computer won't use USB modem to connect to internet

Does an external modem with a USB connection need a driver in order to work? I just reinstalled Windows XP Home on a friend's laptop, but am having trouble hooking up to the internet. When I plug in the USB cable, the computer says it found new hardware, but it can't find software on the computer for it. It asks if I want to connect to the internet to search online for the appropriate software, but when I click "yes ", it immediately comes back saying it couldn't find the software. It seems like the computer is still trying to use its original built-in modem to connect, but that modem "died" a while back -- thus the external modem now.
I'm relatively certain I have the modem plugged in right - there's not a lot of choice. USB connection between laptop and external modem, phone line plugged into the "telco" port (vs. the "phone" port -- although I tried it both ways, just to be sure).
How can I instruct the computer to use the external modem instead? If I need a driver for it, could I download it to a floppy on my computer (WinME) and then use the floppy in my friend's laptop?
The external modem is a "US Robotics 56K Faxmodem USB ".

 

How can I instruct the computer to use the external modem instead? If I need a driver for it, could I download it to a floppy on my computer (WinME) and then use the floppy in my friend's laptop?

That sounds like exactly what to do. Once you have the driver loaded, you can choose which device to dial out with.

 

Not having any luck!
I found the US Robotics website, where there was an updated driver that could be downloaded as an exe file. Downloaded it, and followed the instructions as follows:

# Double-click the file in Windows Explorer and the file will self extract to a folder named C:\USR\5633 (assuming that C: is the hard drive).
# When prompted by Windows, direct the installation to the C:\USR\5633 folder in order to complete the installation.​

But when I go to Control Panel, Phone and Modem options, Modems, and click on "Add ", if I let the computer detect the modem on its own, it just finds the original internal (dead) modem.
I put a checkmark in front of "don't detect my modem; I will select it from a list ".
The Add Hardware Wizard then comes back with a screen that says "Select the manufacturer and model of your modem. If your modem is not listed, or if you have an installation disk, click Have Disk "
Under "Manufacturer ", all that shows up is (Standard Modem Types)
Under "Models ", there are two entries: Communications cable between two computers" and "parallel cable between two computers ".
So I click on Have Disk, and there's a box for me to tell it where to copy the manufacturer's files from. I direct it to C:\USR\5633A, and a file called usr00eck.inf shows up highlighted - I click on Open, and I'm right back to the screen where it asks me where I want to copy the manufacturer's files from!

I've tried connecting the USB cable to both ports on the laptop, and I uninstalled the original internal modem that came with the computer. I reconfigured the Dial-up Networking screen (because it still showed the original internal modem as being the device of choice, even though it had been uninstalled), but now when I click on properties for it, it says "unavailable - device missing ". Device Manager shows USB ports are both enabled.
I've also emailed USRobotics support, but I'm hoping I can get this resolved sooner that it's likely going to take them to get back to me!
Any suggestions?
Addendum: interestingly enough, when I run "Everest" (a program that shows you what's on your computer), under USB port, US Robotics modem DOES show up!

 

rebecca

Is the internal modem a part of the motherboard or is it plugged into one of the slots? If it is part of the MOBO, you should turn it off in your BIOS. If it is plugged into the slot, remove it and reboot. Go to your device manager and remove anything in the Modem notation and reboot.

Now your computer has no modem at all. Plug in the external modem to the USB port and windows should find new hardware. When it wants the software, point it to your new C:\USR\5633 folder. Installation starts from the .inf file.

Come back and let us know what has happened at each step if it does not work.

 

I'm guessing the internal modem is part of the motherboard, and if I were really thorough I should turn it off in BIOS. Except I don't know how to do that, and after further prodding, it turns out my friend had an installation disk for the US Robotics modem after all. Used that, and everything works fine now.
Thanks for your help!
PS - if you're willing, and it's not too complicated, I'd like to know how to turn the modem in BIOS, just for the sake of learning something new.

 

I'm glad it's working OK now.

Look on the back of the computer and see if the other modem that died has the plugins in the slots around where the monitor plugs in. That would be an indicator that the modem is in a pci slot. If the phone line plugin is around where the keyboard plugs in, then it is built in modem on the motherboard. If so, I would go into the BIOS and look for anything that says modem and turn it off. When you boot the computer there is a line of text on the screen that tells you how to get into the BIOS. Mine is the delete key but other manufacturers use other keys.

If that doesn't work, Does the device manager list the modem in question? If so you can open the properties on it and under device usage, the down arrow gives you a disable choice.