I have a 433 MHz PC that used to work fine with a Zoom USB modem, running Windows 98. Then I installed Windows XP professional, and everything worked well except the modem. According to Zoom, my processor is too slow, it requires at least 750 MHz to use the modem, with the new USB specifications. I was wondering if anyone may know of a tweak for WIn XP to get the older USB specifiactions?
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Processor speed too slow for Win XP USB modem 1
- Thread starter DavePL
- Start date
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1
- #2
RICHINMINN
Programmer
- Dec 31, 2001
- 138
Your CPU running at 433-MHz should be fast enough to run Windows XP (Home or Professional). Microsoft's website lists the following requirements:
-- PC with 300 megahertz (MHz) or higher processor clock speed recommended; 233-MHz minimum required;* Intel Pentium/Celeron family, AMD K6/Athlon/Duron family, or compatible processor recommended
-- 128 megabytes (MB) of RAM or higher recommended (64 MB minimum supported; may limit performance and some features)
-- 1.5 gigabyte (GB) of available hard disk space.*
-- Super VGA (800 × 600) or higher resolution video adapter and monitor
-- CD-ROM or DVD drive
-- Keyboard and Microsoft Mouse or compatible pointing device
If your system meets all these requirements, it should be able to run WinXP (which it does). But WinXP does require more "horsepower" from your CPU than WinME or Win98, leaving less for your applications to use. Most relatively new modems are now "software" modems, which offload most of the processing to the system's CPU. The newer standards (v.92 and v.44 compression) rely on the CPU's power, and can significantly impact the system's performance if the system is running a ton of background processes, and especially if the CPU is among the slower CPUs available nowadays. (And compared to today's multi-GHz PCs, 433 MHz IS a slow CPU.)
You've just got an unfortunate combination of: 1) a "slow" CPU, 2) a CPU-hungry OS, and 3) a modem which expects the CPU to do most of its work. To improve the situation, at least one of the components will have to be upgraded. You've just upgraded to WinXP, so I assume you don't want to revert to Win98 (though if you don't want to spend the money required by either of the other 2 options, you may need to do that). That leaves 2 candidates for change. The easiest (and cheapest) thing to do would be to replace your modem with an older hardware-based unit, though they're becoming harder to find, especially USB units. If not a modem, then you'll need to make a significant upgrade to your system (faster CPU, more and/or faster RAM, faster hard drive to speed swapfile utilization, etc.).
Maybe going back to Win98 doesn't sound so bad..
Good luck.
Rich (in Minn.)
-- PC with 300 megahertz (MHz) or higher processor clock speed recommended; 233-MHz minimum required;* Intel Pentium/Celeron family, AMD K6/Athlon/Duron family, or compatible processor recommended
-- 128 megabytes (MB) of RAM or higher recommended (64 MB minimum supported; may limit performance and some features)
-- 1.5 gigabyte (GB) of available hard disk space.*
-- Super VGA (800 × 600) or higher resolution video adapter and monitor
-- CD-ROM or DVD drive
-- Keyboard and Microsoft Mouse or compatible pointing device
If your system meets all these requirements, it should be able to run WinXP (which it does). But WinXP does require more "horsepower" from your CPU than WinME or Win98, leaving less for your applications to use. Most relatively new modems are now "software" modems, which offload most of the processing to the system's CPU. The newer standards (v.92 and v.44 compression) rely on the CPU's power, and can significantly impact the system's performance if the system is running a ton of background processes, and especially if the CPU is among the slower CPUs available nowadays. (And compared to today's multi-GHz PCs, 433 MHz IS a slow CPU.)
You've just got an unfortunate combination of: 1) a "slow" CPU, 2) a CPU-hungry OS, and 3) a modem which expects the CPU to do most of its work. To improve the situation, at least one of the components will have to be upgraded. You've just upgraded to WinXP, so I assume you don't want to revert to Win98 (though if you don't want to spend the money required by either of the other 2 options, you may need to do that). That leaves 2 candidates for change. The easiest (and cheapest) thing to do would be to replace your modem with an older hardware-based unit, though they're becoming harder to find, especially USB units. If not a modem, then you'll need to make a significant upgrade to your system (faster CPU, more and/or faster RAM, faster hard drive to speed swapfile utilization, etc.).
Maybe going back to Win98 doesn't sound so bad..
Good luck.
Rich (in Minn.)
- Thread starter
- #3
DorothyDix
Technical User
Great advice from Richinmin. I have to agree,but would recommend and external hardware SERIAL modem. I have had several problems with people's PCs not being powerful enough to cope with the processor load of software modems-ESPECIALLY the USB models.
I had considerable dialogue with one manufacturer in Malaysia and they even AGREED with my observations AND wrote new drivers just for the situation...this went on for about 5 weeks until they finally gave up and admitted defeat,contacted the supplier and the client received a full refund! As they were running graphics applications whilst online as part of their job,the PC would constantly freeze.This was with a PIII 550!
PAUL
I had considerable dialogue with one manufacturer in Malaysia and they even AGREED with my observations AND wrote new drivers just for the situation...this went on for about 5 weeks until they finally gave up and admitted defeat,contacted the supplier and the client received a full refund! As they were running graphics applications whilst online as part of their job,the PC would constantly freeze.This was with a PIII 550!
PAUL
- Thread starter
- #5
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