[AoriTsukai]

My laptop just recently stopped connecting to the internet, giving me an error message of:
"Error 644: The modem (or other connecting device) is already in use or is not configured properly."

Now this comes after just trying to connect after normal routine, I haven't added or installed anything special, or tried to alter anything.

So after playing around with settings trying to figure this out.. I find that all of my COM ports are in use.. by nothing. I cant find a single program using it, even in safe mode.
I go into the device manager to try and disable or reinstall the COM & LPT ports but... its not there.
Its not in my device manager at all.

I'll just go through some of the stuff i've done to save time..
I've already reinstalled the modem, disabled it, switched to other COM ports (but all are in use?), restarted my computer many many times, unplugged my phone line (to try and get a "no dial tone" error instead, no luck), updated the drivers, now I have brand new drivers that give me the same error!

I would just completely reinstall windows, but I have so much important stuff that I have and need to keep.. I might as well just take my anger out and smash my laptop to bits if I have to get rid of any of my data.

Its an HP Pavilion dv5000, running Windows XP.

[Frank4d]

See this article for freeing up reserved COM ports: http://www.help.perle.com/index.asp?a=4&q=32

Although the title says Windows 2000, it works for XP too. Uninstall your modem software and the modem too. Free up all ports that you know are not in use (probably COM1 and COM2). Then re-try your modem installation procedure.

[AoriTsukai]

Um, yeah thats great and all.

But I cant see the COM ports.. Didja read?

So, any other takers?

[Frank4d]

I don't know. I suspect a PBCAK error here.

[AoriTsukai]

Kay, smart one.

You find it.

http://www.geocities.com/aoritsukai/comlpt.jpg

[Frank4d]

Do the COM ports show up if you go to Device Manager and click View > Show hidden devices?

[JohnWill]

Did you check in the laptop BIOS configuration to see if the devices are disabled there?

[AoriTsukai]

Frank: I get non plug-n-play devices to show up, but still no COM port.

JohnWill: I'm not sure where to look in the BIOS... I see boot order and Hard Disk Self Test, and the other basic configuration stuff like time and whatnot.

Edit: Also if it helps any, its both the COM and LPT ports missing, but it being a laptop, im not too worried about printers.

[AoriTsukai]

Seems like this thread fell off into oblivion.

[Frank4d]

A google search indicates this is a fairly common problem. Here is one solution offered at another forum (annoyances.org):

No, nothing to do with Plug and Play. Need to change permission settings in the registry. Go to HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Enum. Add full permissions to Everyone. Click on Advanced button. Put a tick in both options at the bottom (Inherit from parent the permission entries... and Replace permission entries on all child or objects...). Exit and reboot - Device Manager no longer empty.

and

Thats right.... Go to RUN type Regedt32 Then go to HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Enum With the ENUM KEY HIGHLIGHTED Click SECURITY menu that appears in the toolbar, then PERMISSIONS. (In XP you right click the key and choose permissions) You may have to ADD the group for the profile that can't see the device manager/printers/network contents. Give this group READ ONLY permission and then give SYSTEM full control. In some instances, you will need to go to ADVANCED and check reset permissions on all child objects. Click yes in the warning window and reboot.

[AoriTsukai]

Yeah I really have no idea what that just did to my laptop, but COM & LPT still arent there.
What in the world did that do anyway?

[AoriTsukai]

Ugh, nothing is working.. Is there any way I can just reset the COM ports without having to see them in the device manager?

[JohnWill]

If they don't appear in Device Manager, they're not detected by Windows as existing. There's nothing you can do to hardware that doesn't appear to exist.

[AoriTsukai]

But I cant connect to the internet because its "In use"

So my computer is wasting its time using something that doesnt exist, preventing me from using it... even though it doesnt exist.

[JohnWill]

What's in use?