I need a driver and that's a start

A parody on a line from the Beatles song, "Baby you can drive my car".

For 6 weeks now, on and off, I have been trying to find a driver for my modem that Microsoft XP will approve of.


I have a Gateway Solo 9300, P2/400 with 288mb Ram, laptop.

It has dual physical hard drives. One is set-up for XP Pro, and the other is using W98SE.

I can connect to the Net via W98SE with no problems.

XP does not approve of my W98SE driver.



I have never succeeded in logging on using XP Pro.

I cannot find a suitable driver for XP Pro.



Internal modem is a 3Com Megahertz 3CXMx56.

Stupid bl**dy Gateway doesn’t tell me what the little “x” stands for.

There are various models with a number where the “x” appears in the manual.

To quote from the Gateway Solo 9300 Advanced User’s Guide, (p3),

“If no 3Com Megahertz 56K modems appear, select either a

U.S. Robotics High Speed Sportster or a U.S. Robotics Courier Dual Standard”.



Page 5 states: “Mini PCI type 3B data Fax Modem by 3Com”

EVEREST identifies the modem as: 3Com Mini-PCI 56k V90. Modem.



I have tried Gateway sites, Google searches, 3Com, U.S. Robotics, even joined driversguide.com (what a PITA that site is). I’ve downloaded various drivers from various sites but still cannot find anything that XP will approve of.



I need second (and third) opinions, as I am thoroughly cheesed off with Gateway, AOL, and now XP Pro. What a triumvirate I picked when I purchased this $6000 laptop nearly 6 years ago.



There is another major hardware problem that I will post later, but I need a driver for XP first up.



I’d rather you help by providing links to actual drivers that you suggest I try, rather than just providing site links, but I am desperate so will try anything. Bazza


PS: I think Dell laptops use the same internal modem. Any Dell laptop owners out there using this modem with XP? Baz.

 

I dont know if this will help or not but it has me in the past it supposed to contain any driver for all cards read it and see if it is what you need.

http://members.driverguide.com/driver/detail.php?action=download&driverid=82858

 

Sorry you have to have the member thing to get them but if you dont have one I post mine on my website if you want to try it out.

 

I am already a member of that PITA (to join) site. Couldn't find anything that would work. Maybe it's me. Let me know your post on your website. I'll try most drivers to get this working. Baz

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Well its a 20 meg file and is supposed to contain every driver for every card manufacturer dont know if you tried it or not just thought I would check.

 

But if you log on go to the page where you search and choose the network adapters selection and then choose 3com on the page that pops up its #8 in the list says all cards the user name is driver2 and the password is all

 

Bazza, what driver files did you download from Gateway? The first one listed on this page http://support.gateway.com/support/drivers/search.asp?ref=step&st=browse&platform=10021&model=10027&os=10406&type=10080 looks like a good candidate.

 

Thanks S_P_D. None of them are for a V90 modem.
What's the difference between V90 and V92? Guess I could google that.
Trying to get a more exact match to my 3Com internal modem, but appreciate any help. Bazza
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This is a driver made for the solo 9300 mini modem this may or may not be it but every little bit helps.

http://support.gateway.com/support/drivers/getFile.asp?id=12798&dscr=Solo 9300 and 9300E Pro 3Com Mini PCI modem driver, version 3.19.025.0054

 

Bazza, is it a Combo Card?

 

It is either the 3Com Megahertz 3CXM656 or 3Com Megahertz 3CXM756. Looks like it is a Combo Modem+LAN PCMCIA.

 

I don't think it is a combo card. Not sure what you mean by that. I don't think it is PMCIA either as the outlet, from the modem, on the laptop, takes a standard phone cable, RJ** fitting, not a PMCIA card. Never can remember if it is RJ11 or RJ45, or whatever. It is the standard smaller fitting that fits the modern phones, not the bigger variety.

I think I will download every variant of 3CXM_56, as long as they work in XP. Thanks. Bazza
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I'm going through all the 3Com drivers on DriverGuide. Let you know if I find anything.

 

DriverGuide.com

3Com 3CXM056B Drivers
3Com 3CXM356 Drivers
3Com 3CXM556 Drivers
3Com 3CXM656 Drivers


That's what I've come up with so far for WinXP.

 

Thanks S_P_D. I'm too p*ssed off with myself, on this problem, to be rational at the moment.
You know the feeling, sometimes you just wanta play Freecell and not worry about anything else. Bazza

PS: It's 7am now. Just watched the first day of the cricket test in Pommie land and spent around 3 hours on the Net. Gonna log off now, see you tomorrow, and thanks for your efforts. Baz
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try the one from IBM
http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site.wss/license.do?filename=mobiles/mdcb3cxp.exe

 

Add this is the WIN2000 Driver from Gateway, could work.

http://support.gateway.com/support/drivers/getFile.asp?id=12798&dscr=Solo%209300%20and%209300E%20Pro%203Com%20Mini%20PCI%20modem%20driver,%20version%203.19.025.0054&uid=93251202

 

Thanks kodo and S_P_D.
Will download your suggestions.

