I am unable to install modem drivers on my client's laptop. First I noticed that, under hidden devices in device manager, the Serial driver was in an error state (yellow !) so I found the driver in the system32/driver file and replaced it with from the XP Pro CD. This did nothing so I uninstalled it, replaced it again, and now I can't even get a serial driver to appear in device manager. I have uninstalled and reinstalled the modem drive at least a dozen times. I've used sfc and I've even done a full-on repair of the OS . Any thoughts on how to get this driver back, running, and get this modem up and running? It's a Gateway 200ARC. I downloaded the modem drive from gateway's website.

"can't even get a serial driver to appear in device manager." do you mean serial port? is this an external or internal modem? larry

There is a driver marked 'serial' (and nothing more) that was originally in an error state. I assumed this was the serial.sys driver which I dealt with as described above. This modem is internal and the modem is enabled in BIOS. As best I've been able to surmise, the serial.sys driver is responsible for providing serial ports that a modem might use.

Internal Modems normally supply there own serial port, usually Com3 while the system provides Com1 and Com2. You need to get the drivers specific for the modem you are installing. As far as I am aware Windows XP does not provide any drivers for Internal Modems as they are to specific for the modem being installed. Stuart

I have the specific drivers. That is not the issue.

is this the driver you used? did you read the How to install? not exactly the normal install procedure. http://support.gateway.com/support/... larry

Yes. Those were the steps I took. Thanks for pointing them out though. I did miss them the first time around.