Problem with COM Ports

teelousious · 07-28-2006, 07:42 PM

Hello

I am stuck in the middle of nowhere for about 6 more months and there is no high speed internet available. So I am stuck using an old computer and good ole dialup. But I've got a problem. I have been having trouble with a new modem I put in my computer. It has to do with the ports.

MODEM - Diamond SM56LE-SL SupraMax 56k Internal modem
COMPUTER - HP Pavilion 511n - Windows XP (no service packs)

This new modem was working fine in the computer for a few months. The other day I could not get a connection. The error I get is that the port is being used by something else. I am positive there is nothing else using that port. I have tried many different troubleshooting ideas but nothing has worked. I had not changed anything on the computer or added new hardware. I was using the modem earlier that day and logged off and about 2 hours later I went to connect and couldn’t.

I have come across 2 different problems that may or may not have anything to do with it but I am not sure and would not know how to fix it if one of them was indeed the problem.

1 - While I was trying a possible fix (that I got at HP support website) I was in the BIOS and was checking the base I/O address on port A & port B. But I only seem to have port A, no other port shows in the BIOS or in the device mgr. Should'nt I have 4 COM ports?

2- I tried to update the BIOS and I got the error message - Can't find the system bios hook. I don’t know if updating the BIOS would solve the problem but until I get around this I would not know.

I have done alot of the obvious troubleshooting like rebooting, updating the drivers, putting the modem on a different port, putting it in a different PCI slot, etc. I have my old modem and I stick it in the same PCI slot and it connects without a port problem (I just have to dial with my home phone and help it along and its real slow)

But I do know that the modem is compatible with my computer because I had been using it for several months.

Any ideas would be much appreciated!

**johnwill** · 07-29-2006, 01:42 PM

Why no service packs?

It could be that the modem simply died.

07-28-2006, 07:42 PM	#1 (permalink)
teelousious Registered User Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 1 OS: XP	Problem with COM Ports Hello I am stuck in the middle of nowhere for about 6 more months and there is no high speed internet available. So I am stuck using an old computer and good ole dialup. But I've got a problem. I have been having trouble with a new modem I put in my computer. It has to do with the ports. MODEM - Diamond SM56LE-SL SupraMax 56k Internal modem COMPUTER - HP Pavilion 511n - Windows XP (no service packs) This new modem was working fine in the computer for a few months. The other day I could not get a connection. The error I get is that the port is being used by something else. I am positive there is nothing else using that port. I have tried many different troubleshooting ideas but nothing has worked. I had not changed anything on the computer or added new hardware. I was using the modem earlier that day and logged off and about 2 hours later I went to connect and couldn’t. I have come across 2 different problems that may or may not have anything to do with it but I am not sure and would not know how to fix it if one of them was indeed the problem. 1 - While I was trying a possible fix (that I got at HP support website) I was in the BIOS and was checking the base I/O address on port A & port B. But I only seem to have port A, no other port shows in the BIOS or in the device mgr. Should'nt I have 4 COM ports? 2- I tried to update the BIOS and I got the error message - Can't find the system bios hook. I don’t know if updating the BIOS would solve the problem but until I get around this I would not know. I have done alot of the obvious troubleshooting like rebooting, updating the drivers, putting the modem on a different port, putting it in a different PCI slot, etc. I have my old modem and I stick it in the same PCI slot and it connects without a port problem (I just have to dial with my home phone and help it along and its real slow) But I do know that the modem is compatible with my computer because I had been using it for several months. Any ideas would be much appreciated!

07-29-2006, 01:42 PM	#2 (permalink)
johnwill Manager, Networking Forums Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: S.E. Pennsylvania, US Posts: 41,623 OS: Windows 7, XP-Pro, Vista, Linux Blog Entries: 1	Why no service packs? It could be that the modem simply died. __________________ If TSF has helped you, Tell us about it! or Donate to help keep the site up! Microsoft MVP - Windows Desktop Experience