hi raghu,

yes you can use them, but question is how will you read & drive these signals on windows. i think some system programming will be required.

On DOS, status of these signals are available on Modem control Register(port xFCh, x depends upon base address usualy 2 or 3 for COM 1 and 2) and Modem status register( Port xFEh).

windows runs in protected mode and there are two rings of operation, all the device drivers run on ring 0 and apllication programs run on ring 3. if your application runs on ring 3 it will not be allowed to read or write directly to the i/o ports.


abhishek