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Thread ID: 60856	2005-08-15 13:14:00	COM3 port won't work	cogito (8726)	Press F1

Post ID	Timestamp	Content	User
381469	2005-08-15 13:14:00	Hello everyone, My problem is the serial port COM 3, to which my modem is attached . This port is not recognized, and when I manually install it, it won't work, saying that Windows cannot detect its settings . (Yellow exclamation mark next to the port in Device Manager) . :groan: This is strange because the computer recognizes this port, if I open Printers and Faxes --> Server Properties . There I see COM 3 but in Device Manager it is absent . :annoyed: TroubleShooter told me to manually install it . I have tried to play around with the port's configurations (IRQ, I/O parameters) but that didn't work . So I opened the driver file itself (serial . sys and serenum . sys) and copy-pasted from another computer's well-functioning serial . sys file . That didn't help either . I noticed that all the changes I make to serial . sys are discarded automatically . Could anyone please tell me where I can find a suitable driver, or what I should do? Why Windows won't tolerate COM 3? :help: (My computer is a Toshiba Satellite notebook . Updating the BIOS also didn't work) Thanks, c .	cogito (8726)
381470	2005-08-15 20:33:00	COM3 is a "virtual port" created by the modem driver. As its not actually "hardware" its somewhat different to COM1 or COM2. You need to visit the Toshiba site and locate the modem driver for your specific model Toshiba. Toshiba make dozems of "Satellite" models so its not possible to point you to the right driver. Download and install the driver and all should be fine. You took a big risk updating the BIOS, as these always have a chance of failure, which means your laptop is only useful as a doorstop afterwards. But obviously yours was satisfactory. Only update the BIOS to cure a known fault that affects you and for which the maker recommends the update.	godfather (25)
381471	2005-08-16 01:59:00	Have a look at the BIOS settings, too. If the laptop has got a real COM port, it might be possible to disable it with a BIOS option. (This can save a bit of power if the port isn't being used). The disabling might also stop "virtual" COM ports from working, as an "Advanced Feature". Stranger things have been known to happen. (Advanced Features are real doozy cockups. Less creative software problems are referred to as "bugs".)	Graham L (2)
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