Cannot get EV2200 to read Li-ion battery pack

On April Fools Day(!) I ordered an EV2200 PC Interface Board from TI's Online Store, and for the past month I've been trying off and on to get it to work as advertised.

With the EV2200 module plugged into a serial (RS-232, COM) port (either built in or USB-to-RS232 adapter, either directly or using the data cable included in the kit) on any of my various computers (so far I've tried a half-dozen, with the same result), and running the EV2200-60 Evaluation Software (v3.1.2 [downloaded from www.ti.com] or v3.0.1 [on CD with the kit]--I've tried both), I can get the software to see and connect with the EV2200 (the "Communications" screen says: Communicatons[sic] Port Open / Evaluation Board is connected to: [X]), but when I attach the SCL, SDA, and VSS terminals to the corresponding terminals on a Li-ion battery pack--ANY Li-ion battery pack, of which I've tried several--all I get as readout in the various data fields under the "bq2060" tab (the upper right-hand corner box of the software window says "Polling" with a light-blue background) in the main software window is either "FFFF", "65535", or "-1", exactly the same readouts as when I've just connected the EV2200 module to the serial port without attaching a battery pack; and the message in the status bar at the bottom of the software window is "No Acknowlege[sic] by device", which I presume means that the software can't talk to the EV2200 module.

I've checked the Port Settings for my COMx port in Windows' Device Manager, and the default settings (9600 bps, 8 data bits, no parity, 1 stop bit, no flow control) are all exactly what the EV2200 expects to find, according to the document "EV220x Evaluation Board: PIC Interface Commands" (2376.EV2200 Commands ver2-4.pdf, downloaded from www.ti.com; oh yes, and these pertinent details are apparently not to be found anywhere in the software's Help file):

PIC 16C66 RS-232 INTERFACE
Commands and data are passed between the EV2200 board and the PC are RS-232 signals with the following protocol:
* 9600 baud (default) or 19200
* no parity
* 8 data bits
* 1 stop bit
* no handshaking

Now, at this point I wonder, could "no handshaking" possibly mean "no acknowledgment needed" and the status-bar message "No Acknowlege[sic] by device" is actually what I should expect to see when the EV2200 is working properly? Is "NACK" good?? NOT SO!!! Under "System Setup", the Help file specifically states, "After initialization, the bottom status bar should indicate 'RS-232 Interface Ok'."--ruling out THAT silly notion. In fact, so far I have yet to see the message "RS-232 Interface Ok" appear on the status bar, except briefly when, after I select "Unlock Device" under "Options" on the menu bar (yes, I've tried every possible option just to see what would happen >:-) ) and I get a window saying "Attach clip to EEPROM, press OK to continue", I click "OK" and get another window saying "Disconnect clip, remove then restore power to part to cause reset" and at the same time the status bar reads "RS-232 Interface Ok"; but now when I click "OK", this status-bar message goes away, and the status-bar message "No Acknowlege[sic] by device" returns once again. :-(

I've already used your live-person telephone support number ((972) 644-5580) and spoken at length with a kindly technical-support person, patiently reciting to her this entire tale of woe, receiving copious soothing sympathetic words in return, and expecting some sort of consequent action--but so far nothing more has come of that inquiry, no acknowledgment of contact, no followup email. In short, NO HELP. (((:-(

This is it, guys. Port of last resort. Seems like lots of other folks have gotten the EV2200 to work satisfactorily for them. I can't for the life of me see why the EV2200 hasn't worked out of the box for me as well. What does it take?

PLEASE ADVISE.

Thanks in advance,
George