I need a modem.

[Allan]

Stop trying to make this more difficult than it is. Just order a pci modem. It will fit.

[truenorth]

69Z28, While "Allan" has made a suggestion that will most likely get you up and running (maybe even quicker) it occurs to me that you are learning a great deal from this thread. It is also obvious that the absence of a working modem on the computer where it is  causing the difficulties is NOT impeding your access to the internet (via an alternative computer i assume). So now that your modem is being recognized in both Everest and device manager it is highly probable that you do have a serviceable modem (not 100% guarantied but most probable). A 56k U.S. Robotics PCI will set you back under $20.00 so it now becomes a question as to whether you want to continue with trying to get the one you have working or go the replacement route.If you want to try and get the correct driver go again to device manager and go to "update driver". You can direct the search to a location on your HDD if you know where you stored the driver that you downloaded. Or select the option to search the web for it.Your picture definitely defines your modem as a PCI modem. I strongly suspect that your modem issue is going to be a software issue rather than the hardware. truenorth

[69Z28]

Allan and Truenorth...

   I want to thank you both for the great info and the learning experience. As Truenorth said I have learned a great deal from this thread.

"I'm not worthy".

Yes I am no stranger to computers. I have 2 desk tops and a laptop I play with. My son gave me the one in question I am working on now. I was having OS software issues as well as the modem issue.

I was told and also read that OEM OS's could not be loaded to a non OEM computer. I tried it and I don't know how, but I installed my Dell inspiron 530 OEM WindowsXP OS on this plain jane computer and everything is working fine.

As for the modem, last night I went to a friends to check out his computer. I noticed that the modem was different to the one I have. It has the 3 contact sections. So he let me borrow it today. Let me say this, I went into this experience thinking that I was trying to screw a brick into light bulb socket...it just didn't compute. Funny huh?

Anyway, I found out that ALL i needed was to get a modem, thanks Allan. I pluged in my friends modem and it worked.

I'm trying to learn about  computers the hard way. I hope I can count on your help as well as others in the future. I have loads of questions.

Thanks again
Gary

[Allan]

I was told and also read that OEM OS's could not be loaded to a non OEM computer. I tried it and I don't know how, but I installed my Dell inspiron 530 OEM WindowsXP OS on this plain jane computer and everything is working fine.


Thanks again
Gary

That's not legal so you really don't want to be spreading it around.

And you're welcome

[Salmon Trout]

That's not legal so you really don't want to be spreading it around.

In many countries, certainly mine (The United Kingdom) restrictive parts of EULAs (including Microsofts) can be, and have been, struck down by the courts, and do not form any part of the law. Our courts have a dislike of "shrink-wrap" EULAs. If I have a validly obtained install disk, and I install the OS on the allowed number of computers, and no more, I have done nothing "illegal". And even if I do breach a valid part of the agreement, I have committed a civil offence, not a criminal one. If I copied the disk 1000 times and sold it at garage sales, then I'd be a criminal.

No DMCA here, thank God!

[69Z28]

Oh well. I don't have a problem with that.

[BC_Programmer]

For reference, the "contact configurations" are meaningless. it just means that the modem/network card/sound card whatever doesn't need that particular connection; most of them are various data and voltage lines. For example, if a card doesn't use 3.3v inputs, why would they need a contact for it, right?

In fact, Allan was only covering his but by saying "almost certainly". I cannot think of ANY other interface that would be used for modem, except for ISA, which was phased out over 10 years ago.

Basically, nowadays, if you buy a new computer, you have either PCI, PCI-Express, or more often then not a combination of both. the differences between them are not hard to spot- a PCI card simply doesn't fit in a PCI-E slot, being that teh slot itself is just over an inch wide for PCI Express x1  (and the connection for the video card has been ubiquitously unique for over 10 years as well; it's either AGP or PCI-E 16x, and if it's neither, then it's on-board.



EULA stuff regarding OEM (well... sort of): http://blogs.zdnet.com/Bott/?p=1561


BTW, it's perfectly legal to install windows using a "recovery disk" from another Computer. As long as that computer does not have windows installed. Basically, the same EULA license terms apply to the copies of windows that come pre-installed on machines as with those that you buy at retail. The reason people get confused is because the manufacturer's provide a branded recovery disk, instead of the actual windows CD. the customer is still a legal owner of a copy of windows, but they don't have the actual installation media

There is no separate Retail and OEM license. There are differences between the way the two work, but this is simply because of the crap that the manufacturers do to jump through MS hoops- like, for example, tying the recovery CD to a specific BIOS. This does NOT change the rights of the owner as given out in the EULA, which includes the ability to transfer the windows license to another PC.

[69Z28]

Bc_Programmer...


Thanks for the reply to my post. I wasn't very worried about the OEM stuff. I bought it, it is mine. I should be able to do as I please with it.

As for the modem stuff, we are conditioned to believe things from what we learn in life. I saw a modem card that had a 2 section contact, so I thought that is what I needed when I saw the slot on the motherboard that had 2 sections, one long and one short. We learn something new every day.