Windows 7 XP emulation mode question

I recently purchased a new Toshiba Satellite with Windows 7 on it. It is primarily for use on board my sailboat for navigation and e-mail via my satellite phone. It is a NERA Fleet 33 Satellite phone that works perfectly (replacement cost $7500). It utilizes a computer interface software called NERA VT Lite Mobile (for e-mail and internet connection. Slow but fairly reliable). NERA has exited the sat phone business and is not updating the software to operate on Windows 7. Old XP program (works perfectly on old XP machine) will not function on Windows 7 (computer is not recognizing the USB input from the sat phone). I have tried running VT Lite in Windows 7 "compatibility mode". Nothing. Old XP driver has .INF extension. I Could I upgrade my Windows 7 Home Premium to Windows 7 Professional with XP emulation mode and get the sat phone interface to work? Will a serial type interface like a sat phone function in the XP emulation mode? Will the computer recognize a driver with a .inf suffix in the XP emulation mode?

Kari:
I am sorry to be slow...
I got through all these steps until I got here. How do I get to the XP Mode settings when XP mode is completely shut down? One more question since I am already showing my lack of computer literacy, How do I determine the modem's real physical port in 7? When I plug in the USB, it shows in devise manager but I don't see how to determine it's port assignment?


Go back to XP Mode settings when it's completely shut down, and select COM1 on the left pane. Select Physical serial port and choose the fax modem's real, physical port (which it has in Windows 7) from drop down list. Select Wait for modem command to open port. Click OK to save settings:



Run XP Mode and install Fax software, and modem from inside the fax program.