diff --git a/src/hardware/serialport/directserial_win32.cpp b/src/hardware/serialport/directserial_win32.cpp
index 5b88721d..7b4d9c83 100644
--- a/src/hardware/serialport/directserial_win32.cpp
+++ b/src/hardware/serialport/directserial_win32.cpp
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
  *  Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place - Suite 330, Boston, MA 02111-1307, USA.
  */
 
-/* $Id: directserial_win32.cpp,v 1.5 2007-01-13 08:35:49 qbix79 Exp $ */
+/* $Id: directserial_win32.cpp,v 1.6 2008-07-14 20:06:19 qbix79 Exp $ */
 
 #include "dosbox.h"
 
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@
 CDirectSerial::CDirectSerial (Bitu id, CommandLine* cmd)
 					:CSerial (id, cmd) {
 	InstallationSuccessful = false;
-
+	hCom = INVALID_HANDLE_VALUE; // else destructor may close an invalid handle
 	rx_retry = 0;
     rx_retry_max = 0;
 
diff --git a/src/hardware/serialport/serialport.cpp b/src/hardware/serialport/serialport.cpp
index 25ea520c..a35c4d03 100644
--- a/src/hardware/serialport/serialport.cpp
+++ b/src/hardware/serialport/serialport.cpp
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
  *  Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place - Suite 330, Boston, MA 02111-1307, USA.
  */
 
-/* $Id: serialport.cpp,v 1.8 2007-12-06 17:44:19 qbix79 Exp $ */
+/* $Id: serialport.cpp,v 1.9 2008-07-14 20:06:19 qbix79 Exp $ */
 #include <string.h>
 #include <ctype.h>
 
@@ -1166,68 +1166,55 @@ bool CSerial::Putchar(Bit8u data, bool wait_dsr, bool wait_cts, Bitu timeout) {
 class SERIALPORTS:public Module_base {
 public:
 	SERIALPORTS (Section * configuration):Module_base (configuration) {
-		
 		Bit16u biosParameter[4] = { 0, 0, 0, 0 };
 		Section_prop *section = static_cast <Section_prop*>(configuration);
 
-		const char *configstrings[4] = {
-			section->Get_string ("serial1"),
-			section->Get_string ("serial2"),
-			section->Get_string ("serial3"),
-			section->Get_string ("serial4")
-		};
-		// iterate through all 4 com ports
-		for (Bitu i = 0; i < 4; i++) {
-			biosParameter[i] = serial_baseaddr[i];
-
-			CommandLine* cmd;
-			std::string str;
-			cmd=new CommandLine(0,configstrings[i]);
-			cmd->FindCommand(1,str);
+		char s_property[] = "serialx"; 
+		for(Bitu i = 0; i < 4; i++) {
+			// get the configuration property
+			s_property[6] = '1' + i;
+			Prop_multival* p = section->Get_multival(s_property);
+			std::string type = p->GetSection()->Get_string("type");
+			CommandLine cmd(0,p->GetSection()->Get_string("parameters"));
 			
-			if(!str.compare("dummy")) {
-				serialports[i] = new CSerialDummy (i, cmd);
+			// detect the type
+			if (type=="dummy") {
+				serialports[i] = new CSerialDummy (i, &cmd);
 			}
 #ifdef DIRECTSERIAL_AVAILIBLE
-			else if(!str.compare("directserial")) {
-				serialports[i] = new CDirectSerial (i, cmd);
+			else if (type=="directserial") {
+				serialports[i] = new CDirectSerial (i, &cmd);
 				if (!serialports[i]->InstallationSuccessful)  {
 					// serial port name was wrong or already in use
 					delete serialports[i];
 					serialports[i] = NULL;
-					biosParameter[i] = 0;
 				}
 			}
 #endif
-
 #if C_MODEM
-			else if(!str.compare("modem")) {
-				serialports[i] = new CSerialModem (i, cmd);
+			else if(type=="modem") {
+				serialports[i] = new CSerialModem (i, &cmd);
 				if (!serialports[i]->InstallationSuccessful)  {
 					delete serialports[i];
 					serialports[i] = NULL;
-					biosParameter[i] = 0;
 				}
 			}
-			else if(!str.compare("nullmodem")) {
-				serialports[i] = new CNullModem (i, cmd);
+			else if(type=="nullmodem") {
+				serialports[i] = new CNullModem (i, &cmd);
 				if (!serialports[i]->InstallationSuccessful)  {
 					delete serialports[i];
 					serialports[i] = NULL;
-					biosParameter[i] = 0;
 				}
 			}
 #endif
-			else if(!str.compare("disabled")) {
+			else if(type=="disabled") {
 				serialports[i] = NULL;
-				biosParameter[i] = 0;
 			} else {
-				LOG_MSG ("Invalid type for COM%d.", i + 1);
 				serialports[i] = NULL;
-				biosParameter[i] = 0;
+				LOG_MSG("Invalid type for serial%d",i+1);
 			}
-			delete cmd;
-		} // for
+			if(serialports[i]) biosParameter[i] = serial_baseaddr[i];
+		} // for 1-4
 		BIOS_SetComPorts (biosParameter);
 	}