Modem Driver Issues: Novatel U740

J

J-man

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Folks, I need help.

My essential problem is that it appears as though my "modem" drivers are not loading, not present or conflicting in some way. The main symptom is that in VMC my status bar says "merlin u740 not found, check position".

System specs:
AMD3200, 1.5gb RAM desktop with PCMCIA slot for card
WIndows XP Home, SP2
Novatel U740 mobile connect card
VMC v6.

How the problem arose:

I have been having constant connection hassles, and was advised by 155 to upgrade my firmware and software, as I had never done so. I have been running VMC version 6, and the firmware version that I got my card with in 2006.

So I downloaded the firmware upgrade 27.2 and VMC v7 from the vodacom website, and follow the following steps:

1. Upgrade firmware to 27.2
2. Test my card with VMC v6 to check for issues - no problems picking up signal
3. Install VMC v7, restart.
4. On restart VMC dashboard says "Merlin U740 not found. check position".
5. Phone 155. Advised that VMC v9 is what I should be running, but thinks something may be wrong with the card, so suggests rolling back to VMC v6 to test.
6. Test my card in my laptop running VMC v6 - works no problem.
7. Uninstall VMC v7 and install VMC v6 & restart.
8. Same problem - card not found by VMC.
9. Call 155 again. Advised by different techie that VMC v7 is right. We do a "query modem" test through phone and modem properties - recieve an error to indicate windows isn't receiving a response from the modem and we should "check if its on, and whether the port interrupt is correct".
10. Technician establishes that I did not uninstall VMC v6 before installing v7, and advises a driver conflict may be the cause, and tells me to uninstall VMC v7, delete the vodafone folder under program files, and use regedit to delete any vodafone reference until HKEY/Local Machine/Software. Then reinstall v7.
11. Take all of the above steps - same problem occurs. Check card again in laptop - works fine.
12. phone 155 again. Explain all of the above - Technician says I should re-install windows.

Chaps I'm at my wits end. Does anyone have any suggestions as to how I might approaches fixing this problem?
 
Ive got no experience with these cards but can sympathise with you on their (vodacoms) support - I don't know why it's always "reinstall windows" with these tech support guys - they might as well have said "change your cars oil and spark plugs & then do a voodoo dance around the vodacom rodent while chanting MTN is bad"

good luck - hope someone can help
 
J-man said:
Folks, I need help.

My essential problem is that it appears as though my "modem" drivers are not loading, not present or conflicting in some way. The main symptom is that in VMC my status bar says "merlin u740 not found, check position".

System specs:
AMD3200, 1.5gb RAM desktop with PCMCIA slot for card
WIndows XP Home, SP2
Novatel U740 mobile connect card
VMC v6.

How the problem arose:

I have been having constant connection hassles, and was advised by 155 to upgrade my firmware and software, as I had never done so. I have been running VMC version 6, and the firmware version that I got my card with in 2006.

So I downloaded the firmware upgrade 27.2 and VMC v7 from the vodacom website, and follow the following steps:

1. Upgrade firmware to 27.2
2. Test my card with VMC v6 to check for issues - no problems picking up signal
3. Install VMC v7, restart.
4. On restart VMC dashboard says "Merlin U740 not found. check position".
5. Phone 155. Advised that VMC v9 is what I should be running, but thinks something may be wrong with the card, so suggests rolling back to VMC v6 to test.
6. Test my card in my laptop running VMC v6 - works no problem.
7. Uninstall VMC v7 and install VMC v6 & restart.
8. Same problem - card not found by VMC.
9. Call 155 again. Advised by different techie that VMC v7 is right. We do a "query modem" test through phone and modem properties - recieve an error to indicate windows isn't receiving a response from the modem and we should "check if its on, and whether the port interrupt is correct".
10. Technician establishes that I did not uninstall VMC v6 before installing v7, and advises a driver conflict may be the cause, and tells me to uninstall VMC v7, delete the vodafone folder under program files, and use regedit to delete any vodafone reference until HKEY/Local Machine/Software. Then reinstall v7.
11. Take all of the above steps - same problem occurs. Check card again in laptop - works fine.
12. phone 155 again. Explain all of the above - Technician says I should re-install windows.

Chaps I'm at my wits end. Does anyone have any suggestions as to how I might approaches fixing this problem?
Click to expand...

Check that the PCMCIA slot is enabled or not in conflict with anything. Check in Device Manager wether there is a red X or an exclamation mark next to it. Check to see if its installed at all.

[EDIT]: If you're running Windows XP SP2, then VMC 7.03 us sufficient.
 
Ok checked the PCMCIA slot is enabled, and no conflicts or probs in device manager, and when I plug the card in my machine picks up the card as a modem. The problem is it gets not response from it.
 
