Weekly quickTIP
Where's HyperTerminal?
Vista no longer includes it as a native tool, so you'll have to go back to the original source if you're inclined to still use it for admin work.
- By Greg Shields
- 08/06/2007
Originally designed as a tool for managing and connecting modems back when a good speed was 14.4K, HyperTerminal has had a great life. This Windows-native tool was originally licensed from Hilgraeve back in the days of Windows 95 and in recent years has been used more for making serial port connections to network devices than any connection to a BBS.
Unfortunately, if you’ve been looking for Hyperterminal in Windows Vista you’ve probably noticed that it’s gone missing. Windows XP is the last Microsoft OS to include the tool, essentially ending its life as a native tool with the release of Vista.
If you’re a network administrator who still uses a terminal emulator to do the initial configuration on your routers and switches, you’ll be happy to know that Hyperterminal Private Edition still does exist and can be downloaded as freeware from http://www.hilgraeve.com. There’s an even more feature-rich tool there, called HyperACCESS, for a nominal fee. Hilgraeve’s Web site insinuates that the freeware Hyperterminal Private Edition is no longer being "aggressively developed, supported, and sold by the original authors."
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Or, if you’re just nostalgic for the old days, you can still use the Windows XP version of HyperTerminal. Just copy the files hypertrm.dll and hypertrm.exe to your Vista computer and create yourself a new shortcut. You’re back in hyperbusiness!
About the Author
Greg Shields is Author Evangelist with PluralSight, and is a globally-recognized expert on systems management, virtualization, and cloud technologies. A multiple-year recipient of the Microsoft MVP, VMware vExpert, and Citrix CTP awards, Greg is a contributing editor for Redmond Magazine and Virtualization Review Magazine, and is a frequent speaker at IT conferences worldwide. Reach him on Twitter at @concentratedgreg.