Where is "Internet Connectivity Evaluation Tool"?

@Cybot: There is a reason why your custom modem is not compatible with Win7 -- the maker of the modem is not supporting it.  This isn't Microsoft's fault.




If you need a safe modem that will be OS and hardware independent and do its own work, go for an external modem that plugs into your computer's serial port.




As long as it is embedded in the computer, it is dependent on both the hardware and the OS.




External modems aren't controller-less -- they have the controller in the modem and aren't dependent on your computer, whereas the one you have is dependent on the computer for all it's resources -- so if you want to have HW that does it's wown work for a modem -- go external.




Like you, I also go for "component" PC-design.  With separate cards for video and networking.   It would be nice to have an external option for video, since I can't upgrade my video card due to newer (faster) cards requiring a new version of PCI-Express.  I have mostly settled with an external sound system using my video card's HDMI output.  But interestingly enough, I use MS's audio drivers, instead of the vendor (Nvidia) audio drivers, because the Vendor's driver files have a bug that won't allow audio output unless you have it associated with another screen.    The MS driver doesn't require me to keep a 2nd monitor (a flat screen TV, really), turned on -- and can drive HDMI sound independently as HDMI was designed.  If you use the Nvidia audio drivers that come with their driver package, it will shut off the sound if it doesn't detect a video monitor.  Big waste of money/electricity. 




So if you want to go with independent stuff, it looks like separate, stand-alone hardware is becoming the way to go and ditching your PC-HW dependent modem for a standalone-external modem would be the way to go.




Remember, if your modem was purchased for XP, that was year 2000.  This is 14 years later.  How many things in your life are usable for >10 years?

It's not a custom modem. It is (was) sold at computer stores that carried that stuff at the time. It first came out for during win 95/98 years but was still supported when I built my XP machine. I got mine at the local Fry's electronics. I still have the retail box even. It's a great Modem that can still serve as a fax device - assuming I can get working device drivers for it.

Two years later, and the link is still bad.  Thanks, Microsoft.

This is an update about the NV-drivers issue, and a new driver issue noticed in the

MS driver (not new issue, but uncovered issue due to new game. 

As I mentioned before, I have 1 screen that's my "main screen" (a Dell 2560x1600 ~30"), but it is a "screen", not a multi-channel, theater-type audio output device.  My 2nd screen is on the "back" of my Onkyo TX-NR838, 7.1 Home theater system.  The "2nd screen is 1920x1080, but is a 55" wall mounted unit -- also not having much in the way of sound output (maybe small stereo speakers built-in). 

So the HDMI signal from my computer goes into the Onkyo where the audio is split off

to the theater system that does 7.1 decoding and video that goes out the back in a pass-through mode to the screen.

When I use my computer (and am not watching video), I use the Dell for display, and the Onkyo for sound.  The onkyo works great for stereo fidelity AND 7.1 sources -- with the speakers set around the room balanced to someone sitting in front of the Dell.  Recently

got a new game that was a bit braindead.  It only wanted to put sound out to the same

device as the video went to -- I.e. my split system didn't work (a first). 

I remembered that Nvidia's drivers had probs with using sound w/o associated video being on -- and wondered if it would "behave" differently -- installed the latest drivers, and found that  the Nvidia drivers fixed (or worked around) the problem of the game not liking a split video/sound setup.  I also found that NV has fixed the issue with needing to keep the monitor w/the sound system turned on, as well as presenting

the HDMI connection as whatever the output device says (7.1) -- vs. the old driver always reported 2 channel output as it ignored the decoding ability of the output device  (whereas the MS driver had always reported the # channels of the output device correctly). 

So Nvidia has stepped up and fixed some of their more onerous problems (that their support people said couldn't be fixed -- because the problem was in HW... um... right!).

And works w/the obscure game title (Blades of Time) that doesn't seem to like the video and audio going to two separate outputs...

I'm sure I'll find some cases where the MS drivers works better than the NV driver, but NV certainly, in only 5-6 years, caught up to the MS drivers.  It's doubtful that MS will upgrade their drivers, since they don't seem to be aiming for the high end, 3D-accel-using desktops in their newer OS's...(*sigh*)...

Hi,

thanks for the ideas,

I will open a new thread.  MS make it look too easy!