Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Getting a GD Wacom tablet working in Windows Vista with a Keyspan USB adapter
It is highly likely no one will ever care, but it took me a couple of hours webcrawling and researching to find the building blocks that eventually allowed me to get my old Wacom tablet working in Vista, so I thought I would save the next poor soul some searching and put the entire procedure in one place.
Despite what Wacom would have us believe, a Wacom Intuos GD generation graphics tablet, which uses a serial interface, can be made to work in Windows Vista using a serial-to-USB adapter. In my case, the tablet is an Intuos GD1212R, a first generation Intuos that has served me well for years, the adapter is a Keyspan USA-19HS (available at Amazon for about $30 at the time of this writing), and the OS is Vista x86(32-bit). This procedure may or may not work with Vista x64, so your mileage may vary.
First thing to do is purchase a Keyspan serial-to-USB adapter. You can buy single or multi-port parts, but I picked up the single port solution, part number USA-19HS. This is a high-speed converter that receives predominantly good reviews at every retailer that carries them. Once the adapter is in your hands, head over to Keyspan's homepage and navigate to the appropriate drivers page for your OS via their downloads link. Windows Vista 32-bit drivers can be found here. The latest driver is 3.7 at the time of this writing.
Once the driver has been downloaded, execute KeyspanUSA19hsWinV37S.exe and allow the installer to do its thing. At this point, connect the adapter and confirm that it appears in Device Manager (Start->Control Panel->Device Manager) under COM/Printer ports. It should show up as Keyspan USA-19HS or similar, and should have an active COM port assigned(no exclamation marks)…Windows chose COM5 for mine. Now it's time to pick up both the v4.93-3 Windows 2000/XP, and v6.05-7 Vista driver files for the GD-series tablets from Wacom's driver database. The 4.93-3 driver can be found here, and 6.05-7 is located here.
All the necessary hardware and software are now at your disposal. Disable Windows Defender (Start->Control Panel->Windows Defender->Tools->Options->Adminstrator Options->uncheck the "Use Windows Defender" radio button) and restart the computer. Once the machine has settled in, connect your Wacom tablet to the serial port adapter, turn it on, and cancel Windows' driver installation wizard. This is the point where we Install driver version 4.93-3. Vista may give you a warning about unsigned drivers or unverified publisher, tell it to fuck off(literally, say it out loud), and forge ahead. Once the driver install has completed, navigate to your system32 directory (C:\Windows\System32 on most machines) and locate the "tablet.dat". Copy this to your desktop (Jesus help you if you don't know how to do this), and uninstall the 4.93-3 drivers (Start->Control Panel->Programs and Features->Wacom Tablet->Uninstall).
At this point, the only file you should have on your system pertaining to the tablet are its driver executables and tablet.dat. Cut and paste tablet.dat back into the system32 directory, then execute the 6.05-7 installer. Allow the installer to run, and verify that the Wacom control panel utility is appearing in the Control Panel menu (Start->Control Panel->Wacom Tablet). The tablet should also appear in Device Manager without any conflicts (Start->Control Panel->Device Manager->Human Interface Devices->Wacom HID Digitizer/Wacom HID Pen/Wacom Virtual HID Driver). Finally, grab your Intuos stylus and move it over the tablet surface. If it works, turn the tablet off and back on, then try again. Assuming everything is still functioning, reactivate Windows Defender, and restart the machine. You should be ready to rock and roll with complete pen/tablet functionality, you lucky bastard you!
Grab a beer and give yourself a pat on the back, as you've just saved $300-700 you would have otherwise spent on a new, USB-compatible tablet. Any problems or issues, do not email or contact me in any way. The web is a glorious and wondrous place to search and explore, so get to searching and exploring. Thanks for reading and enjoy your steak!
UPDATE: It appears that Vista SP1 has somehow broken my tablet's functionality. I have tried uninstalling and reinstalling all hardware and software, but to no avail. The tablet will be recognized for a few minutes, then cease responding, even though the tablet and USB adapter LEDs continue to show activity. My advice at this point is to get your hands on a copy of XP and be done with Vista forever, or buy a USB Intuos3 tablet. Vista is garbage, but my motherboard requires it, so it looks like I am stuck. Hopefully, you are not in the same unfortunate position.
