Dang it. Do you know if I can still adjust the stock settings with the VESC? At a minimum, I just want to turn off safe start
I think you can.
And to that end, my computer doesn't detect anything when I connect my BlackTip, either. But, when I follow the instructions shown in the DiveX video on updating the firmware, it does work.
Safest, of course, is to use the $$ command to get it to dump all the current settings. Totally non-destructive, so to speak. If that works, then you can confirm what the current SS value is before you change it.