[BavonWW]

I was installing a modem on mates old Pentium 75mHz with Windows 98 second version. Installation was fine but trying to use modem brings up a message :
MMX CPU not found

Seems daft to me as how can the OS work at all if it cant find MMX and what does the modem have to do with it anyway.

The only other note is that a modem and ports test on previous modems brings up a CARD FAULTY message even though modems appear to work. Well except that hey cannot connect.

I'll keep trying along with re-install Windows. I tried to explain to him that PCs have moved on a bit since the time his was created but hes quite happy with what he has.

[Dyre Straits]

Simply put, you're installing a newer device that has features that aren't supported by the CPU. That Pentium 75 MHz CPU doesn't have the MMX feature included in later ones.

I would assume that what you're installing is a voice modem, that makes a request for certain audio settings that are, in turn, incorporated into the video elements of MMX.


Let us know if I'm wrong about the voice modem part.

[Judas]

Turn the Volume right off on the modem in the device manager/ modem properties....

[The_Neon_Cowboy]

you need a hardware modem tat is a software modem uses you cpu (say 75mhz ) do do it analog to digital conversion ... the modem checks for mmx instictions (a speail set added to cpus in 100mhz+ flavors) to increase perfromance it was otional some came with some without after 233mhz it became a standard... to make sure the cpu is fast engough ... you need a modem that says it works on linix, windows , whatever .. it wont say mm reqiured on the box and it will cost $30 up $100 minimal ... it its not a HARDWARE based modem (meaniong a ramdac/speacilized cpu is installed on the card) so the modem uses no cpu time...

do ya catch on?

ps ... i have a mmx i can sell you its 200mmx if the borad will suport it

[BavonWW]

Thanks everyone. It makes perfect sense. I've unearthed one of my old PIIIs so I'll cobble something together for him from that which I know will work.

Although there again I'm sure I did not have same probs on a similar PC a year or so ago...

[Matth]

What type of modem?

I believe PCTel chipset modems had MMX and non-MMX drivers.

The "semi-hardware" Intel HAM chipset modems will generally work on anything *reasonable*
Those, or the hardware-assisted Rockwell HCF/RH56, are a top choice if you need something to run on a P75 - otherwise ISA hardware or external serial.

There are 3 categories of modem hardware:
1. Fully hardware (most ISA modems and all serial modems)
These carry out both the modem and control functions, including correction/compression, in hardware.
2. Soft modems (eg. Motorola SM56, Rockwell HSF/RS56, PCTel)
These are little more than an A-D converter, and ALL functions are done in software - sinnce they effectively process audio, they need high CPU and may require MMX

3. Host controlled (eg. Rockwell HCF/RH56, Intel HaM)
These have the back-end MODEM functions in hardware, but offload the control, compression/correction and other protocols to the CPU - They can run adequately on relatively low processors.

These days, usually considered to be a "hardware" modem.