Article ID: 142730 - Last Review: October 11, 2007 - Revision: 2.3

How to create and use the Modemlog.txt file

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SUMMARY

This article describes how to create and use a Modemlog.txt file for troubleshooting modem problems using 32-bit communications programs.

The Modemlog.txt file is created by the Windows communications subsystem when a TAPI-enabled communications program establishes a communications session with a modem. Information about the connection is logged sequentially into the Modemlog.txt file as specific events identified by date and time.

In Windows 98, this file is named ModemName.log. You can open the file in Notepad or by clicking the View Log button in the Advanced Connection Settings dialog box. The file is created automatically each time Dial-Up Networking (DUN) is used. The Append to log option adds to the log each time a connection is made, instead of replacing the log. Note that in Windows Millennium Edition (Me), the View Log button is unavailable.
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MORE INFORMATION

Windows 98 and Windows Milenium Edition

To enable the creation of the Modemlog.txt file, follow these steps:
  1. In Control Panel, double-click Modems.
  2. Click the modem you want to create a log file for, and then click Properties.
  3. On the Connection tab, click Advanced.
  4. Click the Record A Log File (or Append To Log) check box to select it, and then click OK.
  5. Click OK, and then click Close.
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Windows XP Windows Server 2003, and Windows 2000

To enable the creation of the Modemlog.txt file, follow these steps:
  1. In Control Panel, double-click Phone and Modem Options.
  2. On the Modems tab, click the modem you want to create a log file for, and then click Properties.
  3. On the Diagnostics tab, click the Record A Log File or the Append To Log check box, and then click OK.
  4. Click OK, and then click OK again..
After you follow the above steps, the Modemlog.txt file is written to whenever a communications session is established by a TAPI-enabled communications program (such as HyperTerminal, Phone Dialer, or Dial-Up Networking). Note that programs that are not TAPI-enabled do not log information to the Modemlog.txt file. The Modemlog.txt file is located in the Windows folder.

The entries in the Modemlog.txt file have the following format:
<Time/Date> <Message/Status Information>

The following is a sample Modemlog.txt file with explanations. Note that explanations do not appear in an actual Modemlog.txt file. The contents of an actual Modemlog.txt file may differ greatly from this sample file.
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Sample Modemlog.txt File

05:02:56 05-25-1994 - TI V.32Bis-V17 Internal in use.
05:02:55 05-25-1994 - Modem Type: TI V.32bis-V.17 Internal 
   A program has called TAPI to open this modem's line handle.
   Unimodem.tsp called the Win32 function to open a file handle to
   Unimodem.vxd for this modem.

05:02:56 05-25-1994 - 38400,N,8,1 
   Unimodem has called VCOMM to open the correct serial port for this
   modem, and set its default COM port settings.

05:02:56 05-25-1994 - Initializing modem.
05:02:56 05-25-1994 - Send: AT 
   Unimodm sends an 'AT' to initialize the modem's autobaud setting.

05:02:57 05-25-1994 - Recv: AT<CR><CR><lf>OK<CR><lf> 05:02:57 05-25-1994 - Interpreted response: OK 
   The "AT<CR>" is echoed back by the modem, along with an "OK" response
   code. Unimodem discards the echoed command, and correctly interprets
   the OK response.

05:02:57 05-25-1994 - Send: AT &F0
05:02:59 05-25-1994 - Recv: AT &F0 <CR><CR><lf>OK<CR><lf>
05:02:59 05-25-1994 - Interpreted response: OK 
   Unimodem sends the first initialization string specified in the .inf
   file, discards the echoed command, and interprets the OK response
   correctly.

05:02:59 05-25-1994 - Send: AT E0 Q0 V0 W1 T L2 M1 &C1
05:03:01 05-25-1994 - Recv: AT E0 Q0 V0 W1 T L2 M1 &C1 <CR>0<CR>
05:03:01 05-25-1994 - Interpreted response: OK 
   Unimodem sends the second initialization string from the .inf file.
   The command is echoed back, and numeric response codes are now in use.