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Hey, I use mine with a serial adaptor PCI card and it works even without jumping through hoops like that. It's kind of a shame they unsuport them, since they still work so good. I've had mine since 2000.
Similarly I am searching high and low to connect my serial Intuos2 and am having problems getting it recognized. It seemed to have shown up in Device Manager but does not seem to move anything.
This is my only piece of hardware that uses a serial interface, so I didn't opt for he serial card, but I have heard it is a simpler solution.
Jan - Try uninstalling the Wacom drivers completely, rebooting and performing the connection process again. This is how I got mine working and so far, things seem to be fully functional.
I got my Intuos GD-1212 to work on XP x64 by doing the following. If it works for you fine, if not I can't help you.
First you'll need to install the 6.05-7 driver from here:
http://www.wacom.com/productsupport/drivers.cfm?os=XP&product=GD&CFID=3382984&CFTOKEN=62246020
Then create the tablet.dat file by opening notepad and copy and paste the following:
PrefsFileVersion 4
DriverOn1Off0 1
DriverLanguage 0
LeftHandedMouse 0
FunkyButtonMode 0
NoStartWarnings 0
HowManyTablets 1
TabletType 0
TabletModel 203
CommPort COM1
TabletOn1Off0 1
TabletPhysicallyOn 1
TabletFlags 0
HowManyTransducers 0
Save this file to your System32 folder as tablet.dat make sure it saves it as that. If it saves it as tablet.dat.doc it will not work.
You may have to enable file extensions to see how the file is being saved by going to Windows Explorer>Tools>Folder Options>View(tab at the top) and the tenth option or so down should be "Hide extensions for known file types". Uncheck this box.
Now if you have the file saved properly go back to:
http://www.wacom.com/productsupport/drivers.cfm?os=XP&product=GD&CFID=3382984&CFTOKEN=62246020
Download driver 4.93-3 and install overwriting any newer files.
This may work using other methods but this works for me after rebooting.
I get an error that the driver doesn't load for the tablet but the table works properly as near as I can tell.
Screw Wacom! This is not difficult to fix. If they don't fix this, I'll never buy another product again. It takes a bunch of puds that don't fix something this simple. A new tablet is $300-700. That's what this is really all about!!
Update: If your GD tablet had been working in Vista, but seemed to stop working properly after the install of Vista SP1, try disabling Windows Defender completely by following this procedure. If you must have a malware app running, go to Spybot Search and Destroy and download their free application, which should meet most peoples' needs. Once you've done all that, with your tablet turned on, restart Windows and things should be functioning once again.
The more I deal with this, the more I wish I had not ever made the move to Vista...
I'm trying to run Vista 64 bit here with a Wacom serial Intuos tablet.
I tried... and tried... but no luck here.
Back to XP(x86). I figured unless I can get Vista(64) to work, I'm going to stick with XP(32).
I tried the XP(64) steps described but they didn't work in Vista(64).
It's Anonymous again. I don't know WHY but since june, NONE of this works AT ALL. I've even reformated my HD and installed Vista FRESH. There's nothing that works.
Sorry for the spam. I broke down and bought an Intuos 3 so I installed those drivers. I noticed it detected my GD tablet just fine. Still the pen wouldn't respond so I disconnected the power supply.
Lo and Behold! I tried my GD again just for kicks and it works with the intuos 3 driver.
I was wondering if anyone has gotten anywhere with this. I love my intuos gd, I have had it for years and can't afford to replace it. I have windows vista x64 ultimate, I see the tablet in device manager, both when connected to my serial on com1 and when through a keyspan serial to usb on com 3. I just can't get vista to recognize a driver for it. I would realy like this to work on this machine Is there any hope?????
See the response from skip. It looks like he was able to get his 1212 up and running in XP64, might help with your issues. I think it's time we all contact Wacom and demand a fix. I caved and picked up a new tablet, since mine was 10 years old, but I agree 100%, this is ridiculous.