You wouldn't believe it but I have another major problem this morning when I went to log on. "NTLDR is missing".
Google tells me that there are too many files in the root folder of my NTFS boot volume????
Dunno how this happened. Dunno what the limit is.
I think it will take a day or two to sort this one out as I cannot boot from my W98SE drive that I normally use.
I now am booting from an old W98SE drive to get on to the net.
Can't access my XP drive no matter what I do.
Have downloaded the MSKB answers, format a floppy drive, etc., and will have to work through that.

I remember that I have a link to a MS-DOS program that reads NTFS partitions. Will try that as well.

I may not be back on MG for a day or two, so bear with me, and thanks again. Bazza

 

To fix the "NTLDR is missing" error follow these instructions:

 

Thanks again, S_P_D. Your document is a helluva lot easier to understand than those from the M$KB. Fun and games begin when the shops and internet cafes open up. Should be soon as it is 8.13am Saturday morning here. Bloody driversguide.com, how I hate that site with a passion. Must be me, I guess. I always seem to have trouble, or it's too damn slow, or whatever. Will try it again. Bazza

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I'm back again. NTLDR problem solved. XP Pro now back in action as a dual boot facility.

Downloaded and tried 356NT, 656, 756 and 556 drivers, from earlier posts.

556 and 756 are not for NT.
656 returned a GPF.
356NT "The specified loaction does not contain info about your hardware".
I think I pointed it towards the right location, but maybe not.

I tried to download Kodo's link through IBM and a google search but couldn't get past past IBM's licencing agreement. Despite agreeing to their terms and conditions, I could not progrss further.

I have downloaded another couple of drivers from various sources and will try them.

Extremely frustrating to be polite. Bazza

 

Try this LINK for the driver Kodo suggested.

 

Bazza, verify that the model number on the modem agency label on the bottom of the modem.

 

This time I got the link to work, finally. Have just downloaded the file, right now.
As for checking out the modem number, I would, but it's a laptop, and an internal modem.
Bazza
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I starting to think that the modem is not identified correctly by Everest. How about trying the drivers for a Conexant SoftK56 Data Fax Modem. Having a hard time finding a download link.

 

Everest identifies it as a 3Com Mini-PCI 56k V.90 modem
Gateway manual says it is a Mini PCI type 3B Fax modem by 3Com (p5)
and 3Com Megahertz 3CXMX56 modem. (p3). Second X is the major problem.
Refer to my initial thread post.
Gateway also says "to select either a U.S.Robotics High Speed Sportster or a U.S. Robotics Courier Dual Standard".
I'll give most anything a try. But M$ has to love it, for XP. Bazza
Works fine in W98SE !!!!!!
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S_P_D. Googled your recommendation. Ended up at www.driversguide.com.

Just downloaded rockwellNT.zip. This looks like the driver that you recommended. Specs that I read, looks promising. Will give it a go and report back tomorrow. Bazza
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Just have to ask, have you tried to manually load the drivers for the modem off the XP CD. According to USR XP should support the modem.

 

Can you point me towards the driver on the XP CD. I have XP Professional Academic Upgrade with SP2 included. I haven't tried manually to load driver. I just let XP do the install. Bazza
Don't forget that it is a 3Com modem. Gateway recommend a USR as an alternative. Baz
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Start -> Run

devmgmt.msc

OK

Expand Modems

Right-Click on your Modem

Select Update Driver...

select No not at this time, click Next

Select Install from a list or specific location, click Next

Select Don't search. I will choose the driver to install, Click Next

If your modem isn't listed, UNCHECK Show compatible hardware.

Wait for Windows to retrieve a list of all devices.

Look for 3Com, Gateway, and USR, then pick a modem that is closest to the one you have.

FYI mine doesn't list 3Com or USR but it shows Gateway.

 

Thanks again, S_P_D. You oughta get a medal for persistence. . This is really frustrating me as I cannot use XP to log on. I get another error Message in Device Manager, relating to PCI Simple Communications Controller.
I googled it and am more confused than ever. Apparently it is an obscure way of referring to modem. Going round in circles, it appears. Bazza

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This is the 3Com driver from Dell maybe it will work, again it's driverguide.com.

http://members.driverguide.com/driver/detail.php?driverid=28051

 

Another 1 to try. Thanks, S_P_D.