Does MMX on a AMD K6-2 processor effect modem install?

[jacatone]

I asked a previous question about not being able to install a different modem in an older PC with an AMD K6-2 processor. Is there some sort of "marriage" between a modem and the MMX feature in this particular processor? Thanks.

[GaryRouth]

If you have a modem that has it's own "controller" (usually a specialized chip to do the hard work a modem does), then usually there are less "Minimum System Requirements" other than an open slot (or open serial port) to plug it in.

If you have a modem that is "controller-less" or "HSP" (also called 'Host Signal Processing" or 'WinModem' if it only works with Windows) then the hard work is done by the main cpu of the system, and care has to be taken to read the "Minimum System Requirements", which can often be considerably greater than the early K6 series of Amds cpus. Most ot the K6-2 cpus, while lacking any on-chip Level 2 cache (high-speed memory to aid overall system performance), can do OK if they are in the 300 mhz range or faster, and on a motherboard with 1mb to 2mb cache.

With any modem install, you really need to make sure any previous modems have been thoroughly uninstalled. Any modem drivers showing in Add/Remove Programs should be removed. Check in the Control Panel for any third-party modem applets - some of the PCtel modems will add a Control Panel applet "HSP Modem" - that will allow you to uninstall it from there. Also boot your system into Safe Mode (you can tap the F8 key at startup time) and go to Device Manage and remove any modems you see listed in there (Start/Settings/Control Panel/System/Device Manager). To remove a modem in Device Manager, click on the modem's name to select it, then click on "Remove". It can also be good at this point to run a Registry Cleaner of some sort (from Microsoft's own RegClean http://download.com.com/3000-2094-881470.html?tag=list to reboot's shopvac http://members.cnx.net/reboot/shopvac.htm )

If there's any special connection to the MMX instructions, I imagine reboot will know - I think if his body is donated to science someday (after he expires at age 180 or so), they'll find he's made of modem circuit boards . . .

Best of luck
. . . Gary