modem not found

[FOH]

Every once in a while, when I try to connect to the internet, I get a error message "modem not found" or "can't communicate with modem". Usually it happens after the computer is shut down and turned back on. If I just restart it usually dosen't happen. To fix it, sometimes I can just restart and it is O.K., but normally I have to uninstall the modem and reinstall it to get it to work. Sometimes that doesn't work and I have to keep uninstalling and reinstalling it over and over. I have had to reinstall it as many as ten times before it starts working again, but eventually it will start working. Then it will be fine for a few days. I am running a U.S. robotics modem with Win2000 a AMD 1G Thunderbird and a Abit KT7-Raid. Any ideas? Thanks for your help.

 

[MadRat]

dp

 

[MadRat]

Sounds like a plug and pray conflict (with the serial port's assignments) between the motherboard and the OS.

 

[FOH]

Thanks for your reply. This problem has also happened without turning the computer off, fine one minute and not working the next time I try. How would the serial port's assignments change? How can I keep it from happening?

Also I am having another problem (unrelated?) on startup of getting an error message of "cdsetup.exe not found". It is trying to load a program that is not there anymore. How can I get it to stop doing that? I have found it in the startup list, but I can't delete it from there.

 

[Zeppy]

OK.

First, on the file trying to load. What startup list did you find it in? Start Menu? System.ini? Registry?

Second, I've seen that type of modem problem before. Usually, I know this sounds silly, it can be a secondary program accessing the modem. Normally that would generate a port in use error, but sometimes you will get modem not found. Check your start menu and any other running applications before you dial to make sure there is nothing that might be attempting a connection.

Also, when dialing, are you going though AOL or DUN? If it's DUN then that might the point of corruption and not the modem at all. I'm fairly confident that it's more of a configuration issue, but would need more details to be certain.

 

[FOH]

Thanks for replying. If I right click on My Computer and then click on Manage-->System Information-->Software Environment-->Startup Programs, there are two programs called Load[0] and under the command column it is listed as cdsetup.exe and listed to load from partition (i). I used partition (i) to download files and drivers to get my windows2000 going, but now don't have anything on that partition so there is nothing to load. I have tried to delete it from there but I can't. I haven't been able to find it any where else.

As for the modem, I am getting my internet service from a local ISP. We live in the middle of nowhere and that is our only source. How do I check to see what is running and if it is trying to access the modem? BTW I am using Windows2000 Thanks again.

 

[FOH]

Anyone have and ideas?

 

[vancur]

I'm using win98 so I can't do the "manage" thing. Are those programs in your startup group in the start menu? If they are, you can delete them right there. If they're not in the startup group, check your config.sys and autoexec.bat, and search through your win.ini and system.ini. You can do all of these things easily by going to "run" and typing "sysedit".

About the modem thing. I can't say much, except that I get similar probs with my Diamond Supra Express 56i, though not anywhere near as severe, and can be fixed by simply rebooting. However, a friend of mine has the same modem as I do, and has to fix it the same way you do... :\

 

[MetalCat]

Take a picture of it in the case and scan it in and every thing it askes for it send it to the modem.jpeg

 

[Zeppy]

Vancur is correct that you need to take a look at your ini files to find that reference. That's where the system information gets it from. The only other possibility is in your registry. If you don't find it in the INI files, then do a search in the registry for that exact program name and kill the reference.

For the modem, before you dial, press ctrl-alt-del and go to task manager. Look at the tasks listed there. If there are any tasks listed that you don't recognize right off, then kill them. The only thing you want running is whatever open windows you have and maybe your virus scanner. Anything else might get in the way. That's a good place to start.

Now, if you still are unable to dial out then go to settings and select "network & dialup connections". From there select the dialer that you use to connect to your ISP. Right click it and select properties. I can't remember right off, but there is a spot in there to select your modem. Hit that drop down and see if your modem is listed. Also look to see if there is more than one listed. If there is more than one, then you need to go into the modems section of control panel and remove any that are not correct. If you are unsure which are correct then it's pretty safe to remove all of them, then reboot and let Windows detect the modem again. Also, if the modem is listed as generic then you need to remove it as well.

Let me know how all that goes and we'll see where we need to go from there.

Good luck!

 

[Sandan]

I have had that problem when I changed Modems. As already mentioned, if you see more than one modem listed in your Dial up connection (properties) make sure the one you want to connect with is checked. I also had the same problem a couple of times when the Modem was already engaged (I had no clue until I dug into the problem) by Norton antivirus automatic update.

 

[FOH]

Thanks everyone. I looked in the config.sys, autoexec.bat, win.ini and system.ini files and did not see the program that is trying to load. I also did a search in the regestry and did not find anything. Maybe I am not looking for the right thing? I did a search for load[0] and for cdsetup.exe No luck on either one.

As for the modem problem, I looked to see what is listed and the only one that is listed is the one I am using. I guess I will have to wait untill it messes up again before I can look for the problem. I have to go to work now so I will check back in later for any replys. Thanks.

 

[vancur]

couldn't kill the cdsetup, huh? Maybe another prog is being loaded that calls for cdsetup.exe. In that case, you might be SOL. But try doing a simple "find" from the start menu, and type in cdsetup.exe in the "containing text" field. Maybe you'll find something...maybe not...

 

[Topochicho]

Modem problem comes from an resource conflict. Probably using the same IRQ as your mouse or sound card. Check your resources, both memory and IRQ.

 

[Zeppy]

It's true that modem problems are frequently from an IRQ conflict. However, since it works sometimes, that is likely not the cause. Who knows though. I've seen stranger things.

As far as the CD thing goes, that no make no sense. If you see it in the list of Startup programs it HAS to be in the win.ini, system.ini, or autoexec.bat If it's not there then it's in the registry. There is no other place for it to be.

Weird...

 

[Pakman]

<< It's true that modem problems are frequently from an IRQ conflict. However, since it works sometimes, that is likely not the cause. Who knows though. I've seen stranger things. >>

Yup, but have u ever seen a computer where u had to sing &quot;Halehluya&quot; and whack it 3 times before it'll turn on? If you haven't, you haven't seen anything strange yet.

 

[FOH]

To Zeppy and everyone else that helped,--- THANK YOU, YOU WERE RIGHT!!! You said it had to be in one of those files and I finally found it in the registry. I deleted it from there and now I don't get the cdsetup.exe error any more. I also tried shutting the computer down several times and restarting several times and the modem is still working. Do you think the problems were connected or would that be too good to be true?

 

[Zeppy]

Who knows, but it sure couldn't of hurt. At least you seem to be hummin' now! Good luck and have fun!

 

[vancur]

Found some helpful info...



<< It seems that Windows is allowed to switch the IRQ that Plug and Play devices are using at will... And so, at random times, Windows would switch the IRQ the modem used to an IRQ that this modem doesn't work with (like anything other than 3 or 5 and maybe 7). So he had me go in to the BIOS and turn off the second serial port (since it was using IRQ 3 (or 5... I can't remember). Then, in Device Manager, he had me hard code the configuration (IRQ and memory address) for the modem to one of the standard configs. This seems to have fixed everything... There are some caveats... now the system only has one serial port, and if we need to reinstall Windows, we need to go through this process again... He said we also could have jumpered the modem to IRQ 3, but then it wouldn't be PnP and we would have had to do some voodoo to make Windows recognize it if we had to reinstall... >>

 

[Zeppy]

Very handy. Good information to add to the book.