cant detect my modem?

ajsie

hi!

some months ago i could easily plug in my modem to the COM-port and my windows xp pro would detect it.

but yesterday i plugged in my modem as usual but windows couldnt auto-detect it. to determine if it was something wrong with the COM-cable itselft i plugged it in and called my home phone and the computer started from soft off because it supports wake on modem. so i dont think its wrong with the cable.

and windows reports my COM ports are functional. i have also run detect PnP modem in control panel but it doesnt find anything. so what can it be? does someone know?

thx!