Whoppa

Hey everyone, this is my first post and I've been hunting high and low and trying everything I can read to get some assistance but everything I've tried thus far hasnt' worked. I'm new to tuning but not new to computers and serial connections (I know how finicky they can be) from my audio/video background.
My car is a 2001 NB2 with stock motor - 1.8 VVT, COP (Fab9), Racing beat header, stock IAT (GM waiting to be installed once MS is up and running) and MAF still in place. I have an LC-2 from Innovate and that's all been wired up and functioning correctly. I finally got around to installing my MS a week or two ago and once I turn the ignition to on (car not running), I get power and can see a strong glowing red light and hear the fuel pump prime for a couple of seconds.

I first tried to connect up via TunerStudio using this cable: which I had used to program audio equipment in the past. Couldn't connect. Detect would result in nothing detected and if I tried to manually associate the cable with the port I get a FAIL no matter what. I could pull the COM port up, change baud rate, etc.. .and no go. I removed all drivers using FTDI tools and reinstalled all drivers again, for my Win 8.1 Pro Microsoft Surface PC. Still, same result.

I ordered the DIYAutoTune cable and it arrived yesterday. I was hoping this would be it. Nope, same result. Tried their drivers disc, tried the Windows autoinstall of drivers when cable was plugged in... even went so far as to wipe my PC and do a factory restore to clear any programs that may be causing a driver collision and that still didn't work with a fresh install of the drivers.

In my reading it looks like I may need to do a manual firmware flash using a Stimulator but I've never done anything like that before. I reached out to Rev but I know he's slammed and I'm simply looking for a little guidance. I have the .INI firmware file which I assume is what I'd need to manually upload to the ECU on the bench using the stim but again, I've never done it and I'm having issue trying to find out how to go about this and asking, at the same time, is that the right move? How would manually uploading firmware suddenly allow a DB9 port to recognize my PC and TunerStudio? Also, I read that if the fuel pump primes with ignition it means firmware is already there... Am I best off buying an old HP 6550b laptop with native serial port off eBay? I really had my fingers crossed that the DIYAutoTune cable would be the lifesaver here. Any advice or direction would be MUCH appreciated. I'd like to get this car fired up and running in the next few weeks and do a little autotuning and get ready for the next phase of my build. Thanks in advance to any helpers.