J-man said:
Ok checked the PCMCIA slot is enabled, and no conflicts or probs in device manager, and when I plug the card in my machine picks up the card as a modem. The problem is it gets not response from it.
Click to expand...

Ok.

Now check in Device Manager when the card is inserted. Any conflicts? Exclamation Marks?

AFAIK, the U740 should install 5 devices in Device Manager, i.e. the Merlin HSDPA Modem, Generic Multifunction Device, The application and UI interfaces and something in the USB Controllers.

Check to make sure everything is there.
 
For a Novatel U740 should show 4 things under device manager...
* Under Modems - Novatel Wireless Merlin HSDPA Modem
* Under Ports - Novatel Wireless Merlin HSDPA Status Port
* Under Universal Serial Bus Controllers - 2 x NEC PCI to USB Open Host Controller

Best I can tell, the card is not faulty (works in the notebook), the SIM card is not a problem (works in the notbook) and the software is installing with no errors. Im guessing the problem is with the PCI to PCMCIA converter - in my experience they're a hit and miss affair that seem to be more black magic than exact science.

See if you can find updated drivers for the adaptor or see if you can borrow a different make adaptor from somebody to test. I've seen those adaptors give more problems than actually work - you usually have to find a make that your desktop likes.
 
Also, check if there is an updated BIOS / drivers for the USB ports on the systems. Many of these adapters problems are actually related to either the BIOS not supporting them properly (they're a bit of a jippo sometimes in how they implement the USB standard) or to outdated USB drivers.

Look in the device manager for any errors numbers next to the card entries.

BTW, V9 supercedes V7.
 
Thanks for all the tips folks - will implement and report back later :)
 
OK, so I checked Device Manager - no conflicts, and the following items appear when I put the card in:

Under Modems - Novatel Wireless Merlin HSDPA Modem
* Under Ports - Novatel Wireless Merlin HSDPA Status Port (COM4)
* Under Universal Serial Bus Controllers - 2 x NEC PCI to USB Open Host Controller

One thing I noticed about the COM ports though: Under ports it reports the port as COM4, but if I check the port settings under modems is reads COM3. I reset both to Com3 and then both to Com 4 to see if it made any difference but nada - am I wasting worrying about this?

In terms of my PCMCIA Adapter - it is a "PCI 1410 Cardbus Controller" - When you guys are talking about finding updated drivers is this the one I should try and update?

@V3G: when you talk about USB port drivers (as per the USB controller name above) should I be looking for updated drivers for my "NEC PCI to USB Open Host Controller"?
 
J-man said:
OK, so I checked Device Manager - no conflicts, and the following items appear when I put the card in:

Under Modems - Novatel Wireless Merlin HSDPA Modem
* Under Ports - Novatel Wireless Merlin HSDPA Status Port (COM4)
* Under Universal Serial Bus Controllers - 2 x NEC PCI to USB Open Host Controller

One thing I noticed about the COM ports though: Under ports it reports the port as COM4, but if I check the port settings under modems is reads COM3. I reset both to Com3 and then both to Com 4 to see if it made any difference but nada - am I wasting worrying about this?

In terms of my PCMCIA Adapter - it is a "PCI 1410 Cardbus Controller" - When you guys are talking about finding updated drivers is this the one I should try and update?

@V3G: when you talk about USB port drivers (as per the USB controller name above) should I be looking for updated drivers for my "NEC PCI to USB Open Host Controller"?
Click to expand...

Pretty much any update for USB you can find, for your motherboard, XP and the adaptor card.

Can you check which chipset is on the PCMCIA-PCI adaptor? Ricoh-based cards seems to work the best under Windows.
 
J-man said:
OK, so I checked Device Manager - no conflicts, and the following items appear when I put the card in:

Under Modems - Novatel Wireless Merlin HSDPA Modem
* Under Ports - Novatel Wireless Merlin HSDPA Status Port (COM4)
* Under Universal Serial Bus Controllers - 2 x NEC PCI to USB Open Host Controller

One thing I noticed about the COM ports though: Under ports it reports the port as COM4, but if I check the port settings under modems is reads COM3. I reset both to Com3 and then both to Com 4 to see if it made any difference but nada - am I wasting worrying about this?

In terms of my PCMCIA Adapter - it is a "PCI 1410 Cardbus Controller" - When you guys are talking about finding updated drivers is this the one I should try and update?

@V3G: when you talk about USB port drivers (as per the USB controller name above) should I be looking for updated drivers for my "NEC PCI to USB Open Host Controller"?
Click to expand...

So your device works fine, no conflicts whatsoever. What happens when you create a new Profile in VMC?
 
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