Need Help with Com3 Port (modem not working)

[Mehdi]

the short version is: i need to kill the application which is using the Com3 port to be able to use my dial up connection.

well here is the detailed version
i have a Toshiba Tecra M1 (Laptop) which was working for about 2 years now. i have to use dial up connection. after i installed SP2, everything was fine. after about 2 month, i just received this weird error message that the port could not open when i pressed the dial button for the dial up connection.
after that i looked at the "phone and modem options" in the control panel and in the "Modem" tab, i had my modem listed: "Toshiba software modem AMR" but it said: "Not Present".
i uninstalled all modems and downloaded the driver for this modem from Toshiba web site but when i run the driver software, nothing happens.
if i install the modem manually and use the driver from Toshiba, still nothing happens.
i tried using some software to see what was going on with my Com3 port but everything i try said that the port was already in use!
i tried everything from shutting down to taking out the battery, running in safe mode...
some how i should be able to kill the application which is using the Com3 port but i just don't know how!

any help would be apretiated

 

[Osiris]

What is using com1 and com2?

 

[Mehdi]

Com 1 is open and com 2 i don't know!

 

[Mehdi]

boy! this forum is active! i didn't expect it to be this quick!

 

[Osiris]

Try switching it to com1, that dont work then com2

 

[Mehdi]

but the thing is that now i can't even see my modem in device manager!!
it shows it in "phone and modem option" in control panel. and there it says that it is not present so i can not change it's property.
and it is not available in device manager!

 

[brady]

Add a new dial up connection.

 

[Osiris]

Windows XP

Highlight your modem and click the Properties button.
Click the Diagnostics tab.
Click the Query Modem button.
If the modem is functioning properly, you should now see commands and responses in the box.


Open the Control Panel and open the Network and Dialup Connections or Network Connections icon
If necessary, select the correct modem in the Connect using option and click OK.


Check for bad initialization strings

Open the Control Panel and double click the Modems icon.
Highlight your modem and click the Properties button.
Click the Advanced button.
If there is an init string listed, write it down (in case you need to re-enter it later), then delete it out of the box.
Click OK, close the Control Panels and try the connection again. You may also need to restart the computer for the modem to recognize the new initialization string.

Go to internet options, connections and made sure it is set to always dial my default connection.

Might be going bad also.

 

[Mehdi]

it says (in "network connections"-> "Dial-up" tab:
"New Test Connection" and under it says: "Unavailable - Device Missing"
in the property under "general" tab in "Connection using" it says:
"Modem removed - unavailable device COM1"

 

[brady]

you plugged in ?