I just bought a new computer and installed Windows XP home. I am unable to make a network connection to the Internet. The modem is an internal Diamond Voice 56PV92/56PV92-LP 56K internal PCI Bus Fax Modem. It is in a PCI slot and there is nothing else in the PCI slots. (There was a network card initially, but I removed it as some people thought this might be causing me my modem problems.) I have also swapped the modem to another PCI slot, but it didn’t help. (I have provided more info on the settings and the PC hardware below this basic outline of my problem)… The device manager shows my modem and I can use the “Query” button in the modem properties to verify that XP can access the modem However, the modem says it is using Comm. port COM3 Strangely, in device manager under Ports (COM & LPT), only COM1, COM2 and LPT1 are show. I.e. No COM3. When I try to set-up a dial-up connection (either through network connections or Internet options), it sets it up to use COM1. Then it shows that the device is unavailable. If I uninstall the modem (via device manager) and then attempt to add it back in manually, I can only select from COM1 or COM2 for the Comm. Port. (I.e. Through the Phone and Modem options, Modems tab, Add, Don’t detect my modem; I will select it from a list selected) If I select one or both, it still doesn’t solve my problems. I have also tried to uninstall COM1, COM2 and the modem, and then let XP auto detect the new hardware. The end result is the same. COM1 and COM2 appear in device manager under Ports (COM & LPT) and the modem appears under modems and is set to COM3. All Internet connections I try to set-up use COM1 (I don’t even get a choice in this) and it then won’t work, as the device is unavailable. Apologies for the length of this post, but since I can’t get onto the net from my PC, I thought I’d post all the info I could from my brothers PC. ============================================================= Default settings (the ones Windows XP has chosen) ----- Device manager ------------------- Shows: Modems Lucent Win Modem Properties General Tab Device Type: Modems Manufacturer: Lucent Location: PCI Slot 3 (PCI bus 2, device 1, function 0) Device Status: This device is working properly Device Usage: Use this device (enable) Modem tab Port: COM3 Maximum Port Speed: 115200 Dial Control: Wait for dial tone before dialling Diagnostics tab Modem Information: Field – Hardware ID Value – PCI\VEN_11C1&DEV_0459&SYBSYS_045911C1&REV_02 Query modem is successful Driver tab Driver Provider: Lucent Driver Date: 28/11/2001 Driver Version: 6.4.0.0 Digital Signer: Microsoft Windows Hardware Compatibility Publ Resources Tab Memory range: EE000000 – EE0000FF I/O Range: C000-C007 I/O Range: C400-C4FF IRQ: 18 Conflicting Device list: No conflicts Ports (COM & LPT) ------------------------- Communications Port (COM1) Communications Port (COM2) Printer Port (LPT1) Properties General Device Type: Ports (COM & LPT) Manufacturer: (Standard Port types) Location: on PCI bus Device is working properly. Resources Com1 I/O range 03F8-03FF IRQ: 04 Com2 I/O range 02F8-02FF IRQ: 03 Phone and Modem options --- Modems Modem: Lucent Win Modem Attached to: COM3 Advanced Network Connections -------------------------- Dial-up Aust On Line Unavailable – device missing Right clicking and selecting properties -> General Connect using: Modem – Unavailable device (COM1) Networking Type of dial-up server I am calling: PPP: Windows 95/98/NT4/2000, Internet This connection uses the following items: Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) PC hardware/software Motherboard: EPoX 4PEAD rev 1.0 Socket-478 533MHz FSB, Hyperthreading, 2 DIMM DDR-333, 1 AGP-4X, 5 PCI, USB2.0, ATA-100 ATX P4 2.66Ghz 533FSB 1Ghz RAM PC2700 DDR333 Diamond 56 K internal modem Sparkle GF4 Ti 4200 128 Mb 8xAGP DDR VIVO OS: Windows XP home

Not strange. My modem is on COM3, but COM3 doesn't show in Device Manager. Was the same with 98SE. In my mind, I've always thought of COM 3 as a kind of "Virtual Port" since it doesn't show in SYS INFO either. I just installed a new modem the other night, and it automatically went to COM 3. I always thought that was default.

Yeah, I don't think the fact that it is using COM3 is the cause of my problems. The problem seems to be that when I make a new internet connection, it ALWAYS uses COM1 and then says the device is unavailable. It doesn't even give me a choice here. :-(

OK. I can now hook up to the net!!!! :-) Things I tried that didn't help: - new drivers - uninstalling/reinstalling COM ports and modem - restoring XP - reinstalling XP - removing the network card - swaping the modem to other PCI slots - playing around with the BIOS - getting mad and swearing What did work: I got it working with a number of changes, but I think it is due to one. what I did was this: - Moved the modem to yet another PCI slot (Slot 3 I think): don't think this solved it tho - Removed the network card: don't think this had much to do with it. - Used a windows 98 boot disk and Windows 98 CD to get it to begin formatting the hard drive. When it was a few percent complete, I took out the disk and Cd and restarted with Windows XP Cd in drive. XP then didn't recognise the format of the harddrive and it then did a "fresh" install of XP (rather than the overwriting one it does or the restore function) - MODEM WORKS!!!! The internet connection wizard now uses COM3 instead of trying to use COM1!!! COM3 still doesn't show up under the "Port" in the device manager, so I assume this is normal since it is a virtual port.