Why won't any modems work in my new PC?

[Gonad the Barbarian]

I've gone through two modems so far, and I can get neither to work in my new PC. Here are my specs:

Win98
Athlon XP 1700+ (1.47Ghz)
Epox 8KHAL
Crucial 512 MB DDR
MSI GF3 TI200 128MB w/VIVO
SB Live 5.1
D-Link 10/100 NIC
Seagate 80 GB Barracuda IV HD
Cyberdrive 36x12x48 CD-RW

The first I tried is a Creative/Broadxent 3631. Has Creative markings on the actual chip, so I can't be sure what chipset it is using. Works in this (my old) computer just fine using the Win95 drivers. The Win98 drivers will install, but show up as a modem enumerator, and will not detect the actual modem (in both computers). If I try to use the Win95 drivers in the new PC, the modem is detected but locks the PC any time it it tries to do anything.

The second is a Aceex V.92 modem with an HSFi chipset. This uses the same drivers for Win95 & Win98. I get the same problem here as above using the Win98 drivers, enumerator shows up but no modem. I haven't tried it in this computer yet, but I expect the same thing would happen.

I have reseated the cards numerous times, changed slots, and tried manually reassigning resources to no avail. I'd appreciate some help, or recomendations on a new modem that will freaking work. I think I will get this one here since I can grab it from BestBuy tomorrow:
http://www.bestbuy.com/detail.asp?e=11085295&m=488&cat=540&scat=541
Anyone know which chipset this uses? I think it's a Lucent/Agere, which I have had good luck with in the past.

 

[clockhar]

Well, sounds like one of 'em stupid, frustrating troubleshooting problems that all of us run into. Did you uninstall/delete any of the old drivers for other modems? If worse comes to worse, you can format/reload (that seems to solve many problems ).
Seriously, if I were you, I'd buy a new modem and plug it in to test it out.
If it works, either a) Keep it and move on or b) put in the other modems (make sure u have latest drivers) in same PCI slot
If the new modem does not work anywhere on your system, you at least know it is not the modem.

... The best advice I can give is to, keep messing w/ it 'cause it will eventually come through.

 

[Gonad the Barbarian]

This is all on a fresh install of Win98. Both of these modems are brand new, I got the second because the first one wouldn't work. I am mighty frustrated over this. I'm going to end up spending more on modems than my hard drive. And I can't really leave the new comp hooked up to my monitor without a net connection, so it's just been sitting in the corner for most of the past week.