Kali with another sad dial up problem

[Kali]

Modem not detecting dialtone, line ok phone works fine. diagnostic on modem says ok but no dialtone. Any ideas? Posting from sons phone. Again. Sigh.

[struggle4progress]

1. I have an external modem that sometimes does that. I unplug and replug.

If it's an internal modem, you might try rebooting

Modems do die. But if you need to, you can probably replace it pretty cheap:

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_0_5?url=search-alias%3Delectronics&field-keywords=modem&sprefix=modem#/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Delectronics&field-keywords=pci+modem&rh=n%3A172282%2Ck%3Apci+modem

http://www.newegg.com/Store/SubCategory.aspx?SubCategory=18&name=Modems

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/category/category_slc.asp?CatId=157&name=56K-Modem&

http://www.walmart.com/browse/Computers/Networking/Modems/_/N-73i8Zaqg9?_refineresult=true&cat=126304&ic=_0&path=0%3A3944%3A3951%3A126297%3A126304&ref=331136+500841

[Kali]

3. Thx

Thx hard to use phone for search (me, anyway)

[ChromeFoundry]

2. Few things to try...

1) If you have Phone Company provided voicemail, the dial tone becomes broken when you have a message waiting.
After clearing out your voicemail box, try again when the regular dial tone is restored.

2) Check the physical cable going to the modem with a phone.
Could be a bad connection or damaged wires.

3) If all else fails, you can disable the modem's check for dial tone prior to dialing...
Assuming Windows XP:
Start -> Control Panel
Printers and Other Hardware
Phone and Modem Options
Modem tab
select modem with problem from the list of installed modems
Properties
Modem tab
Uncheck - "Wait for dial tone before dialing" checkbox.

[Kali]

4. Thx

No voice maol, lines all good, tried no dial tone option sorry for typos
Probably modem but chance it is antique phone lines, guess I need new modem to test

[Kali]

5. it was the modem

resolved thanks to radio shack in Sierra Vista (and FU to bestbuy and staples for laughing at me)

dial up may be slow and suck, but no connection sucks more!:bounce:

[struggle4progress]

6. Did you get an internal modem or a usb modem?

[Kali]

7. Internal, but it quit too :(

The mew one quit after about 90 minutes. The only thing I havent been able to try is looking at the ports throigh the debice manager. When I tty to see the lidt to look at properties there isnt one. However after trying varios slots for blth mldems, the current spot is listed as com 8 wtf?!?! There are only 3 slots! I need to either try this computer at another location or try another compter here. Too bad that is bzsically impossible. Any other ideas? Sorry about all the typos I cant see the part of the box where tje text is on this stupid phone screen.

[struggle4progress]

8. I don't use windows much. To get detailed help, you should probably post

(1) your operating system (XP? Vista? Windows 7?)
(2) exactly what modem you got

Here are some generic ideas:

(1) try reinstalling the modem driver. a CD containing it probably came with the modem

(2) try moving the modem to a different slot, if there's an empty one. maybe the slot has gone gimpy

(3) try replacing the BIOS battery. if your BIOS battery has died, some system settings may not survive when you turn off the machine, so the machine may fail to remember what hardware you have. advice here would depend on what machine you have, since different machines have different ways of accessing the BIOS and different BIOS options. the fix here would be to replace the battery. to try to decide whether this might be the problem, you need to access your BIOS (probably by tapping DEL or ESC or F2 when the machine boots) and then looking to see whether there's a setting for the modem. Caution: If you've never ever looked at the BIOS, this might not be the ideal time to start

(4) try booting a linux distro on your machine. mint or ubuntu probably will work; knoppix generally works if nothing else will. to do this, you need another machine with internet access, and (say) a 2gb thumbdrive: download Linux Live USB, install it, and follow the instructions to create a bootable usb. then you need to boot your machine from the thumbdrive; this will require entering the BIOS and changing the boot order so your machine tries first to boot from a usb stick, if one is present. you should then be able to run linux on your machine WITHOUT INSTALLING IT. with any luck, the linux distro will be able to run your modem (but if it can't, you'd have a real headache trying to figure out how to make it happen). if your modem works sometimes, but not always, you might suspect a gimpy slot or maybe the new modem is a lemon
<on edit:> you might research your modem before trying this: say: http://www.linmodems.org/

(5) if you're sure the BIOS is set right and your BIOS battery is good and the modem is good and it's in a happy slot, maybe you should worry about your operating system being corrupted, either because oldjunk files are everywhere or because you've got some virus or malware. don't take advice from me about that: ask the windows users here what they would do. the bleak end of the options is comnpletely reinstalling the operating system AFTER BACKING UP ALL YOUR FILES.

