Forum Discussion
PL2303 issues (Prolific USB to Serial Drivers) Win 11
I have come across an issue that I don't if anyone has come across and found a fix?
I have a few handheld radios that I need to update the frequencies and when I connect to the USB, it fails to connect. In device manager and Ports it says - "Please install corresponding PL2303 driver to support Windows 11 and further OS"
I have tried different ways and still it won't update drivers/COM ports. I've run out of ideas (as for a novice).
Has anyone been across this and sorted it?
Thanks,
Cundy66
I tried the older driver available here:
http://www.prolific.com.tw/US/ShowProduct.aspx?p_id=223&pcid=126
And this seemed to work for Windows 11. Weird that an old driver works better than the latest one.I have the PL-2303 TA chipset.
There is a working driver at http://www.prolific.com.tw/US/ShowProduct.aspx?p_id=225&pcid=41, a bit down the page listed as "DCHU (for PC Vendors)". Getting it installed is a bit tricky, it seems. What I did is this:
First install the downloaded driver by unpacking the zip file and "pnputil /add-driver *.inf /subdirs /install" (the /install is probably not necessary) from the extracted "Win11_DCHU" directory. It will add the two driver packages to the driver store and tell you what oemXY.inf files it has assigned to them.
Then "pnputil /enum-drivers", and in the output look for Prolific drivers other than the ones from the previous step. I had only one other entry, a "ser2pl.inf" version "09/16/2021 3.8.40.0".
Disconnect the device, and "pnputil /delete-driver oemXY.inf" with the INF file you located in the previous step.
Connect the device again, and it should work, at least, it does for me. The problem is probably that the non-working driver is the newest (September 2021 vs. July for the ones from the download page) and so Windows prefers it over them.- I just uninstalled it from device manager while it was plugged in,
unplugged it from USB port,
installed the 1.12 version of the installer (3.6.81.357 driver) from http://www.prolific.com.tw/US/ShowProduct.aspx?p_id=223&pcid=126.
It prompted me to reboot, I did.
After login, plugged in serial port to USB drive, opened device manager
Device reports COM3, no warning message anymore -
Connected to serial of HPE switch 9600 8n1 through Putty right now without issueThis solution worked for me, thank you averyfreeman
Have an older receipt printer connected with serial.
In addition to getting things to work I had to uninstall the printer (Generic text only) driver as that one is also messed up by Win11 update.
Prolific driver Ver. 3.6.81.357 date 4. Sep 2015 and
Generic printer driver 10.0.22000.1 date 21. Jun 2006
chrullrich Thank you, this worked for me also. But won't Windows update put the newer driver back again? Can I prevent that from happening?
chrullrich Yes is there a way from the new prolific driver from reinstalling itself at every update? Do you know of a way that it doesnt keep going to the new PL driver?
scco1999 There is a way to block updates, but I haven't tried it yet.
- EricStarker
Community Manager
Hello! You've posted your question in the Tech Community Discussion space, which is intended for discussion around the Tech Community website itself, not product questions. I'm moving your question to the Windows 11 space - please post Windows 11 questions here in the future.
It works for me too ,I try the new version and didnt see it , but after installing a couple of times it works . Also I uninstall the previous version before .
Thanks Guys to the TIP
- EricStarkerHey, I think you meant to tag someone else in this reply, but I'm glad you got things resolved!
Windows 11 update loaded Prolific PL2303 driver 3.8.40.0 and when I go to device manager it says "Please install corresponding PL2303 driver to support Windows 11 and further OS" This driver does not even attempt to communicate with my X10 CM11 hooked to my serial port. I had to go to Prolific website and load their current driver 3.6.81.357. (uninstall driver first) Serial to X10 device now working fine. Don't install Windows update for Prolific or it will change it back.
- Visit the website of the device manufacturer or the Prolific website to see if there are updated drivers available for Windows 11. Sometimes, newer operating systems require updated drivers to ensure compatibility.
