Windows xp can't detect modem.

I got this computer given to me. Someone installed win xp on it and I can't get it to detect a modem. It used to be win 98. I know there is one because these people used to use it all the time on the internet. Well I don't have a win xp disk, but I do have a win me disk. Should I just wipe the hard drive and put win me on it? It might be easier I was thinking. Please some suggestions here.

 

If you don't physically own a copy of XP then the OS isn't licensed to you. Yes, wipe the drive and install the legal copy of ME that you have in your possession.

 

Thanks shadow. haha it's me again. Yeah I keep getting computers given to me. Working on 2 at the moment. The one with the sound problems, now this one that can't detect the modem. haha Thanks for all your help!

 

If XP didn't pick it up, finding drivers that will work with XP is such a PITA.

[EDIT] Have 3 laying around here that were given to me recently. 1 is up and running now, I parted out 1, the other a Micron PII I might just refurbish.

 

Cool! Ok I am getting a little peed off here. I ran fdisk deleted the partitions. I know it's like a 6 or 7 gb hd, but it keeps telling me win me or win 98 needs so many kb to install and then it just sits there doing nothing. I have been trying it all day...I am getting very frustrated. What am I doing wrong? I have ran fdisk on other comps and got them running again. Any ideas?

 

Ok the hd is 6181 mb. The hd should have enough room to install win 98 or win me. I mean geez it had win xp on it to begin with. Even hubby is trying to help me out...lol. I also put a better cd rom drive in it thinking maybe that was the problem.

 

Did you delete all of the primary and extended partitions?

Is the drive detected and displayed correctly in the Bios?


BTW, I strongly suggest you don't install ME and buy yourself a copy of 98 SE which can be found cheap.

ME is extremely buggy at the best of times.

 

Yes I deleted all the partitions and made a primary one with the whole hd
and I tried both win 98 and win me. Win 98se is better? I would have to travel miles to try to find one. I live in a tiny town w/500 ppl. haha Guess I'll have to have a speed trip to Calgary or Red deer.I tried both..you see the thing is...this thing had win 98...the same cd that it came with wont work.

 

I don't know the exact steps you took, so it would be easier if you had a read through THIS excellent guide.

As far as ME is concerned, again I would stay away from it. It's up to you.

 

Something else you could do is pop the XP CD in the drive, go to the recovery console, issue diskpart, delete all partitions, create a new FAT32 partition, format the drive, install ME or as Insomniac suggested 98SE. 98SE is much better than ME.

 

Like I said I don't have the win xp disk. I don't think the drive is detected right and it is not showing up right in the bios. It's saying ms windows ram drive. Is this another drive? The drive I deleted and made a new partition for was 6000 mb. When I try to install win 98 or me, it's saying it needs so many bytes for it to install. I 've been trying and trying but it still keeps saying that. It won't format either.

 

This computer...I was told these people went and thought they would take the side off and give it a good cleaning. Well instead of just blowing it out, I heard that they unplugged a few things and then they turned it back on it didnt work right. I have no idea about where things plug into a comp. I can put new things in like cd roms or more mem or whatever and just plug things where they were. what to do? Take it into a pro and see if things are plugged in right?

 

Windows XP Setup boot disks


Any set should work. Boot from disk 1, enter the recovery console, issue the diskpart command at the commmand prompt, delete all partions, create a new FAT32 partition, format the drive. You should be able to install ME now.

 

What's the make and model of the computer? Maybe I can find the Owner's Manual for the computer.

 

Windows xp is gone off of it now. I ran fdisk and deleted partitions already. I have a win me and a plain win 98 cd. This thing still won't format. I think it is not detecting the hd.

 

It is a patriot computer. i'm not sure where the model would be. Someone might have put a few things in it too so im not sure if it's original. I think it was a pentium 2. It had win 98 (not se) to begin with anyways.

 

Run fdisk again, and reformat the drive. If you have the case open you can look to see who made the drive and download the setup disks for hte drive.

 

I can't find a computer company named Patriot.

 

I think something is wrong, because I've run fdisk many times and the same thing happens. I restart type dir d: it shows msram drive files which is not the hd because there isnt very much room. Then I type in dir c: then it can't read the drive. I'm thinking it is still not formatted so I format c: says can't read drive. Well anyways when I go into fdisk it says the hd has 6181 mb of space. I'm sure that's enough space to install win me or win 98. It did have win xp on it to begin with.

 

OK, if fdisk is seeing the drive it has to be there, the problem may be that XP was on the drive. You are going to have to look in BIOS for the Hard Drive Manufacturer and download their Hard Drive utilities to set the drive up for 98.

Drive D: is the RAM drive that the 98 Startup disk created at boot.

 

I can't get into the bios punched f1 many times.

 

ok ill try them thanks ill report back.

 

Ok I got in with DEL. Now what?
Is there anything else I can tweak in there lol

 

The first menu option should show the drives attached to your computer, and what kind of drive it is. Sorry, I can't be more specific the BIOS screens are different for the different BIOS chips.