Cannot install fax service

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Guest

I tried to install the fax services through the control panel
add/remove windows components. After what appeared to
be an abbreviated installation and configuration process,
the windows component wizard stated the installation was
complete, but fax services is still not checked as installed
and there is no fax console and only an empty fax program
group folder. The process did install a number of files to
Windows /system32 all starting with "fxs".
I heard that a possible problem is that I do not have a valid fax
modem installed. My dial up modem is an Innocom IT-MU400
usb modem that is advertised to have fax capability, but it is
listed in the device manager as a "voice modem".
Can someone tell me if the problem is likely a Windows XP
issue, or a hardware/modem issue, and how I can get the
fax service installed.
 
n6xxxx said:
I tried to install the fax services through the control panel
add/remove windows components. After what appeared to
be an abbreviated installation and configuration process,
the windows component wizard stated the installation was
complete, but fax services is still not checked as installed
and there is no fax console and only an empty fax program
group folder. The process did install a number of files to
Windows /system32 all starting with "fxs".
I heard that a possible problem is that I do not have a valid fax
modem installed. My dial up modem is an Innocom IT-MU400
usb modem that is advertised to have fax capability, but it is
listed in the device manager as a "voice modem".
Can someone tell me if the problem is likely a Windows XP
issue, or a hardware/modem issue, and how I can get the
fax service installed.
Click to expand...

It isn't your modem as that modem is for sending and receiving faxes,
albeit a little old. Did XP ask you for you XP CD during the
installation? If you have Office, did XP also ask you to insert your
Office CD? If not, try doing a clean up and defrag and then query your
modem to make sure it working. After that, try the install again.

Alias
 
:

It isn't your modem as that modem is for sending and receiving faxes,
albeit a little old. Did XP ask you for you XP CD during the
installation? If you have Office, did XP also ask you to insert your
Office CD? If not, try doing a clean up and defrag and then query your
modem to make sure it working. After that, try the install again.

Alias
Click to expand...

Thanks for your response

The installation process did ask me to put in the XP disk, and when it
could not find certain files I had to manually copy a few of them. I have
an old copy of Office (97) installed but the Office disk was not asked for.
I defragged my drive, but I am not sure how to do the clean up that you
had recommended.
 
I did a disk clean up, defragged my drive, then reinstalled my
modem and tested it, but fax services still will not install.
 
n6xxxx said:
I did a disk clean up, defragged my drive, then reinstalled my
modem and tested it, but fax services still will not install.
Click to expand...

Weird. Don't know what to tell you. I just installed it on this machine
(the Windows side of the machine; I am posting from Ubuntu now) with no
problems at all, using a Creative external USB modem.

Alias
 
My guess would be the XP Fax Services software was written for a PCI modem,
not a USB one.
XP doesn't 'see' the USB modem as a fax modem , and doesn't finalize the
install.

If you have a PCI slot free, try a PCI fax modem. If you have serial port
free try a serial port modem. Make sure you enable the serial port in the
BIOS.
 
Weird. Don't know what to tell you. I just installed it on this machine
(the Windows side of the machine; I am posting from Ubuntu now) with no
problems at all, using a Creative external USB modem.

Alias
Click to expand...

The only possible problem I can see is that during the first
installation attempt, when the process was having difficulty
copying files, I was advised by another person to use the
Esentutl.exe utility, which I probably should not have done.
The Microsoft knowledge base recommends rebuilding the
security database, but the steps they specify, that are
supposed to apply to XP home ( run mmc, add the Security
and Configuration snap-in) I can't do because there is no
Security and Configuration snap-in available in the list of
snap-ins.
While poking around in my Windows/system32 folder I see
the fax console application which does not appear in the fax
program group, but I can't get the console to do anything.
There is also an application fxssend, but this program says
that I "must have a fax printer installed"
I may have to reinstall XP, but this is a pain in the neck to
do so I was trying to find anyway to salvage the fax service
installation.

I appreciate your responses to my questions.
 
DandyDon said:
My guess would be the XP Fax Services software was written for a PCI modem,
not a USB one.
Click to expand...

Not possible, at least with Pro, as I have an external USB fax modem
connected to this very computer and XP sees it and it works just fine. I
just looked in Help on my Home machine and there is no mention of the
type of modem to be used.
XP doesn't 'see' the USB modem as a fax modem , and doesn't finalize the
install.
Click to expand...

Perhaps, Home can't see it; I wouldn't know as I've never tried to
configure the fax in Home.
If you have a PCI slot free, try a PCI fax modem.
Click to expand...

Most of the PCI software modems don't cut it for faxes or even dial up
with XP. I have three sitting on the shelf. I have an old one that came
with an old HP that does work well, though, an Aztech.

If you have serial port
free try a serial port modem. Make sure you enable the serial port in the
BIOS.
Click to expand...

That should work.

Alias
 
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