Seems like I had a Lucent modem a few years back.. Solution was to replace. The generic(?) driver included in WinXP and the one I downloaded from Compaq were the same. Can't do DSL where I live... phone lines are too old and degraded. Thanks for the input!!!!
I think the Microsoft stuff is supposed to do that..I mean , I have used their software for years now..and it has always crashed... It is comforting in the fast moving technical workld to find something that remains constant...