HELP! Serious computer problems!

[Heretic Apostate]

I'm borrowing a computer here. My computer was on "hibernate" mode, and when I turned it back on again, it was wiped out. I've since wiped clean the hard drive three times, re-installed WinME again and again, but I am still having problems.

If you guys can't help me, I'm going to have to drive two hours to the nearest authorized service center.

The big problem, the one that's driving me nuts, is that I can't get the modem to work. Every time the computer auto-setups the plug-n-play components, it keeps assigning the modem to the COM3 port. Unfortunately, I don't have a COM3 port. Is there someway to force the computer to think the modem is on the COM1 port? I've already, at the request of the tech, moved the modem between slots (a scary proposition for me, because I didn't have any ESD wrist strap; I used to work at a place where, if you pointed at a product we manufactured, you ended up killing it). The modem worked before the crash, so Gateway must have done something. On the Properties tab for the modem, it should have a pull-down menu letting me pick among my com ports. However, there isn't one for the modem.

I have two unidentified items in my system properties/device manager screen. One of them I know is my sound card (I lost the CD with my sound card drivers, and without being able to log on--to a faster computer, at least, this one is glacier-slowness--I can't fix that). Could that have something to do with it?

Help, help, help!!!!

I tried to save all my stuff from My Documents, My Download Files--Real Download--and from my registrations, but the computer was too unstable. I have hundreds of hours of downloading to do.

 

[Heretic Apostate]

Bump.

 

[Psionicist]

Are we talking about an internal or external modem here? Some versions of windows will use COM3 as some sort of virtual communication port when an internal modem is installed in, say, a PCI or (older) ISA slot.

 

[Heretic Apostate]

It's an internal modem. Any idea of how to fix it? I've tried already tried moving it to a slot of the same type, but that didn't help. (And I'm afraid to risk any possible electro-static discharge...)

If I can get the modem working, I can download the missing drivers, and not have to spend hours on the road and leave my computer in the shop for a week.

 

[Liquide]

For internal modems with no physical post a virtual Com3 port is created and the modem uses that port, I have had internal modems before (luckily on Cable now) and this is the usual procedure.

I will get back to you if I can figure out what is wrong!

-Liquide

 

[XCorvis]

Update your bios and use the latest drivers for your modem.

And don't use WinME if you have a choice. It's horrible. Worse than Win95, IMO.

 

[Heretic Apostate]

Update your bios and use the latest drivers for your modem.

And don't use WinME if you have a choice. It's horrible. Worse than Win95, IMO.

How do you update a BIOS? And any idea where to download the specific driver for a Conexant 56k PCI Voice Modem SF-1156IV R9A? I've searched, but I'm using someone's computer that has only 3 hours of paid time per month, and I hate to take all their time.

I wish I didn't have to use WinME, but I'm too poor to afford to change right now. I really miss Win95, but I gave that computer to my brother.

 

[Henry]

I wouldn't worry about the BIOS upgrade except as a last resort, but I would check for up-to-date modem drivers.

As liquide said, the COM3 thing is standard procedure for an internal modem, also.

What I WOULD do is go to the system properties in the control panel, and remove all references to the modem drivers in there. Then, reboot the machine, having the new driver handy (either on hard drive or on floppy). let it automatically detect the modem, and point it to the location of the new drivers. If you system does not auto-detect the modem on boot-up, (a rarity), then go to the control panel and use the "add new hardware" auto-detect feature.

And windows ME is a dog in my humble opinion - I agree. However, even this action should be within its capabilities.

 

[MeepoTheMighty]

I wouldn't worry all that much about the whole ESD thing, that's basically something the computer manufacturers tell you to scare you away from fixing your computer yourself and into paying exorbinant repair bills. As long as you touch the case of the computer to ground yourself before you start monkeying around, you should be okay.

As others have said, I think the Com 3 thing is a virtual port assigned by the OS as a way to point to a specific PCI slot. The OS obviously detects your modem, since you can see what Com port it's on - what happens when you try to set up your internet connection?

 

[Heretic Apostate]

Ah well...

I took the computer into the shop today. I don't think I'll get it back before the weekend. Shoot.

I tried to find the latest driver for my modem, but I couldn't find it. Once I got to the shop, they mentioned I could have downloaded it straight from gateway.com. Double shoot.

Anyway, anyone know where I can get a upgrade version of Microsoft Office Pro 2000? I seem to have lent mine away, and now I'm SOL since I don't remember to whom....