Putty random characters

[01Boxer]

I am RDP'd to a laptop with a console connection on COM4 to a 3850, I open Putty and each character I type is wrong, inconsistently wrong...for example, the following output of what I get from typing the letter "a" repeatedly:  

Switch#qu}yyuqy|q~yuy|u}qquqquuqyyq~y]uuyyqu}n}w

It is the same for all other keystrokes. I'm not even able to reload the switch (onsite guy is away now). Prior to this we tried a couple of other switches, which turned out not to be suitable for other reasons, but the same keystroke issue occurred with them. Typing into the Windows laptop is otherwise fine. We also tried COM3, different baud rates (this only generates unrecognisable characters) and a different USB to Serial adaptor. I have also tried Tera Term terminal...same thing.

Any ideas...anyone? 

Thanks! 

[acampbell]

Hi,

This issue looks more like a data word/parity issue.

The default for Cisco devices is 9600bps 8 Data Bits None Parity 1 Stop Bits

Usually if you have the wrong speeds (ie bps) you dont receive any output

Worth a look at your settings