[esjay]

Hi All, I'm hoping someone can help me. I have Windows XP. I consider myself above a beginner, but far, far from competent with computers. So treat me gently please. )

I normally have two hard drives in my computer -- the master that I use as my main hd of course, and a slave to backup files, etc. I just bought a Seagate 300 G hard drive that I want to use as my main one and use one of the others as the slave.

Today I installed the OS, etc. but when I went to intall the drivers for the modem (dialup, PCI faxmodem), I can't get it to work. I know I'm supposed to install the drivers before physically installing the modem and that's what I did. Didn't work. I uninstalled and reinstalled. Nothing. I took the modem back out and put it back in again. Nope. I can't even find a modem listed in Device Manager! I know it's supposed to go on Port 3 but find no mention of that either.

I thought I might have damaged it in taking it in and out but when I switched my old hard drive back to master, the modem worked fine. That's what I'm using to access the Internet right now.

Can anyone help???

esjay

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It's possible you have to install the drivers AFTER the modem itself has been physically installed and connected to a phone line. Put the new hard disk back into the PC as 'master', boot into Windows, and try running the modem driver CD again, this time leaving the modem installed and connected.

Edit: 'COM Port 3' is a 'virtual port' created by the driver CD, it's not a physical port on the PC, so it won't be listed anywhere until the modem setup software has completed successfully.

Edited by pip22, 27 November 2007 - 05:14 AM.

[pip22]

It's possible you have to install the drivers AFTER the modem itself has been physically installed and connected to a phone line. Put the new hard disk back into the PC as 'master', boot into Windows, and try running the modem driver CD again, this time leaving the modem installed and connected.

Edit: 'COM Port 3' is a 'virtual port' created by the driver CD, it's not a physical port on the PC, so it won't be listed anywhere until the modem setup software has completed successfully.

Edited by pip22, 27 November 2007 - 05:14 AM.

[esjay]

Hi Pip22. Thank you so much for replying.

The software is supposed to be installed before the modem is connected. I've uninstalled and reinstalled several times but still the problem. I've even tried putting in the modem BEFORE installing the drivers -- figured what the heck, what've I got to lose. Of course that didn't work.

This morning I thought well maybe somehow my slave hard drive is interfering -- yah, I know I'm desperate. So I disconnected that hard drive and just worked with the master I'm trying to get the modem to work on. Still nothing.

I noticed something else this morning. I went in to properties on the new hard drive. It's supposed to be 250 gigs. But it says there's only a total of about 127 gigs. ?????? I've never seen that before. Could somehow the formatting and installing of the XP OS have gone wrong? Maybe I should try reformatting and *groan* reinstalling the OS?

esjay


Oh, and I thought I'd read somewhere that the Com Port 3 was a virtual port. That's one of the reasons I'm suspicious that the drivers haven't been installed properly for some reason. Well, and -- duh -- that the modem isn't working! )

[Rousha]

I have a V92K modem fitted to this PC and it installed itself using XP drivers I did not need the CD drivers at all. Of course although Device Manager says it works OK I have never managed to get it working a Fax ( I used to get my work schedule by fax) perhaps because of the conflict with the on board Broadband Modem. I assume you have checked System > Hardware>DeviceManager> Modems and it's not there. Mine is but as I say it does not work and I have even tried installing third party Fax software.

On the subject of the HDD I think there will be some jumpers on the connectors which will need moving around as usually specified on the HDD itself so that the PC recognises its 250 GB size. Unless you are unlucky enough to have an old motherboard that cannot recognise anything over 127 GB.

[Rousha]

Read you post again and as it works using the old HDD I am wondering if you have not set it up as your default connection on the new HDD?

[cmpm]

get it working yet?

if not
what is the exact make and model of your modem
if you don't know or remember
is it like half the size of the opening in the back of your computer?
that could mean it's a software based modem

personally i'd reformat with the modem already installed physically
if the operating system does not recognize it
there will be ? or ! in device manager
right click 'my computer'
left click 'hardware'
left click 'device manager'

scroll through the list of hardware and look for ? or !
in the list
right click it and update driver with the cd in the cd drive
let it search microsoft as well

if that don't work try another pci slot

if that don't work i'm out of thoughts for ya

---

also and probably most important
are you upgrading from a different OS then XP
if so from what OS and type and model of computer

I thought I might have damaged it in taking it in and out but when I switched my old hard drive back to master, the modem worked fine. That's what I'm using to access the Internet right now.

what OS is on this hard drive?

also the seagate 300, what type does it say it is on the box?

like when you have your old hard drive in
in device manager it should say 'ide' or something

what does it say about the new one in device manger also

hope i'm wasting my words and you have it fixed
good luck

[esjay]

Hi Rousha.

