Spontaneous Modem Malfunction

[cyrtez]

Today I decided to format my hard disk and start from scratch. I connected to the internet in the morning to download drivers and installers for all the programs I knew I was going to want again, put them on my backup hard disk, and formatted the main drive. I reinstalled XP Pro, installed all the drivers and programs, and thought things were going fine. Then I tried to dial up through the same modem I used in the morning, and absolutely nothing happened.

I've formatted and reinstalled everything a few times in the past, and this modem has never given me any problems before, so I'm not sure what all the hardware settings were before the format. After the format, ont strange thing I noticed is that the modem seems to want to use COM3, but the windows device manager only seems to think I have COM1 and 2 ports. I don't really know anything about COM ports, but I tried changing the port assignment to both of these, but neither worked. I know the cable still works, as I have a different computer with an old ISA internal modem connecting through it right now.

The computer with the failed modem is:
Athlon 2000+ XP
Gigabyte GA7VRXP version 2.0
Leadtek GeForce4 Ti4200
Netcomm PCI Internal Modem (<- this is the one that stopped working)
No other PCI cards installed, but some USB ports connected to the moterboard take up the bottom slot.

The modem was installed in the 2nd PCI slot from the bottom, and I tried it in a couple others with no different results. I'm guessing that the modem just spontaneously died somehow during the format, but it's saturday and I cant' get it replaced til monday, so I'm hoping somebody will have an idea on how I can fix it

any thoughts appreciated,


c

[Jonty]

I wouldn't have thought the modem died because of the format.

I've just looked at my modem properties in Device Manager and the port is COM3. The two serial ports are COM1 and COM2, so I assume COM3 is what the modem uses! My modem is a PCI one too.

Have you tried dialling say a friends phone number using the phone dialler to see if the modem dials OK? I know this is pretty basic stuff but it may have been overlooked.

Hope this helps a bit.

[cyrtez]

Is there a specific phone dialer somewhere in the win xp accessories or something? I don't remember seeing one anywhere... I did make a few different dial-up networking connections, to my ISP, and my uni server, and I'm positive I was using settings that worked before, but the modem only made a faint clicking sound and didn't dial the number. I have got the wait for dial tone option unchecked, and the modem volume right up, too

I'm glad that the COM3 setting should be ok, I remember having huge problems with the port settings of an old external modem

[Jonty]

Don't know anything about XP, I'm using 98, but there must be some sort of dialler in XP? Have you tried searching in help, come to that, is there a modem troubleshooter in XP?

Perhaps you should have the 'wait for dial tone' checked? Another obvious question - does the phone line work OK with a normal phone? And it's plugged in the modem too!

[cyrtez]

I tried to dial a few numbers with hyperterminal, and got no response from the modem. I've been through the troubleshooters a few times, but none of the suggestions helped. I've used the phone with no problems from the cable that usually goes into my modem, and tried the computer from right next to the house phone plug with a few different cables, but no different results. I've checked all the settings and connections a few times, and the ones I'm not sure about I've never had to play with before to get it to work. The wait for dial tone one is one I definitely remember should be off, but I did try it the other way too

One thing I've noticed now is that is has the same IRQ as the video card, but I can't change either of them. I've uninstalled and reinstalled both devices, but when they're set up the IRQ addresses are automatically set to 16, and the option to change the settings in the resources tab of the device manager properties is greyed out.

I'm still thinking the modem is dead, but I'd love to be wrong

[Jonty]

Fortunately modems are cheap to buy, and it does seem this one has had it.

Did you use the same drivers for it you were using before the format?

My modem was constantly restarting the computer at random times until I install a newer better driver.

[paramufay]

I doubt the modem died. More likely when you set up the internet connection you chose com3 instead of com1 or failed to specify which com port the modem should use. You will need to remove modem from device manager and delete internet connection and reboot and let OS detect the modem and make new connection.