(5) if you've gotten to the end of the line, and you've reinstalled the operating system, and everything worked for a while maybe before crapping out, maybe the hard drive is dying: some system settings may be written to gimpy portions of the harddrive and may not survive there. the fix here would be to replace the harddrive and then reinstall the operating system. there are diskcheck routines you can use to check the disk first

(6) finally -- if you're having somebody else do the work for you, beware of "in for a penny, in for a pound"

[Kali]

9. Eek

Now I have a headache ;-)

[Kali]

10. It might be the phone line after all

I got irritated and decided to call qwest or whatever they call themselves now. Ended up having 2 different guys out this afternoon. The line is so long and so old, the second guy is going to have to come back in the morning and hike around to each pole to hunt for tne problem. I was beginning to thing I was finally goimg to nave to give up the dial up amd do something mote modern LOL

Again, sorry about the typos.

[Kali]

11. Nope

Seems to be the comuputer. Should I drop anotjer $30 on a usb external modem, or does it use tje same whatevef it is tnat is causing tje 2 internal modems to somehow short out tje phone line no matter which one or which slot?

[obxhead]

12. I feel your pain Kali.

I spent the last 3 months with less than dial up speeds to no connection at all.

I find your problem very odd. The new internal modem worked for 90 minutes and then quit. A couple of questions.

How old is the computer your working with?

When the phone company came out did they test the lines from inside the house or only from the box outside?

Have you tried pulling the new modem card out, booting the PC without it, then powering down and re-installing the new modem?

[Kali]

13. Clmputer is 5 years old and very low end

Lines tested everywhere, finally the tach called from the local office amd we played around with stuff - he could tell when the computer was plugged in because it kind of shortet stuff out. I have a little multi jack and if I listen on the phone when I plug the modem in there is no dial ton- it either does tje fast busy.signal or gives the "off the hook" recording. "If you would like to make a call, hang up and dial..."

This happens whether the computer is on or not, and in fact even with tje modem just sittin loose on the table! It is like something opened the.line permanently on both modems and they cant hang up...or something odd. One modem only has a line in jack, the other has a line in and a phone out...same deal - no dail tone if line in is attatched, juxt fast busy sig after the hamg up message.

have tried all slots, in out, uninstalled and reinstalled drivers, all troubleshooting hints in "help" EVERYthing,I can think of, except a usb exrernal modem. Was going to have son pick one up but it was sold!

The usual apologies for typos.

[struggle4progress]

14. I myself wouldn't buy a third modem, unless the place where I bought the second modem

would let me hand it back and credit my purchase towards the purchase of the usb modem

I think it's unlikely both modems are bad. You say you're having the same problem with both modems in any of the three slots. Maybe it's a problem with the motherboard and all three slots are suddenly malfunctioning in the same way -- but I think the next thing to check is the hard drive

I had a hard drive go bad on me once, about four years after I bought the computer. I didn't realize what was happening. Computer acted screwy. I spent a day backing everything up and then reinstalling. The fix lasted about a day. I spent another day backing everything up and then reinstalling. The fix lasted about another day. I got a new computer and set the hinky one aside. A few years later, I finally checked the hard drive in the old computer: it had lots of bad sectors; in fact, the surface was actually flaking off in some places. I think on my reinstallations, the operating system skipped the obvious bad sectors, but then a bit more surface would flake off and the computer wouldn't have some critical code, so I'd be right back up the creek

Maybe you have some bad sectors on your hard drive. If in the region where some modem code is installed, that might explain why both modems malfunction the same way. It might also explain why you got a few minutes from the new modem before it quit

Do you have the windows installation disks and the installation key (probably a number on a sticker on the outside of the case)? If so, you can

(1) make backup copies of all your important files on flashdrives or cds or dvds
(2) why not make a second backup copy of all your important files, just in case?
(3) reinstall windows and the appropriate modem driver
(4) does it work for a while?
(5) maybe you should run a checkdisk utility?
(6) maybe you should spend $30 on a new hard drive?