05:03:01 05-25-1994 - Send: AT &D2 &S0 X4 %C1 \JO \N7 \Q3 \V1 \T0 05:03:03 05-25-1994 - Recv: 0<CR> 
   Unimodem successfully sends the third initialization string from the
   .inf file. Note that this command is not echoed back by the modem.

05:03:03 05-25-1994 - Send: ATS7=50\T0L2M1%C1\N7\Q3B1X4
05:03:04 05-25-1994 - Recv: 0<CR>
05:03:04 05-25-1994 - Interpreted response: OK 
   This is the dynamic initialization stage. Unimodem sent a string to
   configure the modem to settings requested by the user or
   program. The command string is built dynamically based on registry
   keys originally specified by Settings values in the .inf file.

05:03:04 05-25-1994 - Dialing ".
05:03:04 05-25-1994 - Send: ATX4
05:03:06 05-25-1994 - Recv: 0<CR>
05:03:07 05-25-1994 - Interpreted response: OK 
   Unimodem first sets dial tone detection on.

05:03:07 05-25-1994 - Send: ATDT;
05:03:09 05-25-1994 - Recv: 0<CR>
05:03:09 05-25-1994 - Interpreted response: OK 
   Unimodem takes the modem off-hook.

05:03:09 05-25-1994 - Dialing '9555 1212'
05:03:04 05-25-1994 - Send: ATX4
05:03:11 05-25-1994 - Recv: 0<CR>
05:03:11 05-25-1994 - Interpreted response: OK
05:03:11 05-25-1994 - Send: ATDT9555 1212;
05:03:15 05-25-1994 - Recv: 0<CR>
05:03:15 05-25-1994 - Interpreted response: OK 
   Unimodem dials the phone number provided by the program via TAPI.

05:03:15 05-25-1994 - Originating the call.
05:03:15 05-25-1994 - Send: ATX3D 
   Unimodem originates the call.  Note that "X3" is included because
   this modem will not work correctly without it. Some modems do not
   require this.

05:03:30 05-25-1994 - Recv: 52<CR>77<CR>69<CR>
05:03:30 05-25-1994 - Interpreted response: Ignore 
   "Ignore" is misleading.  Here, Unimodem recognized "52<CR>" as a call
   progress response code.

05:03:30 05-25-1994 - Recv: 77<CR>69<CR>
05:03:30 05-25-1994 - Interpreted response: Ignore 
   Unimodem recognized "77<CR>" as a call progress response code.

05:03:30 05-25-1994 - Recv: 69<CR>
05:03:30 05-25-1994 - Interpreted response: Connect 
   Unimodem recognized "69<CR>" as indication of a connection.

05:03:30 05-25-1994 - Connection established at 14400bps.
05:03:30 05-25-1994 - Error-control activated.
05:03:30 05-25-1994 - No data compression, or modem does not support compression reporting. 
   Unimodem knows that this is a 14,400 bps call with error compression
   but no data compression, based on the "52<CR>77<CR>69<CR>" response codes.
				

   The call is now in progress, in use by the program.

05:03:41 05-25-1994 - Remote modem hung up. 
   Unimodem detected a carrier loss. The call was disconnected by the
   other computer. This output is different if Unimodem is called to disconnect.

05:03:41 05-25-1994 - Hanging up the modem. 
   Unimodem dropped DTR to cause the modem to hang up.

05:03:41 05-25-1994 - TI V.32bis-V.17 Internal Closed. 
   Unimodem.tsp closed its Win32 file handle to the modem.
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APPLIES TO
  • Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition
  • Microsoft Windows 98 Second Edition
  • Microsoft Windows 98 Standard Edition
  • Microsoft Windows 95
  • Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition
  • Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition
  • Microsoft Windows XP Professional
  • Microsoft Windows XP Professional x64 Edition
  • Microsoft Windows XP Tablet PC Edition
  • Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server
  • Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional Edition
  • Microsoft Windows 2000 Server
  • Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition (32-bit x86)
  • Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Standard Edition (32-bit x86)
  • Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Datacenter Edition for Itanium-Based Systems
  • Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition for Itanium-based Systems
  • Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Enterprise x64 Edition
  • Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Standard x64 Edition
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Keywords: 
kbhowto kbfaq KB142730
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