Dell LT with NT

How to get Dell Inspiron 7000 Internal Modem (LT Win Modem) to work Under Win NT4

by Albert Ho (10/27/98)

First off, I'm writing this down based on memory recall when I got my I7K.
This is not a guarantee it will work for all cases so YMMV.

First Assumptions:
* Inspiron 7000 fresh from Dell. (mine is)
* IRDA is off in BIOS to simplify things.
* Built in serial port is configured as COM1 (3F8 irq 4) factory settings.
* NT4 is already installed (mine is fresh installed).
* Service Pack 3 is already applied.
(Service Pack 4 is reported to work too ... according to Jerry Hoffman).
* Eject any PC Card based modem from the slot and remove it's drivers installed in NT.
(Once you get ltmodem running, you don't need the PC Card modem)
* Modem will be installed at COM2 (mine is)

Step 1. Goto I7K BIOS Setup and goto modem settings
remember the following settings...

* Modem configuration port (mine's default is 130 hex)
* Modem Serial settings (mine's default is 2f8 hex, IRQ3)

Step 2. Goto Digitan web site at www.digitan.com
Get the driver for their ISA-based Lucent LT Winmodem (It's V90 capable).
The file name is Modem520ISA.EXE.
Run the Modem520ISA.EXE and extract the files to a directory \modem520
DO NOT run the SETUP.EXE application that comes with it.
(RG Note: I would recommend using the latest firmware; as of 11/5/98, it's version 5.29 available from the Multiwave Site)

Step 3. Insert WinNT Service Pack 3 CD and look for the file PNPISA.SYS
and install the driver using the INF file. If you do not have
the SP3 CD, goto Microsoft's web site & download nt4sp3_i.exe.
Start the SP3 install by running nt4sp3_i.exe. It will first
extract all the files. While it is extracting, note the directory it
is extracting TO. Wait for the extract to finish. When the "Welcome"
dialog appears, do NOT acknowledge it. Using a DOS box or NT Explorer,
go to the directory where the files were extracted to and copy
PNPISA.SYS & PNPISA.INF to the \modem520 directory. Now, choose
"Cancel" on the Welcome dialog for SP3 installation. Now you have
the PNPISA files.
Now install the PNPISA driver.
(Just right click on INF and choose install and reboot computer).
Make sure that in Control Panel --> Devices --> "PnP ISA Enabler
Driver" that it's set to Automatic for Startup.

Step 4. Goto Control Panel and remove other COM ports except for COM1
(for the built in serial port).

Step 5. Add a COM2 port (for use by winmodem) and match the settings you
read from the I7K BIOS for modem settings.
(mine is Add COM2 and settings at 2F8 hex, IRQ 3)

Step 6. Goto Control Panel --> Modem --> Press the Add button
--> uncheck the "detect modem" checkbox and click Next
--> Press the button "Have disk"
--> Point the directory to \modem520
--> A dialog box will display an entry named "LT WinModem"
--> Press Ok to select that.
--> If asked what COM port associated with this modem, type COM2
(the one you just created from above)
--> Verify an entry exist in Modem Control Panel that says
"LT Win Modem COM2"
--> Press ok to close

Step 7. Run REGEDIT.EXE and goto

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\ltmodem

There should be a key entry named "ModemIo".
Change it's value data to what the BIOS says for modem
configuration port (mine is 130 hex)
Make sure the change is saved to registry
Close the registry.

Step 8. Reboot WinNT.

Step 9. That's should be it. Verify by running WINMSD.EXE and look
Under Resources and ltmodem should appear there in Device list
or IRQ list or IO port list.

Verify by running Hyperterminal and select COM2 and type a modem
command like "AT" to insure that it responds with OK.

Step 10. If you wish, add in control panel the modem string "S38=0"
to force V90 and disable kflex modem.

Advantages of using I7K's internal modem?
* V90 capable
* Consumes less power compared to PC-card
* Frees up a PC card slot

When you get it to work then do me a favor and send email to Dell
and ask them to support ACPI and NT4 for Inspiron 7000. This will insure
the notebook's future for NT5 (Windows 2000).

Enjoy!
Albert

Additional NT info:

Andres Alvarado realyed his experience installing the LT with WindowsNT/SP3 server:

In some of the instructions above, the user had checked his BIOS to see what a certain address was in order to modify that in his Registry. I have two ISA modems so that was out of the question for me. Here's what I did:

1. I disabled all the serial ports in my BIOS and removed all modem references. I did not remove the ltmodem.sys from my winnt\system folder, nor did I back it up.

2. I installed the port in Control Panel, ports. I installed COM1 and defined the IRQ as 3 and the Base I/O as 3f8.

3. This step is a MUST. Install the Plug-n-Play support for WinNT! Find the files pnpisa.inf and pnpisa.sys, somewhere, on your installation CD, on the Service Pack version that you're running, then right-click on the inf and click on install. NT will then prompt you to restart.

4. When you've rebooted and logged back on to the system, WinNT will find the modem. Select Driver Provided by Hardware Manufacturer and direct NT to wherever you have the drivers.

5. NT will say that it can't detect the configuration or that the configuration is unknown. Click on Set Configuration Manually and then on OK. This will set that parameter in the Registry that the other fellow was talking about.

6. Restart the system! Install DUN, RAS, whatever...

I would note that I have had my IBM-supplied LT modem installed with my Aptiva running dual-boot Windows95/Windows NT Workstation/SP3. I did not have to install WindowsNT plug-and-play support; I added COM2 in Control Panel->Ports, and disabled PNP in my system BIOS which allowed NT to detect and install support for the LT. My guess is that because of differences in system BIOS among systems, the procedure for NT support will not always be the same. Note also that Lucent has fixed some NT-specific issues in firmware releases - see notes for 5.49.