Lucent Fax Modem Sound Connection

First your upgrde from an older Win98 machine.  How much memory do you have?  You need bare minimum of 256MB and more is much better.  Although XP is a much better operating system and manages memory better, it is a memory hog.  This could be part of your "lock up" problems.  Also, there is a minimum CPU requirement and although many older processors will work it will be slow.  Did you run the Windows XP "Upgrade Advisor" (the first thing that runs on the XP Upgrade CD)?  If you didn't that may be one of your problems as the Upgrade Advisor will flag any incompatible hardware (and software) and you MUST take care of anything flagged BEFORE you upgrade or there will be problems.  Even if the software is not flagged as incompatible (or some will be flagged as must be uninstalled first then reinstalled after XP is installed) there can still be older software that is not XP compatible.  Most of the old DOS is not compatible as Windows XP only has a limited DOS emulator built it - it is not DOS based like Win98 (or Win95 or WinME).

ADDED:  One thing I forgot to mention, if you just did an "Upgrade" over the existing Win98 that can be a major source of problems.  A "Clean" install is recommended (reformat the hard drive to NTFS and then do a fresh install starting with XP).

If you have a "data/fax" modem you do not need any connection to the sound card.  You only need that if the modem is also a "voice" modem.  But, unless you are using the voice part of the modem (and a PC is a very poor telephone) you really don't need it. 

Windows XP machines use "digital audio" via the IDE ribbon I/O cable rather than separate analog audio from CD/DVD players.  The drives should be set to "use digital audio" in the Windows Device Manager and you can then disconnect (or not hook up) the audio cable from the CD drive.

Message Edited by fireberd on 08-13-200607:30 PM

Thanks for your reply.  I believe my Dimension 4100 has all the requirements it needs to run XP.  512MB Memory and a 866 CPU ,  My installation of XP was a clean install and formated to NTSF.  What I failed to was to run "Upgrade Advisor".  However, with exception to the HD, Floppy Drive, CD ROM, DVD Player, and Modem, everything else has been replaced, new software and new drivers installed.  I can't be sure but I think my problem may have started with the new sound card.  The machine is set to Quick Boot and I'm unable to change that.  Since I'm not familiar with going into the Bios I really try to stay away from it.

Eddy65

I'm not sure what "quick boot" means.  I don't have a 4100.  But the sound card shouldn't have anything to do with that. 

You may want to take the XP questions to the Windows XP software forum.

Thank for offering me your help on Sunday.

I did as you suggested by removing the connection from the sound card to the DVD Player.  I also made sure that in Windows Device Manager "use digital audio" was selected in both CD and DVD Players.  So far the system has not locked up during the boot cycle. 

Can you tell me if it would be possible to now use that exisitng imput on the Sound Card to connect it to the Lucent Modem?  Would that allow sound from the modem through the sound card when the modem was activated therefore hearing the progress of the call when attempting to make a fax connection? The modem has no speaker only a single imput connection.

For your information and as I basicially understand it, "Quick Boot" is a Bios feature that allows the system to bypass a series of checks that it makes when the system boots up.   For example counting the number of memory the system has. 

Regard,

Eddy65      

OK on the Quickboot.  I had never heard it called that before.

The modem should have a small "speaker" on the modem to allow you to hear the dial tone and dialing and the remote modem answering.  All computer modems that I've seen have this built on to the modem (and this goes back 30 years that I've worked on PC's)  The connection to the sound card is only for "voice" modems - not for standard data/fax modems.

There is a separate "AT" command for the modem's speaker.  ATL0, L1, L2 and L3 control the volume level.  It's been a long time since I've worked with the modem AT commands but I think ATL0 is speaker off and ATL3 is maximum volume.  The speaker should be on until it "connects".

Ok, if this is the case then I will leave things setup the way they are.  The reason I doing this it to activate the fax feature that Windows XP has bult into it.  Do you know if that would be a good idea for fax corresponding when a fax is needed?

Best regards,

Eddy65