Computer doesn't remember adding hardware

[auntyems]

Afternoon all

V. new to the computer forums and posting this in the BIG hope that someone can help.

Last week my pc crashed while I was backing up on to CD. It's not been the same since. Wont read/copy discs. Sometimes it can, more often it wont.

I couldn't get the machine up and working again, so I took it to a store to fix.

Now, because I unplugged the modem I wasn't online and I couldn't get back on. I unloaded and reloaded the modem/adsl software and added hardware. All fine.

Then, after switching off the machine and restarting again, I don't have any ADSL connection, the machine tries to connect the new hardware it's just found (modem) but can't because all the information is on an external disc, so the machine crashes again.

Everything is fine if I disconnect from the internet but leave the machine running, but that's not really an option long term!

My warranties have expired and I'm in Portugal with a bad grasp of the language, in a low expat:nationals ratio area.

Any ideas?

Thanks

 

[ASSEMBLER]

have you looked in device manager to see if there are any conflicts with hardware. When it is installed.Also take out the modem and reinstall it in a different pci slot,sound daft but i have had similar probs and this has resolved the situation