23 Sep 2003, 09:02, JIM HOLSONBACK (1:123/140), wrote to MATT MC_CARTHY:

Hi JIM.

 MM>> OK!  If you can read the jumpers, FORGET the odd ports and IRQ 
 MM>> setting. Windows doesn't like that.  Set the modem to COM1 - IRQ4, 
 MM>> DO NOT install the modem yet, boot to CMOS and set the onboard 
 MM>> COM1 - IRQ4 to COM3 - IRQ4, then power down and install the modem.  
 MM>> This gives COM1 for the modem and COM2 for the mouse (if yours is 
 MM>> serial), and you still have COM3 for whatever.  You CANNOT do this 
 MM>> while the modem is inserted, as the conflict will prevent the 
 MM>> board from being set properly.

 JH> Not a biggie, but practice where I volunteer is to generally 
 JH> leave COM1 for serial mouse or other,  and they set a jumperable 
 JH> internal modem for COM2 - IRQ3. They generally disable COM2 in SETUP, 
 JH> but I haven't been doing that recently.

 JH> BIR some time back someone posted a fairly good reason for doing 
 JH> it your way, with Modem on COM1, but I can't recall what it was.

Pretty simple really, as the mouse does not like to share an IRQ.  With the
mouse on COM1 IRQ4, and modem on COM2 IRQ3, you can't install another modem
on COM3, nor a serial printer, as any mouse movement screws up IRQ4.

With the modem on COM1 IRQ4 and the mouse on COM2 IRQ3, you CAN install a
second modem on COM3 IRQ4, or a serial printer, or whatever.  The mouse
doesn't interfere with it.

Some will say 'just skip COM3', but they forget that Windows doesn't like
skipped ports and will likely rename it in a manner that NOTHING works
right.    :-((


     Good luck...  M.

--- Msged/386 TE 06 (pre)