New old question re encore pro installation

My apologies in advance -- I know this has been covered ad nauseum in the past, but I can't find the answer anywhere.
My old PC died, so I am re-installing Encore Pro and My Encore on a new machine -- obviously older versions of EP and a legacy version of ME.

Setting aside the Vista issues that I may face down the line, my current roadblock is that the ME SW sees my card reader as a serial port com 1 item, not as USB port. The preferences radio button will not allow me to make a change.

As I said, I know this is an old issue relating to old EP versions, but I am hopeful somebody will remember the solution. THEN i suppose I will have to face the Vista issues.

(My EP is version 1.4.9)

If you have Vista, you can't use EP 1.4. You need EP 1.8 or Encore Viewer.

EP 1.4 will work on XP. I have it myself that way.