I am not having any success in changing my VCDS from USB to COM 1-4. I have a Genuine Ross-Tech HEX+CAN cable. I went to the Ross-Tech site and followed directions, VCP drivers are up to date. Will not allow changing to an actual COM port.

I had a Chinese KKL cable, but something went wrong whilst logging in VCDS in my GTI 6 years ago and the fuse burnt up, shorted across and fried my ABS module, leaving my car in a no-start, no-communication state. $350 later +gas for friend who towed car 3 hours to nearest VW dealer, just for them to unplug the connector to the ABS module, and the car communicated and started back up and ran fine(sans ABS), I decided to go with a genuine cable.

Back to the issue at hand. I have a Windows 10 ASUS ROG laptop and I cannot change my rosstech cable to a COM port for the life of me. My device manager doesn't list COM ports at all and VCDS will only allow USB. If you can lead me in the right direction, I will forever be grateful. I've searched google and keep coming up with go to the COM section of device manager...well, mine doesn't have that section.

BTW once you do this you have to unplug and replug the usb for it to take effect (or reboot).

Then the cable should show up in device manager in the lpt/com section

I finally got an old pc to work, got the drivers set up and successfully read the EEPROM on the spare ECU. Now I will re-read the IMMO off procedure and update.

read all that, did all that, didn't have any luck until I got an old pc with win xp working...and I've had my cable in dumb mode since I downloaded NEF.

yep. mine works wonderfully.