please help- i think my com port has been deleted

by tklimek1 Feb 16, 2005 4:50AM PST

This may be a weird question, but my laptop cannot find my Com3 port to connect to the internet. I use dial up (was using a wireless LAN system before- don't know if that matters) and now my laptop cannot find the com3 port to connect to the internet. I have a Toshiba satellite A15-127- less than 2 years old. I use Windows XP and Earthlink to connect to the internet.

When I try to connect, I get an error message that says my com port is not available. When I check to make sure the modem is is working properly, it says it is tied to a com3 port. I have queried the modem and i get a message that the com port may be in use by something else. However, when I go to the Device Manager, i don't have a COM port listed at all!!

I've tried to do a hardware scan for the com port, but nothing comes up. And when I tell the computer to add a com port, it tells me that it doesn't know the specifications for a com port.

Should i use the recovery CD to reinstall the port and would this eat everything on my hard drive? Or is this a clever virus or worm that is hiding my com port? I'm very confused and any help is greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Discussion is locked

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Re: com port disappeared.

by Kees Bakker Feb 17, 2005 6:47AM PST

Com port 1 and 2 are physical ports, com port 3 and 4 are virtual ports. But I don't know what part of Windows you should reinstall to get them back again, especially not in Windows XP. Most likely is the modem driver, (http://www.computing.net/windows95/wwwboard/forum/163716.html is a happy ending story on that!), it but the New Hardware wizard is also mentioned in this context (see http://www.annoyances.org/exec/forum/win98/1094322592).

Using your recovery CD would surely help. But probably (it might depend on the maker) it would erase everything that's on the hard disk.

I should start with reinstalling the modem driver. You should be able to find it on the manufacturers site, or else contact their tech help.

Hope this helps.

Kees

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will try modem driver

by tklimek1 Feb 17, 2005 10:34PM PST

Thank you Kees for your help. I will definitely try to do that. I did not understand that Com 3 was a virtual port tied to my modem. Ironically, I don't have any Com ports listed in my device manager (not even Com 1 or Com 2), so hopefully that is not indicative of a larger problem.
Thanks again- will let you know how it turns out. Tara

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I have a computer that doesn't show any Com ports

by glb613 Feb 18, 2005 6:20AM PST

and the modem works just fine. Try uninstalling then reinstalling the modem and see if that solves the problem.

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tried uninstall- help

by tklimek1 Feb 24, 2005 6:06AM PST

Thanks for your help- I tried to uninstall and reinstall both the modem and my ISP software and nothing. I'm not sure what to do- this thing is so complicated.

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exactly Same problem

by opera1997 Mar 9, 2005 8:06PM PST

Also using a Toshiba Satellite (in my case M35-S359) and Windows XP SP2 and I have exactly the same problem. Did you manage to find out what is wrong, is there any workarounds? I am fearing that the physical COM ports are actually damaged.

Any feedback would be much appreciated,

Thanks,
opera1997

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Try these suggestions...

by Willy Mar 9, 2005 11:01PM PST

The physical serial port usually aren't damaged, especially if they ever got used.

Try this, if you don't use the laptop serial ports at all. It's important, if you do use a serial device you will need the serial active, otherwise, this is a waste of time. But check anayways...

Go into the bios area(read manual to do this) and "disable" COM port 1 and save change when you exit the bios area. Reboot laptop and see if the system sees the modem now and at a different COM port. If not, use the unistall feature of the modem s/w or using add/remove in control panel, delete the modem. Once done, exit out and then reboot system. Upon completion of reboot, it should see new h/w(the modem) and start to add it and hopefully to the new and correct COM port, if not, then redo the above and add the just deleted bios COM port 1 and disable the other(swap), make COM port 1 active and COM port 2, disabled. If it still fails, simply disable both and try again. The modem should become a new COM port itself everytime, thus expect that. If you understand what I'm suggesting go for it, if not and it seems to still crap out, you then can say you have either a bad part or totally msialigned installed s/w. The process is tiedous, so hang in there.

enjoy -----Willy

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BIOS and COM ports

by opera1997 Mar 13, 2005 6:05PM PST

Thanks, Willy

I tried the BIOS, but unfortunatly the toshiba BIOS setup is very limited. there isn't an option for COM ports. I have actually downloaded the latest BIOS setup, but is not there also.
I have unistalled the modem and rebooted but the COM ports are still not there.

Don't know what to do. Help!!!

Opera1997

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comm port cant be opened either...

by redcakes Mar 22, 2005 3:45PM PST

Im just wondering if you had fixed this problem? can you tell me how to do it too pleasssssssseeeeeeee?

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re com port

by Rough Mar 25, 2005 12:00PM PST

I had this prob once with an old puter that was given to me and it would install my modem everywhere except on com 3,i removed the modem from my sys periph's and then physically took it out of my puter,rebooted and installed the driver's,shut down and reinstalled the modem in it's slot and rebooted,i then manually installed the modem from the list which pops up when you do a manual install,if you are uncomfortable about opening the case and taking the modem out, then try a manual install using a Hayes modem driver which is a close to your modem model as you can get!
you will get error messages etc... but continue anyway.
This solution has helped me more than once in the past

please help- i think my com port has been deleted

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