Unable to open interface, it may be in use by another program!

   #1  

Yousef

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Hello

I have this problem where the configurator is unable to find my HEX-NET, I'm using VCDS 20.12.0 running on Windows 10 Home Version 20H2
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How can I solve this , please?
 
   #2  

Shaun

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What kind of computer is this? Do you have any nannyware running (antivirus, etc) that might be trying to grab the interface? Try turning those kinds of things off temporarily.
 
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Yousef

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What kind of computer is this? Do you have any nannyware running (antivirus, etc) that might be trying to grab the interface? Try turning those kinds of things off temporarily.
It's a Dell G5 5500 laptop with a 10th gen i7, is this the information you need?

It came with McAfee Livesafe preinstalled, I'm not sure exactly how to turn it off , but I'll try.
 
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Yousef

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I have turned off Real-time scanning and firewall, I'm not sure if this is enough, or how the Antivirus works , but it didn't work for me, I'm still not finding my HEX-NET in the configurator
DUAU2mN.png
 
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Uwe

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Is the HEX-NET plugged in via USB? VCIConfig only works via USB, not via WiFi.

Does VCDS see the HEX-NET?

-Uwe-
 
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Shaun

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We have had reports of faulty touchpad software interfering with being able to open the interface. If you have anything like that running, you should try closing it. You might also want to check what programs and services are running at startup and try disabling things that aren't windows system services. This is most likely caused by some other software that is incorrectly accessing the USB device.
 
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Yousef

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Is the HEX-NET plugged in via USB? VCIConfig only works via USB, not via WiFi.

Does VCDS see the HEX-NET?

-Uwe-
Yes, I know, it is connected via USB.
VCDS works and tests fine, but I'm not able to find the HEX-NET in the configurator.

testing
ioys0hu.png

also communicates with the car fine.
 
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Yousef

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We have had reports of faulty touchpad software interfering with being able to open the interface. If you have anything like that running, you should try closing it. You might also want to check what programs and services are running at startup and try disabling things that aren't windows system services. This is most likely caused by some other software that is incorrectly accessing the USB device.

How do I know that there is faulty touchpad software?

Do you mean the startup submenu from the task manager ?
5osc03s.png
 
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Yousef

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So , I tried McAfee Realtime scanning and firewall off, I've disabled everything in the startup submenu in task manager
fAg41lv.png

I restarted the computer, before even it auto-connected to any network , I tried VCDS and the configurator found the HEX-NET
I connected to a network , this message appeared at first it said "network error check internet connection", I clicked "refresh network test" , then it said "test result pass"
8sWRCPa.png

then I clicked "close", and back to square one, the same "unable to open interface" appeared again
fN4JTHV.png
 
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Mike@Gendan

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So , I tried McAfee Realtime scanning and firewall off, I've disabled everything in the startup submenu in task manager
fAg41lv.png

I restarted the computer, before even it auto-connected to any network , I tried VCDS and the configurator found the HEX-NET
I connected to a network , this message appeared at first it said "network error check internet connection", I clicked "refresh network test" , then it said "test result pass"
8sWRCPa.png

then I clicked "close", and back to square one, the same "unable to open interface" appeared again
fN4JTHV.png
It looks like you're unfortunately hitting 2 different issues here.

The update server appears to be down this morning (we have reported it, but it's still early morning in the USA at the moment).
That would have caused the network time-outs, when looking at your first screenshot the utility had managed to connect to the interface.

So whatever you did, try it again in a couple of hours (the server should hopefully be online again by then) and there's a good chance it'll work...
 
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Yousef

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It looks like you're unfortunately hitting 2 different issues here.

The update server appears to be down this morning (we have reported it, but it's still early morning in the USA at the moment).
That would have caused the network time-outs, when looking at your first screenshot the utility had managed to connect to the interface.

So whatever you did, try it again in a couple of hours (the server should hopefully be online again by then) and there's a good chance it'll work...

So I tried again restarted and as soon as the pc started, I opened VCDS and then the configurator , it found the interface, so I clicked "check for updates"
8ISg8dG.png

then I got this :
eByDwbo.png

I clicked "recheck for updates", I got "timeout while waiting for server"
4sJDC6k.png

then I got this message :
QDD09zu.png

I clicked on "close" then "exit configurator" and opened it again, back to square one :
nGEAheu.png


"unable to open interface, may be in use by another program"

It looks like there is a program (that is trying to grab the interface from vcds as the two gentlemen said above) that is not started yet when I first start windows, so in that short period the interface can communicate with the configurator, but as soon as that program starts, I can no longer communicate with it.

