this is the software of the irda’s manufacturer.)

https://ww2.scubapro.com/en-GB/HKG/inst ... ttrak.aspx

https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img922/6288/NkeuF3.png - this is a regular screen shot of this program

[mpack]

Well, I'm reading between the lines you are posting, but ISTM that Poseidon makes the actual diving equipment, e.g. a helmet that includes an internal logging module. Logs are transferred from the helmet (or whatever) to the PC using your IrDA dongle.

It looks like the logs are stored in some kind of standard format which can be read and presented using third party software, ScubaPro.

I doubt that ScubaPro bothered to make their own IrDA dongles. I expect they were sourced off the shelf from a Chinese mfr and sold for a markup.

So it seems that your only gaps are: an IrDA dongle with drivers that work on a modern PC, and software (ScubaPro or equivalent) that reads your logs and likewise works on a modern PC (on the latter point I found this: https://www.divinglog.de/english/home/index.php).

I wouldn't have thought that a VM was necessary or desirable. Trying to run timing dependent drivers for physical comms devices from inside a VM... would not be my idea of fun. To get the software running on a physical PC, the crux would be the IrDA drivers, because 64bit Windows will require modern 64bit drivers. If the drivers you have are 32bit then I would try installing XP or Win7 on a physical PC. Better yet, find an IrDA dongle that's still has driver support on modern 64bit Windows. I have found mention of the "StarTech USB-IrDA adapter": the dongle itself is discontinued now, but might still be available from somewhere. It came with driver support for 32bit/64bit Windows up to Windows 8.1. That should mean that it will still work on Win10/11.
[Edit] found another company offering solutions for modern PCs: https://irdroid.eu/product/irdroid-usb- ... sceiver-2/.

I have no actual experience with IrDA or diving software, so I'm not sure I can help you any further than I have - and none of the above is a recommendation. IrDA seems to be a dead technology. It sounds a lot like BlueTooth (though I think the latter might be radio based), and now BlueTooth has swallowed up most of the functions that IrDA used to be good for.