Zoom USB modem and WinXP Pro - help needed please.

[Bill L]

Hello all

I'm trying to get a Zoom USB (Mini) modem to play ball with WinXP Pro. The
modem works fine with WinME and when I install it on the WinXP PC the
Query/diagnostics indicates the modem is working, however all is not well :-

1. When I try to connect to the internet (XP wizard or manual settings) an
error message pops up saying the modem is already in use.

2. I've saved the mail & news group settings to a USB removable drive but
when I transfer these settings to the account settings in OE the pass word
is not 6 characters but more like 14!

I'm actually going to try a Abit NF7 - S (nothing but sound and other
problems with the MSI nforce 1 board I was trying to use) but as there is
nowt, nada, zilch, nothing in the MS knowledge base etc. that really solves
the problem (I think it's an XP issue rather than a HW issue) I was
wondering if anyone on this NG had a solution or the link to the solution.

TIA

Bill L

 

[R. C. White]

Hi, Bill.

I don't even have a modem since I got ADSL three years ago, so I can't help
with your first problem. The long password problem usually is not a problem
at all; OE6 just floods the password field with a lot of characters to make
it harder for a "shoulder surfer" or other unauthorized user to guess your
password. The hacker's job is made much easier if he knows the password is
6 characters because then he doesn't have to try all the 5-character and
10-character possibilities.

About your mobo problem, you said, "I think it's an XP issue rather than a
HW issue." The ground rules are that Microsoft writes Windows; hardware
vendors write the drivers that make their products work with Windows. MS
helps them sometimes, tests drivers written by others, and includes MANY
drivers on the WinXP CD-ROM. But the basic responsibility remains with the
hardware makers. Have you visited the Abit website? Look for BIOS updates,
drivers, FAQs and other help for your specific hardware. Also, you should
be able to find plenty of peer-to-peer support on the Usenet newsgroup
alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.abit. The guys on the similar EPoX newsgroup
were a big help in getting my 8K3A+ running right.

RC

 

[Bill L]

Hi

Me too, I have a cable connection but the PC I'm trying to set the dial-up
connection on is a friends. As for visiting the Abit site for BIOS upgrades
.... if you read my original post you'll see I'm going to *try* the Abit
board (i.e. future tense) and the problem is being experienced with an MSI
mobo (though I could have made it more obvious).

As for the actual problem I'm always puzzled when a specific piece of HW
will work fine with one MS OS (i.e. WinME) then fail *catastrophically* with
another (WinXP) when I've taken the trouble to install the correct (XP)
drivers and the diagnostics indicate that it's working correctly.

As for OE/IE changing the PW what's the point of being able to export
mail/newsgroup settings etc. if you're not able to import them successfully?
I mean three might as well be a warning saying 'yes this is a settings
export function but no it's not actually meant to be functional!!!'

I guess I'm trying to ascertain that if I've had the problem with XP and the
MSI board will I have the same problem with the Abit board and XP, i.e. is
XP the common factor that stops the modem from connecting?

Ho hum

Bill L