changing RAM

Original Message

Name: sky42
Date: July 26, 2007 at 05:07:11 Pacific
Subject: changing RAM
OS: Win98SE
CPU/Ram: 500/128
Model/Manufacturer: eMachines

Comment:

I was working with my test computer and checking out its RAM. Everything worked fine at 128MB but when I reduced it to 32MB a funny thing happened. During boot-up I got the message that Windows had found a new device (PCI comms). Sure enough there was a new device in device manager. I went to modem and clicked on diagnostics/more info and got the message that it couldn't open the port. So I went back to 128MB RAM and all's well again! 2 Questions: (1) why did this happen, and (2) could this explain why I was unable to install some modems in the past because it couldn't open the port? That is, what does the amount of RAM have to do with a modem configuration?

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Response Number 1

Name: OtheHill
Date: July 26, 2007 at 08:06:06 Pacific
Subject: changing RAM

Reply: (edit)

Is this an add in PCI based Modem? Is there an integrated modem and is it enabled?

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Response Number 2

Name: Walter Mitty
Date: July 26, 2007 at 09:40:06 Pacific
Subject: changing RAM

Reply: (edit)

If the modem is a software modem it uses system resources to function. Hardware modems have their own dedicated chipset, so more independant.

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Response Number 3

Name: sky42
Date: July 27, 2007 at 05:14:07 Pacific
Subject: changing RAM

Reply: (edit)

OtheHill - it is an internal, removable, Lucent PCI modem. My interest concerns the fact that when I reduced the RAM to 32MB windows suddenly "found" a new PCI communications device, i.e., modem, and added it to the hardware list even though the original modem was still listed under "modem". And when I tried to do a diagnostic on the original modem it came back with" "couldn't open port". And when I restored the RAM to 126MB the original modem performed a normal diagnostic. It seems that drastically reducing the RAM somehow affected the modem's address, or configuration, or driver, or something.

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Response Number 4

Name: OtheHill
Date: July 27, 2007 at 06:12:00 Pacific
Subject: changing RAM

Reply: (edit)

sky42
The reason I asked what I did was to explore the point that was made by Walter in #2. It is possible to have more than one modem also. I agree the behavior is odd.

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Response Number 5

Name: jam
Date: July 27, 2007 at 09:47:21 Pacific
Subject: changing RAM

Reply: (edit)

Boot into safe mode, then go to device manager. Go down the hardware list & see if there are any duplicate entries

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Changing RAM configuration max ram in win98 without any reason only 64 of 128 megs of ram windows 98 won't boot-work in safe Fatal exception error(blue background windows at top of screen)	Fatal exception at VWIN32(04) Fatal exception OE at 015F: BFF9DBA7 MS OUTLOOK caused an invalid page in module MSO97.dll AMD VXD VMM(01)+ fix after boot up goes to safe mode

Response Number 6

Name: sky42
Date: July 29, 2007 at 05:05:24 Pacific
Subject: changing RAM

Reply: (edit)

jam - didn't see any! I was really just curious about WHY/HOW this phenomena occured. My real interest concerns whether this was the cause of being unable to open a modem port on some older computers no matter what I did to create ports, change resources, change IRQ's, etc. Thanx to all for your responses.

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