Dear Person;..........

I have 2 computers , 2 problems & now 2 threads...

This one is for my Dell Optiplex GX1 400L....It has Win Pro SP-3 with Avast! , MBAM etc...
My other computer (Dell GX280 SFF ) (The one I'm on now) will not accept MBAM updates OR Java installs....
SOOoooo I tried to get the Dell Optiplex online to see if it would take Java & MBAM updates....
Won't go online....Here's what happens & what I tried to do to fix it....

The symptom is NO dial tone....I have my modem UNmuted so I can hear it dialing out....(When it's working)...
I ran the modem troubleshooter & it says everything is OK....It produced a dial tone during one of the tests...
It also dialed a test phone number successfully...
My phone line IS OK....
I totally removed NetZero with Revo Uninstaller....(UNBELIEVEABLY it found OVER 7,000 (<< NOT a typo) remnants !!!)
I Reinstalled NetZero....I used their wizard & it says everything is OK....
I also restored to an earlier date....NONE of the above worked....

So for quite awhile everything worked hunky dory , then I got that G.D. "Devil Monster" on my GX 280 & everything went to hell in a wicker basket.... .....

In my layman terms , we're missing a piece of info to tell the modem to dial the damm phone #...
I'm 99% certain that the NetZero file IS OK....Reason is , I reinstalled it from a KNOWN good CD from Netzero.....So I don't think we can blame NetZero for the foul-up...
I also re-installed the modem driver & that's OK....The modem IS OK as I'm online with it now....

SOOOOooooo , What do I do now.....

BTW: THAT computer IS virus , trojan & malware FREE.....I've ran MBAM , Avast! , SpyBot & Windows Defender ....ALL show a clean computer....


Your help WILL be GREATLY appreciated......

Later....Ron.M.... .....

Dear People;....
An unabashedly blatant "bump".... .....

As of this post , there have been 194 of you reading this.... ...That's good....BUT....
I STILL have the problem.... .....
The last post (Mine ) was on 9-17-09......
Today makes OVER 2 weeks without a reply....

I'm certain someone here can help....

THANK you VERY much for your anticipated help....

Later....Ron.M...... ...... ..... .....

Hi Ron,

1 Check that the cable from your modem to the wall socket is plugged into the "Line" connection socket of your modem (your modem has 2 sockets that look alike...one is labelled "phone" the other is labelled "line" and the cable must be plugged into the socket labelled "line" once you have checked this ..then check it again!
if you are happy that you are in the right socket (so to speak) then use a known good cable just as a double check.
Now try to connect and see how you go.
if no good then:

2 Next take an ordinary phone and plug it into the modem socket labelled "phone" you should be able to hear a dial tone through the phone...report back please on what you find.

3 Are you aware that there is a modem driver update issued on Aug 22 last year ? If you have not downloaded and installed this it might be worthwhile.

4 If you have a "call waiting" facility on your phone system you will need to disable this before you will be able to get a dial tone through your computer......
the usual way to do this is to insert a few commas,,, in front of the telephone number that you use to dial your Internet service Provider
More details available from here:
http://www.dmmsupport.com/index.php?action=kb&article=14
Regards
paws

paws:....

In reply to your post:...

Your #1;....
From my post #1;..""The symptom is NO dial tone....""....
Let me explain this a bit further....The phone line coming in to the computer is OK....
I've ran "Modem Check" , Wizards , etc & ALL say everything is OK....
When I try to get online , I do NOT hear any dialing OR a dial tone (Modem IS unmuted )...
This IS a weird problem....

Your #2;...The modem IS OK.....IF that's what this part is about....I have only one Modem & switch it back & forth between the 2 computers as I need to.....I'm using it right now on the Dell GX280 SFF...When I need to use the Dell GX1, I merely take out the modem from this unit & put it into the GX1....No problems till recently....And , yes , I do hear a dial tone...

Your #3;....
No , I'm not.....I'm willing to give it a shot....
Since both computers have the SAME driver installed , I'm not too hopeful for any miracle....
I "Googled" it & found it here;...

http://www.diamondmm.com/SM56PCILE.php

I will make a floppy & transfer to the GX1 later....I'll also post back with results...

Your #4;...
I do NOT have call waiting & tried the "comma" thing with no joy....

One thing I need to make perfectly clear here...==>..

There is NO audible dial tone when I try to connect online... ....


paws;..
I will let you know the results in a day or two....

THANK you VERY much for your informative reply..... ....



Later...Ron.M..... .....

This post has been edited by Ron.M: Oct 4 2009, 04:12 PM

paws or ??? ...

......

Bad news... ...I found the modem update....
Could not get it all on a floppy....Put the ,exe file on the floppy.....
Opened & installed on this unit just fine......
Hooked up the other unit , inserted the floppy & could NOT open the file...


Would not install......Tinkered around with NetZero file....
Tried to uninstall , reinstall several times...
Used Revo uninstaller several times ...
Now NetZero is messed up....
Today when I first turned on that unit , I got a "New Hardware Found" graphic....
The unit then offered to install it with a "Wizard" & I let it attempt to do it....
That failed also....
I now have a driver (??) problem with "A6FZK6V0 IDE" controller....(SCSI & RAID Controler) ....Whatever the hell that is....
That may be part OR all of the problem ???


I'm real close to

It's just a simple little problem , he said.....

Any other ideas , folks ????


Later....Ron.M..... .....

