PowerChute not communicating with the battery backup

[BillP]

I have just purchased a Back-UPS ES 750. I see a lot of events in the event viewer that say "PowerChute not communicating with the battery backup". Right after that, I see an information event that says "PowerChute recommenced communicating with the battery backup". This happens a lot throughout the day.

I am using Windows Vista x64 and patched up to date.

How can I resolve this?

[Anonymous user]

I am seeing this error in my event viewer too. Has there be any progress in resolving this issue since it was first reported - OVER A YEAR AGO.

I have noticed that my computer stalls for a minute when it wakes up from its sleep state. For that 1 minute, I cannot open any programs. However, the mouse clicks are registered b/c as soon as the minute is done, any program I tried to open, opens after that 1 minute.
This only happens when the UPS is connected and the powerchute software is running at startup.

It would seem that after that 1 minute of my computer being unresponsive, the powerchute software finally is able to communicate with the UPS.

Is there a way that the powerchute software can start at startup and NOT stall my computer while it is attempting to communicate with my computer?



p.s. I am running Windows 7 64 bit

[BillP]

By the way, I am using PowerChute Personal Edition 2.1.

[BillP]

you can try upgrading to PCPE 2.2. if not, we have seen this before and you can try configuring windows vista native OS support and it will be fixed in a future edition of powerchute personal edition.

please see [this thread|Referenced content removed]

[BillP]

Where do I download PCPE 2.2 for free? What is PCPE 2.2?

What do I do to get rid of PowerChute and use Windows Native Support?

I don't think sending me to a 10 page thread is a valid way to do customer support. Please support your product and give me the steps to make it work. If PCPE 2.2 is now software that I can download, then fine. If it will be ifxed ina future edition, when does it come out?

[BillP]

hi

PCPE = Powerchute Personal Edition. 2.2 is the latest version and is available here. on this page you can choose software upgrades - powerchute personal edition and choose windows vista as your operating system. uninstall 2.1 from the remove programs section in the control panel as mentioned below prior to doing so.

i only sent you to that thread because this issue/question has been brought up before and that thread is the best resource we have in regards to things to try/solutions to the issue rather than replying here with the same thing again. i would ask that you skim through it at some point or at least towards the last pages.

PCPE 2.2 is worth a try now but i am not 100% sure on the ETA of the version that will fix the issue. i dont want to set your expectations for X weeks and it turns out to be different.

[here is a link on configuring windows vista native OS support|http://nam-en.apc.com/cgi-bin/nam_en.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=8536]. also check my attachments to this post for another helpful document.

in order to configure that, you can remove powerchute personal edition through control panel, remove programs, and once complete, then begin with the windows vista native OS support instructions.

[BillP]

I'm getting this same error on multiple computers. All but one is Windows 7, the exception being Windows server 2008 SR2. All of these computers have either the BX1300G or the XS1300G model UPS. All except one had PowerChute Personal 3.0.2, the exception having 3.0 which I have now updated.

It appears this problem was not fixed in PCPE 2.2.

I have lots of other computers with Windows 8 and the same model of UPS but do not get this error. I have a different installer file of PCPE 3.0.2 for Windows 7 and Windows 8. However, I also have other Windows 7 computers, the same model of UPS and either PCPE 3.0 or 3.0.2 with no errors. I also have one Windows 8 computer with the same model of UPS and PCPE 3.0.2 which is throwing these errors.

[BillP]

Rod,

Sorry to hear about your issue. The systems that are losing communications are they the same model? In most cases when PowerChute loses communications with a Back-UPS the issue is with the USB controller. You can check by moving 1 of the Back-UPS that PowerChute maintains comm with on that it does not. If the issue stays with the computer then it is the USB controller. If the issue follows the Back-UPS then the issue is with the UPS.

FYI: The installers on line are exactly the same installer even though they are labeled for each supported OS. We list the installers by OS per the request of our customers but again they are exactly the same. 

[BillP]

Thanks Bill for the response. It's good to know the installers are all the same so as to eliminate that possibility.

The computers are not all the same model nor brand. I agree it could be the USB controller, however that alone doesn't fit the pattern, namely that it's mostly Windows 7 computers (though not all Windows 7 computers), with only one Windows 8 computer experiencing this problem. In addition, I don't have reports of USB keyboards or mice not responding and both of those would pass enough data to be similar to UPS data. I could swap which port the UPS is on with something else to see if there is any change, and if not eliminate this as the cause at least on that one computer..

I have an update from last night. I went through the Windows 7 computers which weren't throwing this error and found some which had PowerChute 2.0, which I upgraded to 3.0.2. Today I see one of those computers is now throwing this error too. Again, though, it is only one of several so it doesn't point to anything definitive. There were also a few which had PCPE 3.0 and weren't throwing the error which I also upgraded to 3.0.2 but none of those so far are now throwing the error.

[BillP]

Hi,

I uploaded a video of how to install APCUPSD and the proper USB driver on to a Windows 7 system.

Here is a link to the video.

https://schneider-electric.box.com/s/ov3x1m7xt9spwndvq0jzwkrxuawd6epb

[BillP]

Thanks for the video. I like that this will allow multiple computers connected by Ethernet to communicate to one UPS. I've downloaded a copy of the program and I'll install it as a test on one of the computers that is having problems.

[Anonymous user]

Bill,

I currently have a brand new UPS which is not seen by my PC running 64 bit Win 10. Power Chute is installed but it cant see the UPS in any form and Device Manager doesn't show anything either in batteries, HID or USB. I've been in contact with you UK support team over the past 3 days but I'm no further forward and I've asked them if there might be a faulty USB connection on the UPS.

I've tried different cables and different ports etc all to no avail. Any thoughts please?

Thanks

John

[BillP · Accepted solution]

John,

It is possible the issue is with the UPS. Since I am not sure what troubleshooting steps the European team asked you to perform I will list some.

1 - When attaching the USB cable to the PC and UPS the PC should report found new hardware "American Power Conversion UPS Device" and load HID UPS Battery under batteries in Device Manager. Since it is not you should click the PC Name (top of the device manager menu tree) and select scan for hardware changes. This should load HID UPS Battery. 

2 - If HID UPS Battery is not loaded verify that these drivers are available on the system hidclass.sys, hidparse.sys, hidusb.sys, battc.sys, hidbatt.sys They should be found in C:\Windows\system32\DRIVERS If a driver or drivers are missing you can find them on line or contact Microsoft since they are distributed as a component of the OS. 

3 - If the drivers are available and the unit is not discovered test the connectivity by opening Device manager and with the window and menu tree open disconnect the USB cable. If the menu tree disappears and reappears that indicates the PC found the UPS on the USB BUS but the drivers are not loading. You should contact Microsoft for help loading the drivers or what I have done in the past is install APCUPSD and load their driver manually. Once that driver is available I uninstall APCUPSD, install PowerChute and switch the APCUPSD driver to American Power Conversion USB UPS driver. NOTE: In some cases I leave APCUPSD installed. 

4 - If all the steps above do not help you should try the UPS with a different PC or Mac to see if it is discovered. If not discovered then contact the European support team for a replacement UPS.