Yes, I had checked Device Manager and no modem was even listed in there.

As to the HDD being recognized for its full 250 G, I was doing some looking around on the Internet and found that XP doesn't recognize a HDD over about 137 G, unless you have service pack 1 installed. I've never installed it because, way back when it first came out, I heard some bad things about it. I guess I better get it now.

I don't have a very old motherboard so hopefully that's not the prob. Those jumpers you're talking about -- are those the same ones you move around to make the HDD a master or slave?

thanks
esjay

[esjay]

Hi Rousha,

Hmm. Not sure what you mean about setting up the modem as the default connection. I've never had to do that before when I've loaded XP. Do some modems need to have you do this?

esjay

[esjay]

>>>get it working yet?


Hi cmpm,

Not yet. Lately, I've been trying to figure out why oh why I wasn't getting the full size of the HDD to register. Think I found the answer -- that I need Service pack 1. So I'm gonna do that.




>>>if not
what is the exact make and model of your modem
if you don't know or remember
is it like half the size of the opening in the back of your computer?
that could mean it's a software based modem


It's a "v.92 PCI Voice Faxmodem." It's quite a small card, about 1 1/2" x 4 1/2".





>>personally i'd reformat with the modem already installed physically
if the operating system does not recognize it
there will be ? or ! in device manager
right click 'my computer'
left click 'hardware'
left click 'device manager'

scroll through the list of hardware and look for ? or !
in the list
right click it and update driver with the cd in the cd drive
let it search microsoft as well




OKay, I can try that. Yeah, that's what I expected to see -- the ? or ! in Device Manager. But there was nothing. No modem mentioned, nothing. So I'll try that. Thanks.

Hmm. I'm wondering. It doesn't make sense to me but I'd like to ask y'all who've answered me. Could my not having Service Pack 1 on this larger HDD be making this happen with the modem?? I mean, I don't have SP1 on the old HDD I'm using now, but . . . Maybe this larger one?????





>>>if that don't work try another pci slot


Yep, I had tried another PCI slot, "just 'cause," but with the same result. And heck, the modem is working fine on this old HDD in that original PCI slot.



>>>if that don't work i'm out of thoughts for ya


Ooh, then I hope something here works!

---

>>>also and probably most important
are you upgrading from a different OS then XP
if so from what OS and type and model of computer


Nope. I bought a brand new HDD and just loaded XP straight away.


>>>QUOTE
I thought I might have damaged it in taking it in and out but when I switched my old hard drive back to master, the modem worked fine. That's what I'm using to access the Internet right now.

what OS is on this hard drive?




The old HDD has XP.




>>>also the seagate 300, what type does it say it is on the box?

like when you have your old hard drive in
in device manager it should say 'ide' or something

what does it say about the new one in device manger also



cmpm, I don't know why I slipped up, but I meant to say the Seagate is a 250 G, not 300. On the paperwork, it says "Seagate ST3250823A 250GB UDMA/100 7200RPM 8MB IDE HDD"
In Device Manager it says "IDE\DISKST 3250823A"



>>>hope i'm wasting my words and you have it fixed
good luck


Hopefully soon, cmpm. Hopefully soon. I do appreciate the help y'all are giving me. I don't feel so all alone in this.

[cmpm]

yeah, service pack 2 is what you will need

just keep doing windows update 'express' mode
untill it stops finding stuff

then you can do the 'custom' updates
which would include hardware-perhaps helping with the hard drive issue

without the service pack 2 xp is not very bright

you will know when you get to that update-most likely....
there will be a little star in the tray by your clock to tell you that you need it
and you do

[esjay]

Thanks, cmpm! I'll keep y'all up to date on how it all goes.

esjay

[esjay]

Hi Guys,

Just thought I'd let you know all is well with the computer. And thank you for taking the time to help me.
I reinstalled XP. Then installed Service Packs 1 and 2. My computer now shows the whole capacity of my new hard drive.
And my modem is working! I'm communicating with y'all right now on the new hard drive. Not sure why it's suddenly working. Don't know if it had anything to do with the SPs. (Computers are weird! LOL)
So thank you, thank you, thank you!

esjay