Try installing the drivers in compatibility mode for an earlier version of Windows (e.g., Windows 10 or Windows 8). Right-click on the driver installer file, select "Properties," go to the "Compatibility" tab, and check the box for "Run this program in compatibility mode for," then select an earlier Windows version.
If the driver installation fails automatically, try manually installing the drivers through Device Manager:
1.Open Device Manager (you can search for it in the Start menu).
2.Find the PL2303 device under "Ports (COM & LPT)" or "Other devices."
3.Right-click on it and select "Update driver."
4.Choose "Browse my computer for drivers" and then "Let me pick from a list of available drivers on my computer."
5.Select the appropriate driver version if it's listed, or choose "Have Disk" and navigate to the folder where you downloaded the PL2303 drivers. I know this is an old thread, so I'm just posting this so it's more current information, but as of 7/15/2024 Prolific has released Installer version & Build date: 4.3.0.0 (2024-07-15)
- I have the same problem, and cannot find anything the solves it. The workaround suggested by BHITSSD did not help (I have no "older" versions of the driver installed to select).
I tried the older driver available here:
http://www.prolific.com.tw/US/ShowProduct.aspx?p_id=223&pcid=126
And this seemed to work for Windows 11. Weird that an old driver works better than the latest one.I have the PL-2303 TA chipset.
- This driver worked for me too. I'm in Windows 11 22000.
Hardware:
USB\VID_067B&PID_2303&REV_0400
or in lspci 067B:2303 0400
This is the Prolific website read on the driver I installed:
PL2303 Windows Driver Download
Download File: PL2303_Prolific_DriverInstaller_v1.12.0.zip
Windows Driver Installer Setup Program
(For PL2303 HXA, XA, HXD, EA, RA, SA, TA, TB versions)
Installer version & Build date: 1.12.0 (2015-10-07)
Windows XP (32 & 64-bit) WDM WHQL Driver: v2.1.51.238 (10/22/2013)
- Windows XP Certified WHQL Driver
- Windows Certification Report
- Compatible with Windows 2000SP4 & Server2003
Windows Vista/7/8/8.1/10 (32 & 64-bit) WDF WHQL Driver: v3.6.81.357 (09/04/2015)
- Windows 10 Certified WHQL Driver
- Windows Vista, 7, 8, 8.1 Certified WHQL Driver
- Windows Certification Report
- Compatible with Windows Server2008, 2008R2, 2012, 2012R2
- Driver can auto-download via Windows Update (Windows 7, 8, 8.1, 10)
Installer Language Support: English (default), Chinese (Traditional and Simplified), Japanese
For Prolific USB VID_067B&PID_2303 and PID_2304 Only
Includes Certification Report, User Manual, Driver Release Notes & CheckChipVersion Tool
Installer supports silent install (add "/s" parameter when running program)
Please enter prolific's web-site:
http://www.prolific.com.tw/US/supportDownload.aspx?FileType=56&FileID=133&pcid=85&Page=0Download "PL23XX_Prolific_DriverInstaller_v401.zip" driver.
The v4.0.1 file can fixed your Win11 driver issue.
I tried every step those are described by many people nothing can't work
mushfiqrahman after rebuilding my system from the Beta I found the same issue. What I had to do was completely remove the drivers from Device Manager. Then download the older driver and run the installer on the system. Then it picked up the new driver. But this is my experience. Looks like many have different solutions.
BHITSSD Whole day I spent solving this issue. In the evening I install windows 10 again and it works fine
I recently had to install Prolific (PL2303) drivers to support a Celestron Advanced VX (AVX) equatorial mount that connected to my Windows 11 computer via USB.
The following Windows 11 certified driver worked:
http://www.prolific.com.tw/US/ShowProduct.aspx?p_id=225&pcid=41
In case that link stops working, search in Google for the filename:
PL23XX_Prolific_DriverInstaller_v401.zip
It is now working correctly.
- Thanks. I installed that on 2/26/22 and it is holding and working so far. It installed driver 3.9.1.0 dated 2/18/22.
- Thank you - it is working so far !