If I were going to spend another $30, I might get another hard-drive, carefully pull out the old one, carefully put in the new one, then use the install disks to reinstall windows

[Kali]

16. I did the back up today.and something strange happened

I just did the files that I might have changed since the last back up (April, not too bad, eh?)
I do two versions, one using nero and the other just copyimg Files to a dvd. During the nero back up there was an error message during compression that one file couldnt be compresses or something. When it was done I went to go see what it was. Just a scannen document in a jpg but now I couldnt do anything with it , tried renaming, deleting, moving, copying, editing. Wouldnt.let.me preview. I got it and put it back in tje folder fron a previous back up disc, but I had to rename the functional version.
As vor wiping and reinstalling I have the discs,but it feels a little overwelming at this point. I need to find instructions.
I just want to say thanks for all the ti,e you (and others) have spent tryimg to help me. I havent been saying that in every post cuz this tiny keyboard is such a pita, but please know Im saying it out loud everytime I see a new reply!

Edit oops forgot the error message when trying to do anything with that odd file:

"Error 'Doing anything with' file or folder

Can not 'do whatever to' filenameblah.jpg
Data Error (cyclic redundancy check)."

[struggle4progress]

18. The error message suggests a corrupted file. That doesn't prove your hard drive

has problems -- but it seems to me consistent with that

[obxhead]

15. Here's what I would do.

It reads like your a little handy.

If I were in your position (which I have been) this is what I would do.

Granted, this comes with me being a nerd and having tools and wire etc at my disposal.

First I would run a new phone line from the box to the modem. Now, This would be a temporary line, nothing pretty about it. It would run through windows and doors etc. I would connect that line to the box outside. You can probably access what you need from the "customer" side, but I wouldn't hesitate to crack open the "phone co" side if needed to do this. Connect the line to the box then wire up a (NEW) jack inside the house. Again, this jack I wired wouldn't be pretty and just floating somewhere on the floor or my desk. Use all NEW or KNOWN WORKING components (I hate to shout, but I have been burned SO MANY TIMES by burnt out 30 cent components). I would cut out any splitters and multijacks in that line. I would want nothing but a straight line between my PC and box on the side of the house. Then I would connect a phone to that line and call Zimbabwe with it to see how my new line works.

Doing all this work helps force the phone co to admit the problem may be in their lines, not yours.

If I were to succeed in that step I would start troubleshooting my PC. I would bring that bastard box down to bare bones. Pull every card that's not required and have no peripherals connected at all. In other words, I would have nothing but keyboard, mouse, monitor, and modem connected. Troubleshoot from there.

If it starts working again, awesome! The battle is not won yet though. Start plugging cards and devices in one by one. Use the pc for a bit with each new plug in. If it suddenly stops you (may) have found the problem.

That's what I would do. The scary part is diving into the phone box outside. It's only 4 wires though and all you have to do is color match.

I wish you very well with the repairs. Feel free to post here or PM me with any other questions or advice.

[Kali]

17. Heh,not afraid of box, but if I ever get back on line I will post a pick of it

At this point I am pretty sure it is the computer, but I might try running a new line if I can get.tje stuff at ace . The interior equip is MUCH younger than the outside stuff.

And LOL at lines hanging all over. Already there!:rofl:

[Kali]

19. Update/confirmation

So, I got a wireless device (and an exrernal adapter) hooked it all up , says I have good signal, all ok except no webpages. Status of conectin stays at looking for address. So it seems something is wrong wirh computer for sure. Tech fron verizon suggested a call to HP to see if tnere was some setting I could change. I told her they were just goig to szy machine is obsolete and that is what "Jane" (from India, I believe) just said. Best to get a new computrr. I said yeah, but that costs $ thankx so much. Sigh. Going to try the recovery/reinstall tomorrow.

Part of me is relieved, to KNOW wher the.problem is, but bummed that it seems the fix is a new computer - and really bummed tnat a fast wireless connection didnt work.