CPU 100% when phone rings!!

[FUBAR]

I ahve installed a Diamond SupraExpress 56i Pro modem into my system.(details below) Whenever the phone rings the CPU usage goes up to 100% and stays there even if the phonecall is ended. This causes severe slowdown to my system and the problem is removed if the system is rebooted until the next phonecall. Even if my phone is removed from the "hook" the CPU usage increases significantly. If I disconnect the modem line the problem is removed. Has this happened to anyone else is there a check box which I have missed somewhere (I couldn't find anything about it on diamond website)

SYSTEM:
1.1Ghz Athlon
Abit KT7A (bios ww via 4in1 4.28)
256Mb PC133Mhz CL2
Hercules 3D Prophet Pro
Soundblaster Live 1024
IBM Deskstar 75Gxp 30Gb
Diamond SupraExpress 56i
300W Enermax PSU

Windows98SE

PLEASE SOMEBODY HELP ITS BEGINNING TO P$$$ ME OFF

Thanks

 

[Guest]

does it happen when you try and dial out as well?

M

UK Prices are <font color=red>toooooooooo</font color=red> high , keep competition going to bring em down

 

[FUGGER]

Fubar, I have seen that problem twice now, its a DMA issue with VIA chipset.

You can try new 5 in 1 drivers, but its not gonna help. you gotta get a different modem.

BTW who keeps saying that AMD doesnt have incompatabilities?

 

[Guest]

Fugger, as always helpful. Sure AMD has compatibility issues. But please don't try and tell me Intel does not.
Here are two from Intels site:

"Experiencing VXD errors and lock-ups using a Intel® Pentium® III processor and Creative Labs* SoundBlaster* Live!* audio card? We have seen the combination of Intel Pentium III processors manufactured on 0.18 micron process, Microsoft Windows* 98 SE, and Creative Labs SoundBlaster Live! Microsoft Windows 98 reports "Error in EMU1.0 1k", SoundBlaster Live! not detected in Device Manager."

"We have seen the combination of Intel® Pentium® III processors manufactured on 0.18 micron and 3DFX* Voodoo3 3000 AGP video card getting errors and lock-ups. Our recommendation is to update the video driver to 1.04.00 or higher"

I'm sure that there are others out there as well. they just do not put them all out on their site. No company does. The point is that NEITHER of these companies or their products are perfect. You are far more closedminded than most of the AMD fans you criticize day in and day out on these boards. And frankly it's not that you apparently hate AMD so much that disturbs me. It's that you spew inaccurate and misleading information in answer to honest questions from people who may not have enough experience to realize what a BIG load of bull it is. Just my two cents.

 

[FUBAR]

Im pretty sure that it only happens when I receive a phonecall.

 

[FUGGER]

Mike AMD is not 100% Intel compatable and they cannot claim that they are.

Is that so hard to understand?

 

[Guest]

Hmmmm....I don't really think that was my point, Fugger, and it really isn't particularly relavent. Both processors have compatibility issues with different hardware and software. NEITHER of the processors is compatible with everything (refer to notes from Intels site). I'm the first one to admit that AMD has their own issues. My comment was more directed at the attitude that Intel has NONE.

 

[slvr_phoenix]

Are you sure you don't just have some weird answering machine software running in the background that is eating up the CPU? I've seen that happen too.

But still, it also wouldn't surprise me to hear of yet another stupid VIA problem. I only recently had mine fixed thanks to their latest driver update. (At least I hope it's fixed...)

In AMD's defense, if it is the mobo chipset, then it is VIA causing the problem, not AMD.

However, since AMD customers have had to rely on VIA for so very long, it really still amounts to being AMD's fault for not just making their own chipsets like Intel does.

I mean yes, Intel systems have problems when they're using VIA chipset motherboards too. But at least Intel has been offering their own chipsets for their systems for ages. Where as AMD hasn't been so good about doing that and often just relied on other people to make the chipsets for their products.

**shrug**

The joys of modern technology.

My suggestion would just be to not plug the phone line into the modem when you're not using the modem. It's what I do. But then I do it because my phone line is crap and I've already lost three modems to power surges in the phone line.

