LI-830 and LI-850 USB Connection with Windows 7

You can interact with the LI-830 CO2 Analyzer and LI-850 CO2/H2O Analyzer using an RS-232 or USB connection to the LI-8x0 Windows software. This software was designed for use with Windows 10 computers, but it should also work on Windows 7 computers. If your Windows 7 computer is unable to connect over USB, it may not be able to find the USB driver. Follow these steps to install the driver:

  1. Download the USB driver from our website here:
    https://licor.app.boxenterprise.net/s/pamrygkdwsl8c61wj6y815gnf4tukh3t
  2. Unzip (sometimes called Extract All) the downloaded zip file, LI-8x0-usb-driver.
  3. Power on the LI-830/850 and let it start up.
  4. Open the Start menu on the computer, and click on the Control Panel. A new window will open, and should look like the screenshot below. If it does not look like this, go to the View by: field in the upper right corner. Click on the blue text and change it to Large icons.
  6. Click on the Device Manager icon (not the Devices and Printers icon). It should look like the screenshot below. Notice that under Ports, there may already be some ports occupied, even though there may not be any devices physically connected to the computer.
  8. Connect the USB cable to the LI-830 and the computer.
  9. In the Device Manager, another icon should appear above Ports, under a tab called Other Devices. It will say something like USB Serial Port. Double click it.
  11. A new screen should pop up, with four tabs on the top. Click on the Driver tab.
  12. Click on the Update Driver… button.
  13. Click Browse my computer for driver software.
  14. Click the Browse… button. Find the LI-8x0-usb-driver folder, typically in your Downloads folder. (Do not select any particular folder within the driver folder, just the folder itself.) Click OK.
  15. Underneath Search for driver software in this location:, it should now show the path to the driver folder.
  16. Click Next. The installation should run for a while, and then a window should appear that says Windows has successfully updated your driver software.
  17. Restart your computer.
  18. Return to the Device Manager. The LI-830/850 should now show up under Ports. It will have a number behind it (for example, COM11).
  20. Open the LI-8x0 Windows interface software. Click Connect, and select the instrument or the Manual Port that corresponds to the COM port number in Device Manager.
  21. Click Connect. The instrument should now be connected with the LI-8x0 software.
  22. If the connection still does not work, go to the Start menu and search for Command Prompt.
  23. Right click on Command Prompt in the Program list and then select Run as administrator. If you are prompted for an administrator password or for confirmation, type your password, or click OK.
  24. In the Command Prompt, type “TAKEOWN /A /F C:”, and press Enter.
  25. Type TAKEOWN /F C: and press Enter.
  27. You should now have administrative rights. Go through the process to install the driver again.