Expert: Les - 9/3/2004

Question
I recently installed a new modem in my computer because windows xp did not recognize my old modem. The problem is sometimes the new modem works sometimes it doesn't. I have been able to remove and then have windows look for new hardware, it then works. I've had to do these twice this week.  The modem is on COM 3.  If I look in the Device Manager under Ports there are 3 COM's listed, 1, 2, and 4.  There is no COM 3 listed, but still my new modem works.  COM's 2 and 4 have a yellow hi-lited quotation mark on them.  Any information you can give me to fix the problem will be appreciated. If you need any other info just let me know.

Thanks,
Eddie


Answer
Hi Eddie,
I guess my first question would be is this new modem XP compatible?  Does windows find it automatically? Did it come with software, and did you insatll the software?  

Sounds like you have some COM issues that need to be repaird before getting the modem working. First, you will need to uninstall the modem by using device manager to remove the device and immediately shut down the PC and physically remove the modem.  After removing the modem, restart the machine and go to the device manager and if there are still question marks by the COM ports, double click on COM 2, which will open the properties dialog box. On the port settings tab, click on "restore defaults".  Then go to the Resources tab and make sure the "automatic settings" box is checked.  Click OK all of the way out of the properties window.  If this causes the question mark to go away, repeat this process for COM4, if not, go back to the properties and go to the driver tab.  Select update driver and select automatic update, allowing windows to install the appropriate driver.

Once you have resolved the COM port issues, you can then reinstall the modem.  If you have drivers specifically for XP from the modem vendor, install them. If not, let windows install drivers and then go to windows update to see if there are updated drivers for the modem.  

Hope this helps,
Les