Modem/XP help

[LurkingInNC]

I've only got access to dial-up and right now the best conection I'm getting is usually 9.6Kbps. I had the phone co. come out and I'm getting around 26Kbps at the box (function of the equipment between me way out in the sticks and the nearest toll free dial-up server in Durham, NC).

Background:

Win XP pro with sp2.
Athlon 1600+ overclocked to just under 1600 actual. (always been stable at this speed)
516 Mb memory

Modem:
Award Technology PCI Internal 56k V.90 Data/Fax win modem with lucent HV90P-T chipset & Mars2 PCI DSP.

Years ago based on instructions from one of the AT forums I flasehed the lucent chipset to upgrade to the V.92 standard.

Had some problems last week (think they were Norton related) and everything got messed up. Got all of the Norton stuff off & cleared up, but suspect I've 'tweaked' some things I may not have wanted to along the way.

Here's what I find when I look at my system:

When I look at the modem driver, 2 are listed (both in my windows\system32\drivers file): ltmdmnt.sys (LT version 8.23) AND modem.sys (MS version 5.1.2600.2180[xpsp_sp2_rtm.040803-2158]

I've tried various ways to uninstall the drivers and choose the lucent version, but always end up with both. Even tried to rename each (1 at a time) in the drivers file, but new ones were just created. Or, if I try to choose the modem type myself, it wants to link it to COM1, COM2, or both (I gusee it doesn't recognize it as a PCI modem when I try that way).

Also, when I uninstall the modem and let XP search for uninstalled devices I get 2 devices:
Lucent Win Modem AND Modem Audio Device.

The Modem Audio Device says it has a Modem Wave Driver, status: Driver is enabled but not functioning properly. It has 4 drivers listed for it: ks.sys; modemcsa.sys; ksproxy.ax; and ksuser.dll.

Thats the background, here are questions for anyone that might have the expertise & patience to help.

What is the Modem Audio Device that is detected when I uninstall the modem & search for new devices?

Should the modem have two drivers associated with it after it's installed? If not, how to get the proper driver installed (nothing I've tried has worked).

Additional issues/ factors questions:

I saw on a technical bulletin that modems based on the Mars2 DSP will NOT support V.92/V.44 functionality with any driver after 8.12 (the driver will work, but I'll only get v.90). I have the files I originally downloaded in 1991, and also a set of driver version 8.12 files I downloaded for an Actiontec Electronics (AE) modem (a .cat file, a .sys file, and a .inf file). The AE files are all newer. I compared the .inf files from the AE donwload and my originial download (I think a generic LucentTech one) and the AE .inf file has some components that the original LT file doesn't.

Some differences I notice:

AE:
[Models]
%Modem1% = Modem_PNP_DSVD, UNIMODEM4B67D0C3
%Modem1% = Modem_PNP_DSVD, PCI\VEN_11C1&DEV_044C&SUBSYS_044C11C1

LT:
[Models]
%Modem1% = Modem_PCI_DF, UNIMODEM4B67D0C3
%Modem1% = Modem_PCI_DF, PCI\VEN_11C1&DEV_044E&SUBSYS_044011C1
%Modem1% = Modem_PCI_DF, PCI\VEN_11C1&DEV_044E&SUBSYS_04401642

AE:
[Modem_PNP_DSVD.NT]
AddReg = All,mfglt,Modem.AddReg,INTERNAL,VerboseResultCodes,Voice,Voice.NT5,SpeakerPhone, AdFax
CopyFiles = DriverCopyfiles

LT:
[Modem_PCI_DF.NT]
AddReg = All,mfglt,Modem.AddReg,INTERNAL,VerboseResultCodes,AdFax
CopyFiles = DriverCopyfiles

AE:
[Modem_PNP_DSVD.NT.Services]
(same values as LT)

LT:
[Modem_PCI_DF.NT.Services]
(same values as AE)

AE:
[ltmodem_Service_Inst]
DisplayName = "Actiontec V.92 PCI Pro Driver"
(same values as LT)


LT:
[ltmodem_Service_Inst]
DisplayName = "Lucent Modem Driver"
(same values as AE)


AE:
[Modem_PNP_DSVD.NT.HW]
(same)

LT:
[Modem_PCI_DF.NT.HW]
(same)

AE:
[Modem.AddReg]
HKR,, Properties, 1, c0,01,00,00, ff,00,00,00, ff,00,00,00, 07,00,00,00, 0f,00,00,00, 77,0b,00,00, 00,c2,01,00, C0,DA,00,00

LT:
[Modem.AddReg]
HKR,, Properties, 1, c0,01,00,00, ff,00,00,00, ff,00,00,00, 07,00,00,00, 0f,00,00,00, 77,03,00,00, 00,c2,01,00, C0,DA,00,00

AE:
[Voice]
(bunch of commands)
HKR, EnableCallerID, 1,, "at+vcid=1<cr>"
(bunch of commands)
[Voice.NT5]
(bunch of commands)
[Speakerphone]
(bunch of commands)
[HookSwitch]
(bunch of commands)

LT:
none of the above

There are a couple of differences in [VerboseResultCodes] commands betwen the two,
[AdFax] commands are identical.

I know that my modem doesn't have the hardware to support voice, but wondering if I can get it to support the caller id options if I get the right drivers (or is that dependent on Voice capabilities)?

So bottom line is:
1) I'd like to at least get my modem running cleanly as V.92, so I need to make sure I have the LT driver version 8.12 or lower installed.
2) If at all possible, I'd love to get caller id functionality, especially if it gave me the option to interrupt my online session and answer incoming calls.

Anyone williing/ able to help with any portion of what I know is a long, multipart, question?

I probably gave more info than helpful w.r.t. the two INF files, but I figured better too much info than too little.

Thanks for any help anyone can provide.

 

[bendixG15]

1 - Spend $20.00 for a new modem, you don't need to spend more.

2 - Modems comes with extra stuff like if you want to make it into an answering machine.
If you have that capability, then it loads extra drivers to handle that function. If you don't want it, the just disable it.

3 - Id you want to takes calls while on the net, then you need to get caller ID stuff from the phone company (assuming you don't have it) and your ISP must support it and your modem must support it.

4 - Good Luck

 

[LurkingInNC]

Thanks for the reply. I'll look around. I know modems are cheap these days, but I'm out of work right now so being careful about any extra spending.

Still may be worthwhile, especially if I can get call waiting function where I can interrupt an online session to take an incoming phone call. I said caller id, but don't have that & don't want to pay the phone co. for it (seems way overpriced for the use it would be to me). I do have call waiting and a hardware 'Catch a Call' device that notifies me when I have an incoming call when I'm online & gives me the option to interrupt the session & take the call.

But the connections are so bad out here I wonder if running the phone line through it might introduce extra 'noise'. Same question about protecting the modem by running the phone line through a surge protetor (although I don't see not doing this as an option).