Modem Screwing my System

[scorch]

I need some help!! Any ideas are welcome!!

Ok, here is the situation:
I tried to install an internal PCI modem into my system last night and I ran into a problem. When I initially installed the modem, the system wouldn't even POST. It would come on, but no beep code and the monitor wouldn't come on. When I removed the modem, the system would POST and boot normally. I then tried the modem in every available PCI slot and experienced the same problem, So; I removed the only other PCI card I have installed (my sound card) and tried the modem again. This time the system worked fine. It booted into Windows and Windows found the modem, So; I then powered down and put my sound card back in and got the same no POST problem. Any thoughts on getting my system to boot with both the sound card and the modem installed?? I am going to research this problem myself but I wanted to post it here first because you guys have solved just about every problem I have ever encountered.

System specs:
Windows 2k Professional Service Pack 3
ABIT KT7A
1 GHz Athlon
Gainward GeForce 3 Ti 200 128MB
Sound Blaster Audigy OEM
1 x 256MB SDRAM from Crucial
U.S Robotics PCI Modem Model# 5699B

[scorch]

Also, I noticed that Windows decided to assign my Video Card and my Sound Card as well as a few other things to the same IRQ-11 and when the sound card was removed and Windows did recognize the modem, it also assigned the modem to IRQ-11. However, I installed the ACPI HAL when I installed Windows and therfore cannot change any resource assignments without re-installing Windows and selecting a standard PC HAL.

[redbaron_snoopy]

Not too sure exactly but have you check your bios setup to see if the resources are assigned automatically ? Also is "plug and play" enabled ?

[reboot]

Boot to Safe Mode.
Go into Device Mangler, remove all com ports, and modems, and anything in "Other Devices".
Restart, go into BIOS setup.
DISable com 2 (and com 1 if you're not using it for anything).
Set PnP OS Installed to NO.
Set Reset Configuration Data to YES.
Restart, shutdown.
Put the modem in.
Restart.

[scorch]

Thanx for the replies. I will post my results as soon as I can try your suggestions.

Also, as an answer to redbaron_snoopy's question: yes "plug and play" is enabled.

[scorch]

Well, I tried the suggestions but I am still having problems. After I tried what Reboot said, I got the system to POST, but as soon as it got to the Checking system data line, it froze.

[reboot]

Sounds like you have a software problem, not a hardware one.
If it will post, then the hardware is working, but your software/OS isn't.
Can you give us more details?
Have you tried running the repair console?

[scorch]

I am not sure it is a software problem because of the suggestion you gave me earlier reboot. After I did what you said and Enabled the " Reset Extended System Configuration Data " option in the BIOS, it would POST but hang as soon as it got to the " updating ESCD " line. In other words, the system would pass the CPU check, pass the RAM count, and give me the list of installed PCI devices but hang right after that before it got to the " Verifying DMI pool data " line. I have the recovery console set as one of my boot options and I never reached the screen that allows me to choose between booting into Win2k or starting the recovery console. I will try to see if anything in the console helps, but like I said I can't even get to the recovery console when both the modem and sound card are in the machine.

Thanks again for all of your help and keep it coming please. PCMECH Rules!!

[reboot]

OK, now I understand better.
In order to get the devices working through post, and into windows, you may need to remove them all first.
In this case, take the modem AND the sound card out of the computer, restart into Safe Mode, and remove all sound devices, modems, and com ports from device mangler.
Restart, shutdown, then put the modem in, and install it first.
Once it's going, THEN install the sound card.
Windows should then sort out the IRQ's and resources needed for each.

[scorch]

Ok, reboot, I will try that and post my results when I get home from work and can play with it again. I also have another question that is sort of related. During my initial fooling around with this problem I did something stupid. I removed the sound card to see if that was the conflict, which it was, and I booted all the way into windows without the card present. I then, like an idiot, shut the machine down and put the sound card back in a different PCI slot and booted back into Win2k but I walked away from my machine for a second and when I turned around just in time to see the "Found New Hardware" box closing as windows reinstalled my sound card. Since that happened, nothing has been the same. Now no sound comes out of the rear speakers of my 4 speaker system and whenever I try to run any of the configuration software that came with my sound card (SB Audigy OEM) I get an error that says "Could not initailize audio driver. Please reinstall audio driver." So I went into device Mangler and removed the sound card and rebooted and used the install disk that came with my sound card. The install cd did its thing and I restarted the system but the problem was still there so I tried to install the updated drivers that I downloaded from the Creative website and got an error saying "No Soundblaster Audigy was detected on your system. Plese make sure your hardware is properly installed." Now when I go into device manager there is a Soundblaster Audigy Audio Processor listed under the Sound tab but none of the Audigy software will run and if I try to update the drivers I get the no Audigy detected error. I am only really concerned because I am seriously considering just taking the stupid modem back and getting high speed internet access but if I do that, I want my sound card to work again.

Either way, I appeciate all the help and this has been a great learning experience.

[reboot]

This problem is related to the first...resources are not available to share both devices, and they need to be separated.
If you've tried every step, and still can't get both working, it's entirely possible the modem, and/or the sound card have died.

[scorch]

Thanx reboot. I decided to take the modem back and just spring for high speed access. I know a NIC will work becuse I had one in this machine before. I really wanted high speed anyway but I was being cheap and now I have an excuse to spend the dough. As for the sound card, I will try to get it back on track, if not, there is always that format and start over option.