Well, I tried the procedure skip had outlined for Vista X64, and ran into two problems for my Serial intuos tablet:
1. The dreaded "required digital signature" enforcement that Microsoft has imposed on all the world because they just CAN'T believe anybody would actually know what they are doing, especially with older hardware!
2. When trying to install 4.93 over 6.07 drivers, the 4.93 driver installer would report "unsupported platform" and tank the installation.
I DID get basic tablet functionality working, however.
All I did- uninstalled 6.07 completely, then installed 4.93 in Vista in Windows XP compatibility mode, then rebooted using the F8 option, and chose the option to allow unsigned drivers in the advanced boot options. Note that after the initial installation of the 4.93 drivers (before the reboot), the OS informed me it wouldn't allow the tablet driver to run since it wasn't signed.
In the device manager, the Wacom tablet still doesn't show a driver installed- it seems that only very basic functionality is supported since the only drivers that were installed are the Wacom HID drivers. Not a big deal for me, mostly because I use Vista for 3d work, since 64 bit is SUCH a happier world than 32 bit for such work. The Wacom control panel won't run, stating that the driver needs to be reinstalled. I haven't installed any Adobe apps other than Lightroom in Vista 64- which, by the way, crashes with this half-baked install, so I'm not sure if any other Adobe apps would run in this instance.
Yep- I have to use the F8 option when starting Vista x64, but not a big deal since I dual boot with XP, and I'm not in Vista all the time. I'm just happy to have basic tablet support for working in 3D in Vista X64!
I got the GD-0912-R serial tablet working on vista ultimate using the existing cable directly into a serial socket (Dell Precision 690) with power connected via the serial plug. I even wrote part of this with the stylus using the character recognition in Vista.
How?
- Installed the serial drivers for the GD under Vista from Wacom's site (6.05-7)
- Switched PC off
- Plugged in tablet
- Vista detected tablet, but didn't want to play ball - said drivers weren't available
- left the Found New Hardware wiz open
- downloaded GD serial drivers version 4.93-3 for XP
- extracted the .exe contents using 7-zip (many other archiving tools will let you do this). Just put them in their own sub directory for neatness
- Pointed the new hardware wizard at the WSetup directory in this extracted file structure when it asked me to give it a location where the files were kept
- Hardware wiz was happy, found what it wanted, installed.
Control Panel application is the correct one for Vista, tablet functions all appear to work.
Hi Erik,
I managed to get my Wacom Intuos working on Windows Vista SP1.
I made the following:
1. Create the tablet.dat file (according to Skip's post)
2. Add the following registry key:
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Tablet]
"PnPTablets"=",COM1"
3. Install the Wacom Vista driver 6.05-7.
4. Reboot.
I'm using a Sunix USB-to-Serial converter. (www.sunix.com.tw)
I got the info on the registry key from here: http://www.anotherblogger.com/2007/03/31/vista-hacks-making-my-wacom-serial-tablet-work/
Thanks for posting your instructions. Without them I couldn't have done it myself.
Regards,
Andreas
Of the last two posters (Chris and Andreas), did you get that working in Vista 64 or 32?
I've tried to follow your steps for two nights and although it claims to have installed drivers correctly, the tablet will not work on either a Serial PCI card or a Serial to USB adapter in Vista 64.
I have also not been able to duplicate what Virgil has suggested. You suggest installing the 4.93-3 driver in XP compatability mode - maybe I haven't found how to do that. When I try to run its executable it says the platform is not supported. If I unzip it with 7zip and point the "found new hardware" wizard at the unzipped copy, it installs the driver (but ONLY if I choose to select the driver from a list, then pick some unrelated hardware, then click "Have Disk"... and then I'm not sure which of 3 or 4 directories really contains the right drivers) but the tablet doesn't function (with or without the 6.07 or 6.08 drivers).
Someone said tablet.dat should exist, but searching the entire drive for tablet.dat after installing various drivers never shows it exists. I plan to try taking tablet.dat off another computer or creating it via Jan's suggestion tonight and modifying it, but I'm not hopeful it will help.
