http://www.msnbc.com/news/157416.asp
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    Burn-in software burns out modems             By Robert Lemos - ZDNN
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    April 9 - Software for upgrading 3Com Corp.'s PC card modems from
    its proprietary 56Kbps specification to the new V.90 international
    56Kbps standard has damaged some modems.
    Why some modems are affected, while the majority are not, was not
    clear.
    A SPOKESMAN FOR 3Com (COMS) was not immediately available for
    comment Thursday.
    The glitch -- first reported on BugNet.com -- causes some 3Com's
    popular Megahertz 56K XJ1560 and CC1560 PC card modems to fail.
    Internet service providers are standardizing on V.90 so both 3Com
    and the competing 56Kflex spec are offering upgrade solutions.
    Why some modems are affected, while the majority are not, was not
    clear. 3Com warns that interrupting the upgrade process can damage
    modems, so all applications should be turned off before starting an
    upgrade.
    The software is a free upgrade from 3Com for burning in the new
    international standard into modems that use 3Com's proprietary x2
    specification for 56Kbps
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    http://www.bugnet.com/bugalert.html
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    Updated April 9, 1998
    Some Just Can't Upgrade, While Others Find...
    Upgrade from X2 to V.90 56K Can 'Fry'
    Some 3Com Megahertz Laptop Modems
    3COM HAS acknowledged that upgrading two models of its Megahertz
    modem cards from x2 to V.90 56K can destroy the modems.
    3Com provides a free upgrade to the new V.90 56K standard, which
    users can download from 3Com at
      http://www.3com.com/56k/megahertz/
    upgrades.html, but applying the flash upgrade can be problematic for
    the popular Megahertz 56K XJ1560 and CC1560 PCMCIA modem cards.
    The upgrade has worked flawlessly for many, but others have found:
      1. the upgrade simply won't install, stalling around 10 percent
         completion, or...
      2. the upgrade appears to install correctly, but then they
         discover that their modem has been "fried," as BugNet
         subscriber Ari Kahan reported in dismay.
    The work-around for the first problem is simple: Just reduce your
    buffers to zero (go to Control Panel, Modems, Advanced Properties,
    and then set Buffers to 0).
    The second problem, however, is much more vexing. After the upgrade,
    users with fried modems typically find that Windows recognizes the
    modem, but it actually won't work.
    If this happens to you, you're going to have to contact 3Com and
    send the dead unit back for repair/replacement. There is no other
    fix. 3Com contact numbers are available at
    http://www.3com.com/0templat/contact.html#desktop
    According to 3Com, Megahertz 56K XJ1560 and CC1560 PCMCIA modem
    cards can be destroyed if the upgrade process is interrupted in any
    way once it has begun.
    For this reason, 3Com strongly urges everyone who is upgrading to
    turn off all screen savers, virus protection software, and anything
    that could make a call to the system while the upgrade is in
    process.
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--- Vernon Frazee  mailto:vfrazee@mail.org  http://www.gate.net/~vfrazee
--- Terminate 4.00/Pro
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