Mail Archives: opendos/2000/10/31/00:04:09
----- Original Message -----
From: "Bob Jonkman" <bjonkman AT sobac DOT com>
To: <opendos AT delorie DOT com>; "Paul O. Bartlett" <bartlett AT smart DOT net>
Sent: Sunday, October 29, 2000 10:16 PM
Subject: WinModems and BEOS [was: Public Buying]
> > If I recall correctly (I might not), US Robotics is the only such
> > modem that BeOS will use right out of the package. When I booted a
> > trial version of BeOS, it *recognized* that I had such-and-such a modem
> > installed in this-or-that location, but BeOS refused to use it.
>
> [me again]
> Check to see what the WinModem has configured for its I/O port and
> IRQ. The Windows drivers like to use IRQ10 and an I/O port in outer
> space somewhere, and that's not normal. If you can get the thing
> configured to use the standard COM1 or COM2 settings then BEOS might
> be able to make use of it. It's possible the WinModem has non-
> volatile memory to store its settings. If that's the case, and you
> have trouble getting the config program to run under BEOS, you may be
> able to plug the WinModem into a computer running a Windows OS, set
> the configuration for the WinModem using the Windows-based software,
> then take it out and plug it into the computer witn BEOS... Of
> course, using the WinModem under BEOS DOES require WinModem drivers
> for BEOS...
You probably have to do the samething in BEOS as you do in windows. Some
people may not be aware of this and that may be why it used such an odd
setup. I want my modem on COM2. So what I usually do on most computers when
I install PNP or a Winmodem is to disable COM2. Depending on what type of MB
you have you will need to apply the appropiate action. If the serial/COM
ports are on the MB and the CMOS setup has the option to disable COM ports,
then diable COM2 (or COM1 if you prefer.) If you have legacy COM ports, then
disable the second one by moving the appropraite jumper on the card. WINDOZE
then should see that COM2 if free and use it. There is no guarantee that it
will, but in most cases it will.
If you are using one of these stupid Winmodems in WINDOZE and wish to change
the settings, you will have to completely remove all the modem software,
drivers and entries in the registry. It is to complicated to explain what to
do here for each step involved. The easiest way to do it is to open up the
computer with the power off and remove the modem card. Then power up the
computer. Then power it off. I usually power it on and off twice and let it
go through the whole boot process and shut it down propaerly. Then install
the modem and hope that WINDOZE finds new hardware. If it does not, the from
the control panel, select add hardware. Then let WINDOZE try and find it. If
it does then insert the diskette when it tells you to and follow the
instructions. After it gets installed check the Device Manager and see if it
is in there and where it put it. i.e. which COM and what base address it
used. If everything looks okay and you don't have any splats on the PORTS or
MODEM entries in the DM, then go to the control panel and sellect modem,
then select the properties tab, then select the correct port for the modem,
then select diagnostics. Don't worry if you get some rrors on some of the AT
commands. If it is working it will test several AT commands. If not it will
not check any AT commands. I don't remeber if it tells you anything or not
if it does not work correctly. I remember that it will not run the tests.
For BEOS you should also disable the appropriate COM port you want to
install the modem in. Some communications software will not work with wierd
modem settings.
In both cases check to make certain there are no resources conflicts. i.e.
IRQ is not also used by another device and that the base address is not
being used.
I am not at all familiar with BEOS. I have not gotten around to checking it
out yet.
The manual you got with the modem should tell you this, but I have seen some
manuals that are best used as toilet paper. Sears manuals for thier
computers comes to mind!!!
If anyone thinks I have a bad attitude about the way things are done today,
you are right. It's not like when I bought my APPLE ][ computer and got
manuals on EVERYYYYTHING, INCLUDING an electronic schematic of every thing
in it, source code for everything (Except the MS APPLE SOFT BASIC in ROM.)
The DOS mnual also had a Schematic of the electronics in the disk drive and
the contorller and included the source code for the ROM and source code for
DOS. I could modify DOS anyway I wanted. Today forget it, you are lucky if
you get instructions on how to install a device and any manual you are lucky
yo get is probably of a disk or CD. They don't even send printed manuals
with a lot of hardware today. When I built my first IBM compatible I got
most of the same with my mother board. I did not get the complete source
code for the BIOS but they gave me all the important information I needed to
know. same with my Adaptec RLL controller card, CGA video card and later EGA
video card, comm card, etc.
Pat
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