unable to access any ports

[malc-c]

Try right clicking on the programers EXE and select "run as administrator" to see if that helps.

[BrianT]

Thanks Malcolm but I am confused.

I forgot to mention I am using MicroCodeStudioPlus. I can compile and MCSP opens the programmer and then, when I select COMPILE, I get the error message. If I close the programmer and right click it I get 'run as' with me as the normal user and provision to select some other user. There has never been another user, or administrator, so I don't know what to enter as the username

[mackrackit]

You should be the admin then.
Go to control panel and user accounts to see who is who.

[malc-c]

One other thing to try is to re-boot the netbook and go into the BIOS and make sure that (if exists) the USB ports are enabled / active.

One other possible cause is that the programmer is looking for a serial com pot, which on most netbooks don't exists - have you double checked the config settings of the programmer ?