At 04:38 PM 4/16/98 -0700, you wrote:
>I have an AST 386SX to which I want to add an internal modem and a 3.5"
>floppy drive.  I have recently purchased one of each from local retailers
>thinking, "Parts is Parts".  Wrong!  My communication software, Commit, was
>never able to locate the modem.  The documentation stated the modem required
>Windows 3.1 or 95.  Is this a requirement for some modems (hardware)?  Or

There are modems that are made without some functions in hardware.  These
functions must be done in the software ... usually Windows drivers that are
supplied by the manufacturer.  These modems require that you use Windows
and will not work with DOS communications programs like Commit.  It looks
like this is what you have.  Return the modem immediately if you can and
get one that does not "require Windows".  The USR WinModem is one model
that is selling a lot lately that is like this.

>The floppy drive I brought home
>was half the size of my case's available bay (not a real problem), had pin
>connectors (my date cables connect to something more closely resembling a
>card), and the power cable connection was of a different size than exists in
>my system.
>
You should be able to buy a new floppy cable with the proper connector.
There are also adaptors to convert from these connectors to the pins (I
think I may still have one) but I do not recommend them as I had trouble
with some of them not giving a good connection.  Very old cables came only
with the edge-card like connector because that is what was used on 5.25"
drives.  Later, floppy cables came with both kinds of connectors.  Now,
with the disappearance of the larger drives, cables may only come with the
pin type connectors ...  The same is true for the power connections ... The
larger connectors are used with the old 5.25" floppies and with hard drives
and CD-ROMs.  The 3.5" floppies use a smaller power connector.  You can get
adaptors and splitters at computer stores and at Radio Shack.  One thing
you may not know about ... Very old computers may not support 1.44MB floppy
disks .. Your 386SX probably will, but it is something else you may have
problems with.  If it does not work, come back for more information.