RESOLVED! Buzzing w/ PCMCIA

[Randal Whittle <whittle@chaph.usc.edu>]

	Okay folks, the buzzing was *not* specifically the modem.

	I got to thinking and realized the buzzing sound was electrical
in nature.  On a whim, I unplugged the A.C. adapter from the back of my
TP 750C--no more buzzing.

	So as long as I work on battery without the AC plugged in,
the modem works fine, right?   ;)

	Well, that defeats at least part of the purpose, so that's not
an acceptable solution.  But at least I have an idea where the buzzing
was coming from.

	Somehow, the AC current is probably not grounded properly, as it
appears to have some sort of connection to the metal frame in the PCMCIA
bay.  It was when the metal modem edges made contact with this frame (and
the computer is plugged in) that the buzzing occurs.

	Initially, I was inclined to poop on IBM and send it in for
fixing.  After all, there is an *obvious* problem in the grounding
somewhere in the computer (which to me, makes it potentially dangerous).

	Then it occured to me--a *very* simple solution!

	Electrical tape.

	I put two strips of electrical tape on either edge of the
modem, to cover its metal edges.  I held my breath to see if I would have
to continue to tape up the modem and cover all of it...but it worked!

	Thus far, the modem appears to perform just fine--I'm using it
right now as I type this and my 750C is also plugged in to A.C. power.

	Case closed.  :)  Thank you to all that responded to my pleas
for help, but y'all scared me unnecessarily!  The real problem appears to
be not with the modem, but the computer.

	Just as an aside--at least one person pointed out that replacement
modem fixed his buzzing problem.  I am curious--did it *look* physically
different?  Namely, was it designed in such a way that it had some plastic
where there was previously metal?  This would have accomplished the same
thing that my electrical tape did.

-----                                          ________________________________
Randy Whittle    whittle@usc.edu               |       Y'know, Tuna just      |
USC School of Business (Fight on, 'SC Trojans!)|    doesn't taste the same    |
  (My opinions are mine, but since I'm         |      since they took the     |
    right, they should be yours too.)          |          Dolphin out!        |
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