Win XP driver for LaserPro Mercury

OK LaserPro/Pinnacle users... has anyone got some experience with the Windows XP version 3.44 driver? I understand this is the latest XP driver. A few weeks ago, I upgraded from Windows 98SE to Windows XP Home Edition and installed the new Mercury driver. However, the new driver won't read the presets I had created with the old Win 98 driver (the .MER files which keep the speed, power, etc. settings for various materials). Kevin Huffman suggested it was because Win XP uses a different file system from Win 98: NTFS versus FAT 32. However, the system is still running FAT 32. I didn't convert the file system to NTFS when I upgraded the computer to Win XP. So I don't think that's the problem. My sales rep sent me a "translator" program that was supposed to convert the old .MER files to something the new driver could read. But that program bombed out on two different XP systems. So does anyone know how I can read my old settings files into the new driver?

Just a word of warning to all new laser users: WRITE DOWN YOUR SETTINGS in good old fashioned paper and ink! Low tech is almost always more reliable than high tech.

Thanks in advance for any help!
Tom

I have been using the xp driver for some time now. Every time I upgrade to the a newer driver version the presets never update and you have to start all over again

I also keep a hard copy of all my settings. This is an annoying problem wish I had an answer

Tom
I have not had that specific problem, however I do find that with XP, the .mer settings DO NOT LAST. I don't know what the problem is and have not bothered to look into it.
If Kevin does not have an answer for you, I might suggest you contact GCC in Taiwan.
In the meantime, I think you are right about just keeping a log...low tech...
Sometimes I think technology is ruining the world.

Take care and good luck
Chuck Burke
American Pacific Awards.

Hey Guys,

You should be able to keep the .mer files from one update to the next, if you go from 3.11 to 3.44. As long as the first number in the version is the same.
When you jump from 2.xx to 3.xx is where we have seen that most of the times the .mer files won't transfer over. GCC is aware of this issue.

The only way other to read the old files is to install the old driver if the translator program doesn't work.

The .mer files are simply text files. From what I see they aren't even Unicode two byte characters, just one byte text. That means they are easy to edit manually.
Using Explorer open the older files and look at them using Notepad. The format is pretty simple. Create a new .mer file and take a look at it. I could be that new driver doesn't like the version number or a vital entry is missing. In any case it's probably some simple fix. Try to duplicate your simplest .mer file with the newer driver's .mer file and compare them.
Do not use a word processor to edit because it will likely add superfluous crud. Notepad will work fine.

Another note: NTFS is a far more stable file system than FAT32. If you upgraded from 98 I would leave it alone, but the next time you change drives or upgrade, definately go with NTFS. The file system has nothing to do with reading a text file.