'extracting' a driver from winxp to win98

[valver]

i had to format and reinstall win98 on my laptop. i can't get the modem working: it wasn't identified by win98, i lost the original driver diskett (it's an 'old' 1998 cumputer),i can't find a correct driver on the www (i tried many maybees that didn't work), and i didn't find a correct driver in the manufecturer website (and couldn't establish contact with it's support).
i have a desktop with winxp home.
i wonder if there is a way to use the xp's better hardware identification and automatic installation on the win98 computer (by installing and uninstalling the xp or any other way?).
dave

[Budfred]

Welcome to http://www.pcguide.com/ubb/pcgubb.gif

If you used the WinXP CD to install the driver (which is probably not feasible), it would almost certainly be the wrong driver since most drivers had to be updated to work with WinXP. However, if you know what your modem is, there are a number of sites on the web that keep libraries of drivers and you should be able to find one. I believe DriverGuide is one of these (not sure I remember that correctly). If you don't know what the modem is, you should be able to find a FCC number on the modem and you can use that to look up the specs. Use a Google search with the terms "FCC modem" to find the site to check it.

[iisbob]

note XP drivers are compiled differently than 98 drivers ( difference between NT & 9x kernel ), there for the XP modem drivers will not work on your 98 install.


Budfred gave the best advice for finding the proper drivers for your modem; you could also look for ME drivers, as a lot of times these are simply 9x drivers upgraded.

[valver]

thanks for the answers, i already tried some possible drivers from driverguide and others, but they did not work. it maybe a hardware problem but i need a 100% correct driver to be sure. i'll try to contact manufecturer supprt again.
dave

[Budfred]

You can also buy a new modem pretty cheap if you don't mind a software modem. Even a decent hardware modem can be found under $100.

I would probably check the FCC number just to be sure you are looking for the correct driver...

[valver]

again thanks for the quick response.
it's a taiwanese laptop and i think the tiny modem is unique (it is not a pci or mini pci modem).
hardwarewise i have the possibility to buy and install a pccard modem.
sorry for the ignorance, but what is a software modem?, how do you connect to the phone line?.
thanks again.
dave

[Budfred]

A software modem is actually made of hardware, but it relies on software and the CPUs power to function rather than doing its own processing. You can generally tell if it is a software modem because it will specify that it works with Windoze only, it won't typically work with Linux. Linux programmers have developed drivers for some of these modems, so some can get by in Linux, but it won't usually say that on the box. I am not sure, but I suspect most PCcard laptop modems are hardware based.

[ErnieK]

Here is a google search link for modem drivers. You should be able to define it even further if you know the make of the modem (similar to this **** (name of modem) modem drivers)

http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=modem+drivers&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en&btnG=Google+Search

Or if you can see the FCC ID number go to the following and you might find full details for it.

http://www.fcc.gov/oet/fccid/