I removed devices (setup32.exe on Win Xp, setup64.exe on Win 7 64).
Now these COM ports (once in use) are not available to select any more.
“Starting COM:” starts with COM6, but there is no other com port in use (1 to 5).
I don’t see them in hiden devices either to remove them manually from the system.
It sounds like your system may have some phantom ports on it causing you not to be able to use the COMs you are trying to use. Try running through this KBase article and see if it helps remove those ports from the system: