How can I restore functionality to more than one peripheral?

I turned on my computer one day and it tells me that I do not have a CD-Rom. I just got a new modem and CD-RW, and although I can install them physically, I cannot install the software for the Modem, because the computer won't recognize the new CD-RW.

I also cannot get my sound to work. But that is something I can live without if neccessary.

Thank you for any help!

This question was answered on January 10, 2003. Much of the information contained herein may have changed since posting.

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Being an honest, tax-paying citizen, you have a right to all your peripherals, but it's not advisable to install them all at once.

I'm assuming you did all the installs yourself If not, for heaven's sake, take the computer back to the guy you paid to do the job right the first time.

If you are installing the components yourself, fix them one peripheral at a time.

Find the device manager It's under "Control Panel" Read the following Microsoft article to learn what it is and how to use it.

support.microsoft.com/support/windows/ topics/hardware/devman.asp

This really isn't all that hard, as long as you take your time, read, and follow directions.

If it seems over your head, especially since you have three peripherals, all of which are not working, perhaps you want to take the computer to the shop If you feel more adventurous, continue in the following manner...

Disable the modem in the device manager, then see if the sound begins to work

If plugging in the modem is what set all these devices asunder, by all means remove the thing, then try to get the CD-RW and sound card back into play before continuing.

Next, if the CD-RW drive ever worked, then inexplicably stopped working all by itself without making any changes to the system in the interim (like trying to install the modem), I would suspect a bad drive Being it is a new drive, call the manufacturer’s support line for advice They will insist you use the software that came with the drive, for purposes of troubleshooting.

Once you get your sound card and CD-RW working, go for the modem Read any applicable documentation Uninstall your current, or whatever modem you have in the device manager now, find drivers, then plug the modem into the PC and reinstall Watch for resource conflicts, as per the Microsoft article listed above.

RG

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Posted by Robert of Mesa Community College on January 10, 2003

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