Win2000Pro Modem Problem

[Easy]

Changed Dual Boot system to 98SE and 2k (from XP: thanks for the tip folks, 2k actually moves with my old K6-2 500, XP tottered along...!)

Finished installing 4am this morning... after lots of hasle with upgrade eligibility probs, b ut that's another story...

Had a modem in 2k last night... still have it in 98SE (using now!)
PMC33.6 ext - working fine, but 2k lost it later this am

Sees it, knows it's PMC33.6, but can't install the drivers
Try installing as Unknown Modem, Standard 33.6ext, and as PMC33.6 - no joy, can't install

Error code would be helpful, maybe?
I think it's 512 but wouldn't swear on it

Easy

[BipolarBill]

It's always a good idea to try and manuall update drivers before you do anything els. Go to Device Manager > Modems > modem > Driver > Update Driver > Don't search > Select from a list. If there is more than one modem there, try another. All compatibles should show. If you only find one, you may be out of luck because Pace has "gone long". It may be time for a new modem. :(

[Easy]

Hi Bill

I've tried manual install a few times as well. This has me really puzzled, though. This modem works fine (if slow @33.6). Working in 98, worked in XP - & it worked in 2k for a few hours, then for some reason 2k uninstalled it.

Every time log into 2k, it recognises the PMC33.6, gets to the point where it's going to install the driver files (downloaded from a site that's still got PACE drivers on), tells me they're not digitally signed, but do I want to go ahead anyway, I say yes, and it fails to install.

If I choose Standard Modem types 33.6, it does the same thing with 2k's own (presumably digitally signed drivers), and if I try to install it as "unknown modem" (which is how 2k saw it in the first place before I installled the PMC inf file), it still fails to install the driver.

Any idea what's happening? Could the 2k 'standard' and 'unknown' inf files have become corrupted, or is there maybe a problem with the COM2 drivers (the ports do have drivers don't they?). This happened a few hours after clean install.

Only programs I installed since were McAfee VScan6.02, which updated DAT files fine, so modem wasn't screwed then, and Firewall working ok.

Then installed ZipCD software - Easy CD 4 and Direct CD 3. Big mistake, which I had to sort manually (deleted .exe files from command prompt to prevent Direct CD loading at start up 'cos it crashed 2k every time... pity - really wanted to use Direct CD... guess I just have to keep it on 98, sorry for the digression...)

But I can't see that would have caused modem problems, would it? My guess (just a hunch) is, even if I got a new modem, I'd have the same problem, 'cos I don't think it's really to do with the specific modem, but I can't figure what's happening...

Easy

[BipolarBill]

What you must ask yourself is whether or not a modem which can easily replaced with a superior model for £12 is worth the effort. Time is money, easy.

[Easy]

Well, it wouldn't be £12 here...
besides...
Questions are:
What's happened ('cos it did work...)
Why won't 2k install ANY 33.6k modem drivers?
What if I buy a new modem and it won't install that? (double time and money...!!)
Maybe I need to re-install 2k?
('cos maybe I screwed up - it was 4am by time I finished....!)

Easy

[BipolarBill]

The company that made that modem is gone forever. Where will you get drivers for it next year?

I would uninstall the modem, reboot to the Win2K CD and run a repair. That might fix it.

http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/en/server/help/default.asp?url=/windows2000/en/server/help/recovery_erd.htm

Can you tell me if this is a winmodem pleeeease?

[Easy]

:) Phew..!
Finally got this sorted. Turned out to be an installation screw up somewhere, but no repair, with or without emergency repair disk would work. Thanks for the ref page Bipolar Bill. Started out looking at that link (in 98SE), went into 2k and made Emergency Recovery Disk...
Solution was to re-format the partition and re-install from scratch. I'll run through the repair (a) in case it's of help to others (b) because it brought up a couple of issues. I made Emergency Repair Disks at every step just to be sure...

(BTW: setting BIOS to boot from CD-Rom first so the system doesn't boot from the hard drive is so obvious, but I didn't think of it until a couple of tries...!)

Issue 1: (after re-setting boot 'sequence' in BIOS) CD-Rom boot disk was temperamental... wouldn't boot from CD-Rom when I was trying to repair. Certainly not from Slave CD-Rom, and sometimes not from Master. Is this disk read error? And just normal sometimes? When it did boot from CD-Rom I got error message "pci.sys" is corrupted...

Tried getting into Setup and Repair from the floppy boot disks - repeatedly got the error "biosinfo.inf failed... setup aborted"

Booted into Win2k, made new floppy boot disks, booted to a:\ again, got to disk 3 and error "aic78xxx.sys is corrupt... setup aborted.
Re-booted again using new floppies 1, 2 and 4, but disk 3 from original set - ok, into Setup at last...
Tried with Emergency Repair Disk (ERD), and without... no success, no modem, abandoned last night

This am, got CD-Rom to boot, rans setup without error
Deleted NTFS partition
Recreated partition, re-formatted, fresh install - modem automatically installed as Unknown Modem (33.6), worked fine (made ERD)
Installed Service Pack 2, re-booted (made 2nd ERD)
Uninstalled Unknown Modem, installed PMC drivers, installed PMC 33.6, tested (queried modem: ok), re-booted
Win2k found new hardware (PMC 33.6)...! Even though I'd already installed PMC 33.6, and it showed in Device Manager. Cancelled installation of (2nd) PMC 33.6. Re-booted
Found new hardware again... this time I continued the installation... installed succesfully. Re-booted, checked Device Manager. Modem's now called "PMC33.6#2", there's no other modem installed (like "PMC 33.6", or "PMC33.6#1" as I'd expect), but it works and I don't care what it's called..!

My hunch about the modem and Win2k installation was right, but I haven't a clue what happened. Maybe the Adaptec software which caused crash every time I tried to boot (blue screen flashed almost subliminal but I think it referred to memory dump)? Maybe me deleting the .exe files for Easy and Direct CD manually?I don't remember how I got into 2k to do that without it crashing, maybe safe mode or something...!

One other thing: when repair failed (1st installation), I tried deleting all references to the PMC and Unknown Modems from registry using Regedit.exe, but there was one key it wouldn't let me access. I've since found Win2k has two versions of Registry editing tool: also has Regedt32.exe 2k says Regedit.exe is "primarily included for its search capability. You can use Regedit to make changes... but not all functions or data types can be viewed or edited properly". Useful to know..!

Last question: I could go through all the help files, asking questions, printing all this stuff out, etc, etc... I've printed some, but obviously all the help info in there would take ages. Anyone recommend a good book on 2k which deals with this sort of stuff in enough detail, clearly, and without assuming a great deal of technical knowledge?

Thanks - hope this is helpful to somebody out there.
Easy

[BipolarBill]

http://www.microsoft.com/mspress/books/4354.asp

[Easy]

Thanks Bill
Easy