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nushie

asked on

new modem works, then doesn't work

this is repeating the text of a problem that i submitted a few weeks ago.
the link for this is
https://www.experts-exchange.com/jsp/qShow.jsp?ta=modems&qid=10315047 
if you are interested in the responses.

i recently replaced a well-working isa 28 kbs modem in my 233mh win 98 system with a 3com 56k pci p-n-p model. this is NOT a win-modem. installation was a breeze; it installed itself after asking for  drivers which were supplied on floppy. these are 3com's latest.

 it worked very well for a few days, giving me the expected quick browsing speeds. then i started to get  'general hardware use failure' messages when trying to connect to the internet. i ran 'more info' diagnostic under modem properties and got 'port already open' message.

i removed the modem from device mgr, rebooted, and reinstalled. after fresh reinstall, diagnostics gives me good modem communication message. try to connect to the internet, and i get a farmiliar         'connection cannot be established due to hardware failure.' at this time diagnostics gives a 'port already open' message. in other words modem installs correctly, but attempting to log in under dial up             networking produces the failure.

 i've tried keing in ATM1L3X0DT12345 COM5 (enter) under hyperterminal and do get '12345' tones. that would indicate that the modem hardware is ok?

the dealer has given me an rma, but i'm not so sure the modem is faulty.

------------------------------------

as recommended, i returned the modem for a replacement. so? same problem. modem installs correctly, works fine. when i log on a second time, i have the problem.

i'm assigning a value of 200 points again hoping someone out there has an answer for me. thanks!
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Otta

> ... COM5 ...

Remove the COM3 and COM4 and COM5 entries, and remove the modem.
Shutdown.
Reboot, and enter BIOS-setup mode.
Disable the motherboard's COM2 port.
Exit from BIOS-setup.
Load Windows, and let it install the modem to COM2.
Avatar of nushie

ASKER

will try (the system is my son's; so i'm relaying this advice by phone). will the pci p-n-p modem then default ot com2?
I'm not sure I am following you here? You say once you install the modem it works fine for one time then the errors, Does a reboot clear this and you can connect again for one time? or do you have to remove and reinstall it to get it working again?
Another question, where did you return the last one to? the manufacter or the dealer?
Did you get another new one or a remanufactered one? Was it in a sealed box?
If the manufacter did they replace it or fix the old one? Did they say what was wrong with the old one?
Most companies don't replace unless it is bad. If they replaced with another used one then it sure is possible to get another bad one, although very unlikely.
Avatar of nushie

ASKER

returned/replaced by the dealer. its an oem.
i haven't heard of any problems with 3com modems, and i would think that 2 consecutive bad ones is stretching.

the modem works fine upon install. it fails when reconnecting. the only way to get it to work then is to remove (from win 98, not physically), reboot, and reinstall. works fine on the first connection after reinstall only.

i've tried removing com2 from the cmos setup with poor results. it's an off brand motherboard with a via vp3 chipset and award bios.

thanks for the suggestions. i'm still determined to get it operational.

>> let it install the modem to COM2.
> will the PCI PnP modem then default to COM2?

Yes.
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ASKER

i've tried my best to disable com2 on the bios setup. the only place that com ports are mentioned is in the power management setup. as i mentioned earlier, this is a mb using a via vp3 chipset and award bios. is there any other way that i can force the modem into a port other than com 5? or should i buy an isa modem with jumpers?
Am I the only one here thinking that a "port already open message" is due to either a hardware fault on the motherboard/16550 UART,
or another program using the modem.

I have seen this exact same fault before when my system had some modem software (may have been a fax program) that was actively grabbing the port, did not happen first time as the modem did not exist.

I would suggest trying the ctrl-alt-del keys and reporting back what it shows, alternatively you can install a copy of "WINTOP.EXE" which gives much more detailed info (and is a very useful tool indeed).
> this is a mb using a via vp3 chipset and award bios.

The setup-menu for an Award BIOS has a section for peripherals (COM1/COM2/LPT1).  Keep looking.


> Is there any other way that I can force the modem into a port other than com 5?

Remove COM2 and COM3 and COM4 from your Windows hardware setup, and disable the motherboard's COM2 port.

> Should I buy an ISA modem with jumpers?

Hard to find, but that's an alternative.
Remove COM3 and COM4 from your Windows setup, and set the jumpers to COM4/IRQ3.
Yes, there will be a theoretical "conflict", because COM2 also uses IRQ3.
But, since you're not using COM2 for anything, the conflict can be ignored.
(This works for me, since I occasionally use COM2/IRQ3, but not when using my modem COM4/IRQ3.)
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ASKER

i'm away for a week, so this is on hold.
i'll be back on this next thursday.

thanks so much to everyone who ventured a fix. i'll try everything and report back then.
Thought,
IF your motherboard come with a disk.
You may have to install a VIA Chipset Function Registry Patch for windows 95/98.
And or a VIA PCI IRQ Routiing Miniport driver for windows 95/98.
When it fails the second time and you do a ctrl-alt-delete, what is running...do you still see Rnapps runnning. if you do, try end tasking it, wait till it closes, and then try again. If this succeeds, you may want to reinstall your DUN.
Also check for fax progs, Windows Task scheduler or an antivirus program with an auto update feature.
Try this:

Start the computer and hit F8 several times until the new menu comes up, choose safe mode. After it loads up you want to go to device manager (right click on my computer, choose properites, device manager tab at the top) remove all modem devices, any "ghost" devices (ones listed more than one time and are not listed in normal mode) and any that have yellow !'s, ?'s or red X's.
Restart
Avatar of nushie

ASKER

i'm back with this problem.
i've traced the problem to a conflict between the modem and the sound card. the card is one of those monster size creative labs isa cards from 1995. its p'n'p, and windows installs a raft of drivers for the card , grabs irq9 for the card, and irq12 for 'creative labs IDE controller.' if i install the modem by itself (with the sound card pulled) the problem is solved, and the modem takes irq12. if i install the sound card (before or after), the card's 'IDE controller' takes 12 and forces the modem to irq5. this does not show up as a conflict in the device manager. but upon reboot, the problem is back.

should i chuck the sound card for a simpler one? should i replace the modem with a non p'n'p isa model? is there any way i can get this thing working with the current hardware?

Are you using the IDE interface on the soundcard?
If not then let it install then go into the Device manager and disable it, this should allow the modem to use IRQ 12 with no conflicts
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ASKER

i can disable it, but when i reboot, it reinstalls.
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
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rayt333

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ASKER

i can disable it, but when i reboot, it reinstalls.
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ASKER

my apologies for the double post; i'll try this and let you know. thanks!
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ASKER

my apologies for the double post; i'll try this and let you know. thanks!
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ASKER

That did it!

i appreciate all of the advice. what made this extra difficult for me is that this conflict never showed in device  manager.
Avatar of nushie

ASKER

what made this difficult for me is that the conflict never showed in the device manager.

thanks for all of the input!