GP2 - Enabling com port #3

Hi, i want to play gp2 over the modem but it is on com3 and it is not available when i start GP2, I've tried the utility on the cd but com3 still is not available. I got a Suprafaxmodem 28800 PnP...anyone know how to change it to lets say com2 or to make it available on com3 in gp2? thanks A LOT!! Daniel

Quoted text (10 lines)

> Hi, i want to play gp2 over the modem but it is on com3 and it is not > available when i start GP2, I've tried the utility on the cd but com3 > still is not available. > I got a Suprafaxmodem 28800 PnP...anyone know how to change it to lets > say com2 or to make it available on com3 in gp2? > thanks A LOT!! > Daniel

I think it's best if you set your modem to COM4, your comp probably already has a COM2, which you would have to disable before setting your modem to it. But than it isn't available anymore for for instance direct link. I don't know the suprafaxmodem so I can't give you help on how to change it's settings. On the CD there's a util called COMSETUP.EXE . It's in the directory \UTILS\COMSETUP. Before starting GP2, start the util with : D:\UTILS\COMSETUP\COMSETUP 03E8 02E8 This will set the COM-ports to the normal default adresses. After this, start GP2 as usual. When using a mouse on COM1 you will find COM2 and COM4 available. Without a mousedriver loaded also COM1 and COM3 become available. On some I/O-cards/modems also the interrupt numbers can be changed. As far as I know GP2 only uses IRQ3/4 (i.e. IRQ4 for COM1/3 and IRQ 3 for COM2/4) and this can't be changed. The COMSETUP-command is neccesary every time before starting GP2 because GP2 does not remember the changes after a computer-reboot. The file COMSETUP.EXE can be copied to ANY directory on your harddisk if you wish to (i.e. your GP2-dir) and then be launched from there. If you're using DOS-multiconfig like I do, you can add the line to your autoexec.bat just before the GP2-command. -- ************************* Dreammaster rules again ************************* Windows...brings you yesterday's speed today.

Quoted text (9 lines)

>I think it's best if you set your modem to COM4, your comp probably >already has a COM2, which you would have to disable before setting your >modem to it. But than it isn't available anymore for for instance direct >link. I don't know the suprafaxmodem so I can't give you help on how to >change it's settings. >************************* > Dreammaster rules again >*************************

BEWARE. Some video cards use the same I/O port as COM4. This can cause obviously major problems.

Quoted text (12 lines)

> >I think it's best if you set your modem to COM4, your comp probably > >already has a COM2, which you would have to disable before setting your > >modem to it. But than it isn't available anymore for for instance direct > >link. I don't know the suprafaxmodem so I can't give you help on how to > >change it's settings. > >************************* > > Dreammaster rules again > >************************* > BEWARE. Some video cards use the same I/O port as COM4. This can cause > obviously major problems.

If this is true, the manufacturers of these cards are working in strange ways and with odd ideas, because COM2 and COM4 both use IRQ 3 and this has been so since the PC/XT-days. And since COM2 is in every pc nowadays.... It could be that a card is configurable at a couple of IRQ's and ALSO at IRQ 3 just in case a pc is fully loaded and all IRQ's taken. I haven't encountered one yet though. -- ************************* Dreammaster rules again ************************* Windows...brings you yesterday's speed today.

Eh... I just saw you were talking about the I/O-adresses. But then the same still goes. From the PC/XT-days on the adresses for the COM-ports are COM1:3F8, COM2:2F8, COM3:3E8, COM4:2E8 , and if any videocard- manufacturer puts there card at one of these adresses it isn't according to the standards and therefore not 100% compatible. -- ************************* Dreammaster rules again ************************* Windows...brings you yesterday's speed today.

Quoted text (11 lines)

>Eh... >I just saw you were talking about the I/O-adresses. But then the same >still goes. From the PC/XT-days on the adresses for the COM-ports are >COM1:3F8, COM2:2F8, COM3:3E8, COM4:2E8 , and if any videocard- >manufacturer puts there card at one of these adresses it isn't according >to the standards and therefore not 100% compatible. >-- >************************* >Dreammaster rules again >*************************

Although IBM defined 4 spaces in the BIOS table for COM port addresses, only COM1 and 2 are official. 3 and 4 are de-facto standards. 2E8 was used by the IBM 8514/A video card, and other cards that emulate it (such as the ATI Mach32 cards) will conflict. If you are running Win95, use the Device manager, click on Computer, then select the I/O button. Scroll down and see if 2E8 is being used. On my system with Matrox Millenium, it is not being used.