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How to install an FTDI Programming Cable on newer versions of Windows 10

Something has changed with a recent update of Windows 10 that may affect the installation or operation of radio programming cables equipped the FTDI chip, such as the XLT Painless Programming Cable. Previously, all you needed to do was plug the cable into an available USB port and Windows would automatically detect it and install the driver, making the cable instantly recognizable and available for use.

All of that changed with a recent Windows 10 update. When installing the USB programming cable, Windows 10 does not correctly recognize the cable or is unable to locate the driver for it. When checking the device manager, the USB port may look something like what is in the image below:We have contacted FTDI support to learn more about the issue and find out when it may be corrected for future Windows updates. FTDI acknowledged the issue and assured us that their developers are currently working to resolve it. FTDI estimates that a fix with the Windows 10 automatic downloads should be available "within the next couple of weeks".

However, there is a fix for the interim. FTDI provided an executable installer that can be run manually to install the cable driver. Here are the steps for installation:

  1. Download CDM21236_Setup.zip
  2. Unzip and run the executable setup file
  3. Connect the cable to the PC

Conversely, you can install the driver manually via the Update Driver tab in device manager properties using the driver-only package. To perform this type of installation, follow the steps below:

  1. Download CDM+v2.12.36.1+WHQL+Certified.zip (this is the driver-only package)
  2. Unzip the file
  3. Plug the cable into the PC
  4. When Windows asks to search for a driver, choose the option Browse my computer for driver software.
  5. Navigate to the unzipped folder
  6. Check the box for include subfolders and click Next
  7. When the installation is complete, note the COM port assigned to the device and click Close

And that's it. The cable should now be recognized by Windows and properly installed.

6 thoughts on “How to install an FTDI Programming Cable on newer versions of Windows 10”

  • Chris

    so if we didn't purchase from you, you want nothing to do with us? Noted.

    Reply
    • Rick

      Hi Chris, thanks for the feedback. If you are referring to my responses to the previous comments, you may have misunderstood the situation. The article these comments are attached to offered a resolution to an issue regarding a specific cable with a genuine FTDI chip, more specifically the brand we carry known as the XLT Painless Programming Cable. Customers who purchase this particular cable from us have a warranty on it for a specified period, and if the fix mentioned in the article doesn't work or if the cable is deemed to be defective, we are ready and able to honor that warranty. However, if the issue is with another brand of cable that we do not carry, we don't know for certain where it came from, who made it or if it has a genuine FTDI chip or a counterfeit, so there is little we can do to fix it ourselves.

      If the instructions in the article work and fixes the other brand of cable, that's great! If the instructions in the article doesn't fix the issue and we don't know anything about who made the cable or where it came from, what else can we do? In such cases, the only logical thing to do is for the user with that cable to go directly to the seller or manufacturer of that cable and find a resolution. We're not shunning anyone with a third party cable, and we offer help where we can. We simply can't warranty a cable that we don't even carry. If you have questions or concerns, please give us a call or visit our live chat weekdays and we'll be happy to discuss it.

      Reply
  • Tim White

    I have tried both methods outlined above and neither one is working for me. Any other suggestions?

    Reply
  • Sergei Meleshchuk
    Sergei Meleshchuk June 12, 2021 at 9:12 am

    Great thanks for this and previous posts.
    Still can't install the driver(s). It was showing briefly the correct driver with an exclamation sign. Now i don't even see the driver name. Will try to use another computer. Also my son has another cable, might be better. I use the Mirkit Radio FTDI Chip marked cable from Amazon.

    Reply
    • Rick

      These instructions were written for cables with genuine FTDI chips, in particular the XLT Painless Programming Cable. We are not familiar with the brand you have, and there are many cables sold on Amazon that contain counterfeit FTDI chips, so there is no guarantee our instructions will work for all third party cables. Unlike Amazon, we do fully support the products we sell, so if your FTDI cable was purchased from us, you could simply give us a call and we would assist with the installation.

      Reply

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