Com port invalid or busy message

[88keys]

HELP! I've tried almost everything listed on these message boards to
resolve my comm port problem.

I have Windows XP SP1. AOL 9.0. I use my modem for dial-up when away
from home. It runs (or used to) on comm port 3. I use broadband at
home. Until last week, both dial-up and broadband worked fine. Then,
all of a sudden, I couldn't dial-out anymore...receiving the dreaded
message "com port invalid or busy". I haven't added new hardware or
software. Broadband still works fine.

I've checked all my devices for conflicts and/or problems. All are
fine. I've uninstalled the Toshiba modem, and reinstalled. Modem
diagnostics say it's working fine. Changed serialkey settings. Didn't
help. I've deleted, changed, updated the AOL Adapter.

I've also been having blue-screen "crashes". Not sure if this is
related to the com port problem or not. It usually happens immediately
after I sign-on at start up. A blue screen appears very quickly (less
than a second), and then it reboots. All I've been able to pick up
from the blue-screen message (with speed reading) is "a problem was
detected". Doesn't happen all the time. It happened with my first
sign-on this morning, but I was subsequently able to sign-on
thereafter.

Anybody have ideas for resolutions?

 

[Malke]

HELP! I've tried almost everything listed on these message boards to
resolve my comm port problem.

I have Windows XP SP1. AOL 9.0. I use my modem for dial-up when away
from home. It runs (or used to) on comm port 3. I use broadband at
home. Until last week, both dial-up and broadband worked fine. Then,
all of a sudden, I couldn't dial-out anymore...receiving the dreaded
message "com port invalid or busy". I haven't added new hardware or
software. Broadband still works fine.

I've checked all my devices for conflicts and/or problems. All are
fine. I've uninstalled the Toshiba modem, and reinstalled. Modem
diagnostics say it's working fine. Changed serialkey settings.
Didn't
help. I've deleted, changed, updated the AOL Adapter.

I've also been having blue-screen "crashes". Not sure if this is
related to the com port problem or not. It usually happens
immediately
after I sign-on at start up. A blue screen appears very quickly (less
than a second), and then it reboots. All I've been able to pick up
from the blue-screen message (with speed reading) is "a problem was
detected". Doesn't happen all the time. It happened with my first
sign-on this morning, but I was subsequently able to sign-on
thereafter.

Anybody have ideas for resolutions?

It sounds like your Toshiba is having hardware problems. Call Toshiba
tech support.

BTW, this is not a "messageboard". It is a newsgroup. You are posting
via Google Groups, but you should set up a newsreader. Here are links
to help with that:

http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/page3.html#12-09-02 - a brief
explanation of newsgroups
http://michaelstevenstech.com/outlookexpressnewreader.htm
http://rickrogers.org/setupoe.htm
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=/support/news/howto/default.asp
- Set Up Newsreader

http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm

http://aumha.org/nntp.htm - list of MS newsgroups
microsoft.public.test.here - MS group to test if your newsreader is
working properly
http://www.mailmsg.com/SPAM_munging.htm - how to munge email address
http://www.blakjak.demon.co.uk/mul_crss.htm - multiposting vs.
crossposting

Malke