Which brings up my own pet peve: Why is it all of those surge protectors for phone lines/network cables use a soldiered in fuse instead of a circuit breaker? It's a bloody pain in the butt to keep unsoldiering the old fuse and then putting a new one in. And it's awfully expensive to replace them each time it blows.

- Sanity is purely based on point-of-view.

 

[dhlucke]

well, i had this problem back a couple years back. It's not exactly the same, but I had a certain fax software...I can't remember the name....and it would go nuts everytime the phone rang. Once I turned off the autodetect feature, my modem stopped responding and my computer was fine.

 

[Guest]

as far as I am awre Fugger AMD are not trying to be intel compatable they use different chipsets ie you know they are different CPU's..... the K62 was tring to be Intel compatable cos it ran in the same MB as Intel's CPU's but the athlon and duron are not copies of Intel CPU's.....
Is that so hard to understand?

M

UK Prices are <font color=red>toooooooooo</font color=red> high , keep competition going to bring em down

 

[Guest]

someone is a few registers short of an ALU, and i don't mean the guy with the modem difficulties

is your modem a Winmodem? those use much more CPU power than modems that have onboard processors (but i wouldn't think THAT much more). have you tried new drivers for the modem and flashing your bios with the latest revision?

 

[Guest]

I bought a couple of those SupraMax modems. One went into a system that I sold. After repeated disconnects and sub-Max dial-up connection speeds, I got a Trendnet TFM-560PCI at auction (egghead). It was extremely cheap, but in my NT system it connects at 50.6 almost every time (old phone lines with noise).

I chucked the second SupraMax and bought another Trendnet modem for the Gamer. It is stable and fast. I payed 35 bucks after shipping, because I didn't have the patience for the auction.

SupraMax might work fine with some hosts, but the Trendnet is faster (and NO Disconnects) for me.

I've never heard about the CPU maxing out, but I have a second line for comms that only sees an occaisional voice. I should test it.

 

[FUGGER]

Fubar,

1. change the modem, fastest fix
2. try that modem in a different machine, if you dont want to give up hope on that modem.
3. call S3 if you want current support for modem

That modem is a winmodem

Diamond was purchased by S3, and all the diamond products have not been updated as far as drivers or anything in almost a year.

The support pages were posted before windows ME was even on the market and there is no info about ME (idea of how old info is).

SupraExpress pages last updated 6/12/2000, most pages are from 1999.
Drivers last updated 6/7/99

Funny thing is that modem will work fine in Intel based machine =)

<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1><EM>Edited by FUGGER on 02/23/01 03:05 PM.</EM></FONT></P>

 

[slvr_phoenix]

The best modem that I've ever owned was a Creative Modem Blaster ah heck. It was even a dinky ISA card at that. My P133 used to have a Diamond modem and it was okay, I guess. Then when it fried (as a few of my modems have thanks to crap phone lines) I replaced it with a cheap Creative modem. Heck if it didn't work infinitely better. They were both 56K modems. They both connect at 28.8 (sometimes as low as 26.2) because of my crappy phone lines. But pages just loaded almost twice as fast with the Creative card. I couldn't ask for more.

- Sanity is purely based on point-of-view.

 

[Guest]

Duh, they run the x86 instruction set, no? 3DNow! and SSE are handled by DirectX and the OS so it doesn't matter. I wouldn't call a Crusoe compatible, but it still runs the software...

Both chips have their problems with certain bits of kits. Both. That's Intel included for those too blinded by marketing to comprehend.

Forums like this wouldn't exist otherwise...

~ I'm not AMD biased, I just think their chips are better ~

 

[slvr_phoenix]

Oh, I don't know. I think forums like this would do just fine even if every computer in the world was bug free. We'd still get together to chat about the Next Best Thing.

And I still don't get that funky emulating Crusoe dinker. The only thing I could see it as being good for is if you wanted to run support for a Mac, PC, Alpha, Amiga, and who knows what else, all on one single CPU. That or if saving electricity was really THAT important.

Though why anyone would mount a super-energy-saver CPU along side a portable 3D graphics solution is beyond me...

- Sanity is purely based on point-of-view.