Just a FYI. I have a laptop (IBM Thinkpad) that acts ONLY to operate my Davis VP2 system (Weather link, Ambients weather software for web uploading (cant remember name)). Updates to the net (CWOP and Wunderground) 24/7/365. The computer has no serial port only USB’s. I bought a standalone serial I/O adapter to USB cable converter thingy with its own software driver as a standalone unit from a third party vendor. I connected my Serial Davis data logger (Weather Link) to this dummy serial interface and connected it to the virtual COM1 port (created by the USB to serial driver software). Turned off windows updates and the unit has operated flawlessly for 6 months without problems. There was one 5 day period where it shut down due to windows updates doing a restart and requiring a password but other than that I forget the computer is even there, with windows updates turned off, the computer gathers dust operating under my office desk. This has been a great solution.