I'm not an I.T. guy by any means , I just know how to use windows, I don't really know how the different drivers for devices or interfaces works or communicate or do their stuff.

Also when I plug the HEX-NET I am able to find it in the device manager under Human Interface Devices, I'm not sure if this is where it is supposed to be, but it is there.
VomAYi6.jpg
 
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Mike@Gendan

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The update server is working again now - what happens if you try again?
 
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Yousef

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The update server is working again now - what happens if you try again?
I'll try again later today, but the server is not my concern now, I'm sure the server's issue will be solved by VCDS eventually(it's their server, they will fix it :D or already did ), but I am concerned mostly about the first issue the Inability to find the HEX-NET by the configurator.:)
 
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The most likely culprit here is software for another HID device (usually keyboard, mouse, etc) that is grabbing control of all HID devices and scooping up the HEX-NET when it does so. I see a couple interesting devices in that HID list, I don't have a crystal ball but if it was my computer I would start looking at those. I know alienware mice generally have a software package with them that governs settings and updates and such, is that alienware software running? I would look into if you can disable that, or possibly try uninstalling it if not. I don't see it listed at startup, but I believe it does run shortly after boot to check for updates for your mouse firmware. Any keyboard or mouse software you have running would be a prime suspect for what might be causing this problem.
 
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Yousef

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The most likely culprit here is software for another HID device (usually keyboard, mouse, etc) that is grabbing control of all HID devices and scooping up the HEX-NET when it does so. I see a couple interesting devices in that HID list, I don't have a crystal ball but if it was my computer I would start looking at those. I know alienware mice generally have a software package with them that governs settings and updates and such, is that alienware software running? I would look into if you can disable that, or possibly try uninstalling it if not. I don't see it listed at startup, but I believe it does run shortly after boot to check for updates for your mouse firmware. Any keyboard or mouse software you have running would be a prime suspect for what might be causing this problem.

I think I succeeded now , as you said the software for dell alienware things , the Alienware Command Centre or AWCC is teh software that controls cpu and gpu fans, the RGB light bar in the bottom of the laptop, and any other alienware mouse, headset, keyboard you connect, providing updates, function and lighting customization.

so what I did was I went to the task manager, and found the awcc in the background apps section, I ended three tasks, basically any task that said alienware command centre or awcc, but the anti virus is still of and every startup application is off too, I will do some testing to see if any of them affect the configurator or not, and I'll update here with the final conclusion,

As of now the configurator has found the HEX-NET and is downloading an update right now,
ziGc8kX.png


ym3tPtB.png
 
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Yousef

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UPDATE SUCCESSFUL :) :) :) :)
:thumbs::thumbs::thumbs::thumbs::thumbs:
e6MkS9x.png
 
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   #17  

Yousef

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the configurator sees the HEX-NET closing and opening several times, I consider it a success
8T9YwML.png


SOOO... I still have to check other factors and determine what are the things that affect it (McAfee antivirus, dell mobile connect, cortona , ...etc ), from now on I think the solution will be to END TASK every AWCC or alienware background task before opening VCDS, as the Alienware Command Centre is useful for me , and I don't want to remove it.




EDIT:
configurator works fine with Mcafee on.
 
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Yousef

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FINALLY : MY FINAL SOLUTION :
the solution is to end two tasks related to the Alienware Command Centre from the task manager before opening VCDS, once finished with VCDS, I just run Alienware Command Centre again and the two background tasks are initiated again automatically, no uninstallation of anything, no compromises whatsoever !! I get to use Alienware and VCDS, just not at the same time :D , even though VCDS still works fine it is just a problem with the configurator, but I don't feel the need to run them both at once , why would I? it's better to be safe and end the tasks even when I don't need the configurator, who knows what issue can be present if the AWCC is interfering with the HEX-NET.
nothing else causes the problem, I reenabled McAfee and every startup application that was enabled originally, just these two tasks need to be ended .
eYOVPJO.png



Also in the end, Thank you everybody for your help , especially you Shaun :thumbs:, you pointed me in the right direction towards solution, I appreciate everybody's help.:)

edit:

Final note : I noticed when I end the two tasks I also lose the (windows hello fingerprint) sign in option, but restarting the pc solves the problem.
edit again : the fingerprint issue might be a bug in windows, I was not able to reproduce it more than two times.
 
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