It makes me feel good you guys were able to use my advice to help you along in any way.
My tablet still works and so far I'm happy. It took me a lot of trial and error to get that to work. I knew I had to share it.
Skip
To make things clear; I'm using Windows Vista 32 with SP1.
Regards,
Andreas
This works on XP HOME!!!!!!
Hey Erik
Thanks a lot for the thread, I found it recently and thought I'd give it a try. I followed your instructions steb by step, but it worked for me only when I created the .reg file as other guys suggested - this worked. Everything's working, config, sensitivity, everything :)
One side note, though - I have GD0912 WEB UD/SD and I had slightly different .dat file created by the installer, than the one pasted here by Skip. So before creating your own .dat file you need to check, if you have Skip's model of it.
Cheers to all and thanks
Mike
the simple solution is just to use Sun VirtualBox, install WinXp in there, import your Serial-to-Usb, install 4.78 and BINGO.
the simple solution is just to use Sun VirtualBox, install WinXp in there, import your Serial-to-Usb, install 4.78 and BINGO.
At last!I've got my Wacom serial Digitizerii Model UD-0608-R working via a Targus replicator to a Windows XP SP3.
And it's all thanks to you because though you were talking Vista, it somehow came up with the goods. And here was I thinking of a Wacom Intuos 4 Medium. Think I'll buy me an icecream.
I tried this guide in Windows 7 64-bit with Windows XP Mode, using the serial interface directly (you need to assign the COM port in the virtual machine options). And it seems to work fine, with a minor bug: If you use the tablet you won't see the mouse. In order to see it my workaround is to use the "Display Pointer Trail" in the mouse properties on Control Panel.
I didn't dig much on this afterwards because the RC Windows 7 expired. Needless to say that the tablet only works inside the virtual machine on XP mode and it does NOT in "Coherency Mode".
IMO the only way to use a wacom serial table on Windows 64-bit is by resorting to Windows 7 Pro or Ultimate x64 with Windows XP Mode. I'm using it right now with VMWare Workstation 7 and it works much better than the Microsoft Virtual PC. However, in order to see the tablet pointer you have to resort to the Display Pointer Trail trick mentioned in the previous post.
Thank you thank you thank you a thousand times for posting this. The internet and Wacom's own homepage are incredibly stingy with anything useful for a "intuos gd-1212-u drivers" search. Now my tablet works and I don't have to lose hundreds in freelance this week. THANK YOU AGAIN!
Glad this post has been so useful! If I had known this many people would happen across it, I would have gone without the profanity. :)
And did you get to Windows7 yet? they dont support serial anymore does your gd tablet work with the adapter?
This is crazy. Why Wacom won't create a new driver is beyond me. Greedy people.
So my understanding is that the GD series tablet will work in Win7 in XP mode but you can not see the cursor unless you turn on cursor trails?
Strange. I'm deciding if its worth it or not. I just got Adobe CS5 and I can't use after effects or premere unless I upgrade to 64-bit.
Photoshop and Illustrator work fine but I really need the others as well but do not want to spend hundreds of $'s on a new tablet and a new upgrade. I love my 1212!
Any new info on the GD working in vista 64?
Read the post by Stefan Scherer,the GD-0912-R really works on Windows 7.
http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/w7itprogeneral/thread/cabc605a-e0ae-469c-bac9-3aa7be1dbc02
Hello from germany!
i was so glad over a year back when i found this and got my tablet working under xp-pro-64bit...
now i decided i would give win7-ultimate-64 a try.. and am only half way to getting things to work again.
fun thing is i actually got the pen to halfway work in a virtual machine in xp-mode.
when i open the wacom properties proggie (hope i translate right from german) i can acually see the pen tip and eraser working with pressure as they make the bars change in there.
but the pointer doesnt move or is kinda invisibe.. it is hard to tell but i have the impression it hilights some buttons sometimes.. i will look into that further.
if anyone has any suggestions (after more then 3 years after the first post i would be glad!
so long and thanks again for this solution and for showing the "big guys" how its done ;-)