Compaq laptop refuses to use modem

maharito

Member
Jan 21, 2005
38
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I have here a Compaq Presario 1200 with Windows 98 SE installed. The computer worked fine for over a year but developed a problem that, among other things, prevents the modem from being used. The modem is properly detected (and I have successfully reinstalled the drivers before), but upon attempting to dial up, the modem acts as if it is already in use or disconnected. When running a diagnostic in Control Panel/Modems/Diagnostics/More Info..., I got the message 'Port already open.' (It is set up for COM2, and I have not seen any opportunity to change this.) Also, when the computer starts up, I hear two regular-length POST beeps and receive a message: 'Resource Conflict - PCI on Motherboard | Bus:00, Device:09, Function:00', along with the option to boot or go to the rather unhelpful Computer Setup. (In Windows 98, the modem uses IRQ 9, and so does the graphics card, as well as two IRQ steering modules.) Again, the modem worked just fine a year ago and no technical changes have been made by anyone.

I'm not sure what could be the issue here. When I've encountered Win98 problems that prevented a modem from being properly used, I could just move the modem to a different PCI slot and it would work fine. This is completely impossible with this hard-to-open devil, and I wouldn't have anywhere to move the thing anyway.

What can I do?
 

CrispyFried

Golden Member
May 3, 2005
1,122
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Go into the BIOS (f10 when the curser zips to the right of the screen on boot) and disable any serial ports.
 

maharito

Member
Jan 21, 2005
38
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0
Sorry...just not happening. This stupid 1200XL-111 doesn't let you control much of anything in the BIOS. I can disable the serial port, parallel port, and sound card. That's it. Told you it's useless. I need to find a way to clean out and remake the internal system settings, but I don't know how to do that. Computers don't let you mess with that much, and this comp doesn't seem powerful enough to handle Win2K/XP (and I don't think I'm authorized to go putting some new OS on here anyway). Gotta resolve this conflict somehow. I don't even know what could be using IRQ9/COM2. And HOW CAN THIS PROBLEM JUST APPEAR OUT OF NOWHERE??
 

maharito

Member
Jan 21, 2005
38
0
0
Ah, good news folks.

I managed to figure out where the modem was inside that crazy Compaq 'masterpiece.' I unhooked it, booted the computer through (and got some BSODs), then put it back in and booted again (more BSODs). Afterward, the computer had no problems whatsoever! Modem works properly. I guess the system configuration must've glitched somehow, though the 'how' eludes me entirely.

Take care y'all!