Trouble with Installing PCI Modem Card

[star_topology]

I worked on a computer this morning which was struck by an electrical surge, frying the onboard modem card.

This computer is a Dell and less than one year old, so a similar PCI modem card was purchased and installed. Windows XP recognized it in the same port, and I was able to install drivers with the supplied software. However, this person runs NetZero, and when I tried to connect, I got an error (633 I believe) telling me that some other program was using the modem's port. So the following troubleshooting steps ensued:

-Tried other PCI slots on the motherboard
-Closed many processes from the task manager
-Tried different local access numbers for NetZero
-Changed various Modem settings (Nothing that I wouldn't know what it would change)
-Followed Troubleshooting Modem tips on Windows XP which notified me that the port in use was not the one the modem needed (Com 1) and even though the card was detected by the hardware wizard, the modem helper couldn't detect it.

The port stuff is where I get confused.

I've been thinking about testing the modem by using a connection to make the modem dial my cell phone, just to test the modem card.

But the more I think about it, it might be NetZero that's causing the conflict because of the interface you have to use to connect.

Any ideas on what is going on/I should do before I resort to reformat/restore?

 

[jfolkert]

I would definitely try dialing your cell phone - this will tell you if it's the modem or the ISP. Do you have another modem available? I haven't done a lot of troubleshooting with "Winmodems" with XP but back in the day, (9x) they were notorious for being flaky.

 

[Amd64Boy]

the only thing I can suggest is to try a diffrent modem card

 

[Rizinc4]

Did you uninstall the drivers from the previous modem? If not maybe there could be a conflict, and you should uninstall them both, and reinstall the wanted software.

 

[Cappy]

Try a different PCI slot

 

[intercodes]

First, check whether the modem is working. Goto the Diagnostics Tab in the modem options, select the modem com port and click "view info".
If your modem is working, it should display some result. Then its probably a error in the modem configuration or with your ISP.

Sign
Intercodes

 

[star_topology]

reply

"First, check whether the modem is working. Goto the Diagnostics Tab in the modem options, select the modem com port and click "view info".
If your modem is working, it should display some result. Then its probably a error in the modem configuration or with your ISP."

I've pretty much tried everything you guys have listed. But no one has mentioned experience with NetZero. So I may sit down with it again and go back over everything, or just suggest another ISP.
Thanks for the feedback.

 

[OIDanTheManIO]

My suggestion to you would be to install a new modem. That's what I would do in this situation since dialup modems are so cheap now.

-Dan The Man