Running the PCR1500 in Windows7

Note: This is for the 64 bit version of Windows 7

1. If you already have installed the USB drivers and software trying to get the 1500 to work, uninstall everything, especially the drivers. Unplug the USB connection from the PCR1500.
2. Go to Start/Accessories/SystemTools/Command Line Prompt. Right click Command Line Prompt and Run as Administrator
3. Run the bcdedit.exe commands from this Icom knowledge base article. As the article states, the key is disabling the integrity checks for the drivers to load and run the USB port. It is important to run the bcdedit.exe command to disable integrity checks in a command prompt window so that you can see if it ran successfully. Again, follow the knowledge base article instructions carefully and it should work without any problems.
4. Reboot and notice that the Test Mode indicator shows in the lower right corner of the desktop screen indicating that you have successfully entered the test mode and that you can now load the USB drivers successfully.
5. Install the Vista PCR1500 drivers. When you download and extract version 2.10, there is a Drivers folder, and Vista folder. There is a setup file in the Vista folder you can run to load the drivers.
6. Install PCR1500 version 2.10 (download from the Icom Support Site)
7. Plug in the USB cable from the PCR1500 and Run the PCR1500 program. Be sure to Run as Administrator. At this point the software should recognize the com port (the port window should pop up and show you the com port where your 1500 is. Click ok to proceed) and load the program, and run the receiver.
8. Once again, go to the command prompt and Run as Administrator. Again, follow the Icom instructions to Enable_Integrity_Checks and disengage the test mode, then reboot. Once you have rebooted in the normal Windows 7 mode, the PCR1500 should now run normally recognizing the Com port. The test mode indicator in the lower right corner of the desktop should now be gone.
   1. If you need to know what com port number or see if the USB drivers have loaded you can always go to the Control Panel/Systems/Device Manager page. Check your Com ports and look for the proper designator for the 1500. Note the com port number. Be sure you setup up the software to Run as Administrator in Windows 7. You do that by right clicking on the PCR1500 icon, compatibility, and check the box Run as Administrator. That might also make a difference in whether the program runs correctly or not.
   2. Once you go back to a command prompt, re-enable integrity checks, and get out of the test mode, PCR1500 should now work without having to go back into the test mode again. The knowledge base article is sort of misleading at this point. It seems indicate that you can only run the PCR1500 in test mode, but it's evidently not true. The key is getting the USB drivers to install correctly in the test mode described in the knowledge base article. Once that happens, the program will find the USB com port and work.
   3. The connection was also tested through a USB hub successfully.
   4. The software will also work in compatibility mode using Windows XP SP3 and Run as Administrator

Thanks to jyams in the Icom forum for these details