Need KenWickes's rarepair.exe to Fix Error 633

[Jay Chan]

I would like to ask Ken Wickes from Microsoft to send me his
rarepair.exe program that has helped many people to fix this error in
the past:

"Error 633: The modem (or other connecting device)
is already in use or is not configured properly."

Whenever I try to connect to internet using a dial up USB modem (from
CompUSA), I will get this error. Even after a cold boot (with the
surge protector turned off), I still get this error message.

I started having this problem soon after I installed Beyond-TV (a
PC-based Tivo-like software) into my PC. Beyond-TV uses a serial
connection (COM1) to control a DirecTV decoder box. Seem like it is
conflicting with the COM3 for my USB modem. When I started seeing
this error message, I also found that I could not change channels
using Beyond-TV (using remote control from DirecTV still works). I
un-install the device driver and physically removed the USB modem; it
seemed work OK for a couple days (I could change channels).
Unfortunately, I started having problem changing channels yesterday.
I went ahead anyway to re-install the USB modem hoping that this would
do some good. After I re-installed the USB modem, I found that I
could dial up without any problem for at least for 2 hours (but I
still could not change channels). After the first two hours grace
period, the error message returned. Now, I cannot dial up and I
cannot change channels.

I believe Beyond-TV is causing the conflict, and I am contacting
Beyond TV to see if they can fix it or not. Unfortunately, I am not
getting any where with them. I need a quick fix to get around with
this problem while I am waiting for Beyond TV to come up with a
solution. This is the reason why I contact you for help.

I have already sent him a request through his email address
(e-mail address removed). But I ask here anyway just in case someone
here can explain what rarepair.exe does and what it is designed to
fix.

Thanks.

Jay Chan

 

[Ken Wickes [MSFT]]

I responded to your email. Rarepair might work for you.

 

[Jay Chan]

I responded to your email. Rarepair might work for you.

Thanks. I have received the copy of rarepair.exe. I will try it
tonight when I get back home.

I am wondering what rarepair.exe does, and why it can fix some of the
error-633 problem. The reason why I ask is that in case rarepair.exe
works but error-633 comes back a couple days later, I will have to
look for the source of the problem (I don't want to keep running
rarepair.exe every couple days). Thanks in advance for any further
info.

Jay Chan

 

[Ken Wickes [MSFT]]

Rarepair does a reinstall of RAS components. 633 can be caused by a number
of issues some of which are corrected by the reinstall. I didn't write it,
another Microsoft engineer did, so I don't know exactly what it does.

 

[Jay Chan]

Rarepair does a reinstall of RAS components. 633 can be caused by a number

of issues some of which are corrected by the reinstall. I didn't write it,
another Microsoft engineer did, so I don't know exactly what it does.

Thanks for sharing that info.

Unfortunately, I tried rarepair.exe last night, and it didn't fix the
particular error-633 that I am having. When I return home, I will try
un-install / re-install some other programs to find out what is
causing the problem.

Jay Chan

 

[Jay Chan]

I used a good-old way to "fix" this problem. I re-installed
everything and then un-install them one by one. Finally, I found that
a FireFly program somehow is using that port.

Jay Chan

 

[Ryns]

Hi can you email me that programme aswell i also have error 633 problems