Hi Ron


This is most unlikely to be anything to do with the problem......
Let me check please on one thing:

You mentioned that you have two computers but only one 56k dial up modem, and each time you need to use a machine, that doesn't have the modem installed, you:

1 shut down both machines, disconnect, each from the mains
2 Disconnect all wires from both machines (hope you're got them all labelled correctly) and hold down the power button on each machine for 10 seconds.
3 Taking full ESD precautions (anti static) and full personal safety requirements, including bringing your self, the metal of the computers and the modem to the same V potential, having opened both computers, you carefully remove the modem, in the approved manner, placing it on an anti-static mat pending transfer to the other machine.
4 Constantly touching the other computer's metal casing and the modem, you fit the modem in the approved manner, close up the machine, reconnect all the wires and start it up.......

If this is the case Ron, then I take my hat off to you......

just touching for an instant, internal parts of your machine without the full ESD precautions could start a failure process in your machine that could take some time (many months even to come to "fruition")

I would strongly recommend that you do not adopt this method of transfering modem from machine to machine unless on one occasion only say, it becomes necessary.
Most repair shops have a "box of stuff" that will contain 56k modems, if you tell them what you have been doing they will probably fish one out of the box and give it to you free of charge...the repair shops in mky neck of the woods would do so anyway!

I know budget is tight..but strongly recommend you investigate a basic broadband connection...... maybe there are other ISP's in your locality that would provide an inexpensive service? You will get an Internet that is at least 10 times faster than you are getting on dial up and maybe 30 40 or a 100 times faster with a bit of luck...... just as an example if you managed to obtain a broadband service at an acceptable price to you and the speed was 60 times as fast as your current dial up then what now takes an hour to download would fly down in one minute, a page that loads now in one minute would load under BB in a second!

If the BB route is not available in your area then see if you can borrow a new modem or as a last resort buy one although they are very cheap...borrow one is best!.....and whilst you are at it as there are probably configuration errors on your machine...(The one that can't connect,) maybe its time to check that your back up is 100% accurate up to date and reproducible and then consider a fresh install of Windows and your applications especially if you have not done this within the last year or three.
Regards
paws

paws;....

THANK YOU VERY much for the VERY informative reply.... ....

Of the 4 points you list , I do abouit 95% of the items....So just "tip" your hat...... .....
As a retired TV tech , I know VERY well about ESD in certain areas on certain TV sets...

This is NOT a daily event....I did it to run a check on MBAM updates...(In another thread )....I was advised here by another WTT Tech that as long as cautions were observed that I could do it safely.....& I do.!!!
I use it as a back-up computer when this one screws up.....One computer is NOT enough these days....


IF this were the case in MY neck of the woods , I'd be as happy as a big "Lottery" winner....The shops around here are owned & operated by vultures....


I AM looking into a BB connection....


I feel certain there's a configuration error or 2 or 3 on that unit....
I have pretty much decided to give up trying to find & fix it as no one seems to know how or where it is....
I am leaning towards a Windows "Repair" rather than a fresh install....
Wouldn't that give me a better shot a fixing the problen & saving some if not all my files , etc ???.....
I had NO idea that you have to do a "fresh" install of Windows every 1 to 3 years.!!!...... .....
Is that true ????

Best Regards....


Later...Ron.M.... ....

Hi Ron,
This post may bring a fusilade of "shots" at me for such heretical views.......so I will don my tin helmet, before replying!...

When a machine has a number or errors and hardware works in one machine but not in another, then generally, if its not a fault in other hardware items in the uncooperative machine, then a format and reinstall of Windows can be a quicker answer than detailed and time consuming troubleshooting in an attempt to fix it. Please notice the emphasis on the word "can"

The generally accepted view (among a lot of people...but not everyone) is that Windows XP is a mature and stable operating system and does not need a format and reinstall at regular intervals merely as a prophylactic measure.......and in addition, when you do a format and reinstall, you don't actually learn about what the problem was and the method of fixing it........

If you do the format (rather than a repair installation) you wipe the disc,so everything on there will be gone, good stuff and bad stuff alike. Its important that folks understand this and ensure that their backup/copy/archive of everything that is important to them is 100% accurate up to date, reproducible, and kept safe on removable media before going ahead. This back up would also include product application serial keys, any downloadable installation files for favourite applications, and having looked out and put in a safe place all Windows installation discs, whether these be Microsoft ones or Manufacturer's ones and all driver discs. Having said that a format and reinstall can provide amazing performance enhancements as most folks are unaware of the slow but performance sapping accumulations of stuff including junk, that creeps in day by day and over a few years can have a bad effect on performance unless cleaned out regularly.

A repair installation (non destructive) doesn't wipe the disc (and doesn't normally provide a general performance improvement) but reinstall Windows on top of itself, so to speak, and this may do the trick (although I suspect not)..........however you should still make sure of your back up.......
one final point Ron is that whether you do a format and reinstall of windows or a Repair Install on top (non destructive) you will need to do the Windows updates including all service packs and critical updates that will be gone........ This is not therefore to be undertaken lightly.........

I would not even contemplate doing this on dial up Internet.......to my mind a BB connection is essential for downloading all the updates service packs etc

If there is anyway you can get BB at an acceptable cost then I would strongly recommend it.
Regards
paws

Comment to Paws:

No fusillade of shots will be coming your way.

You have offered sensible advice in a very difficult situation.

Doug

paws & Doug;....


Just to enlighten you all a bit , in my novice experience , I knew from the begining that the modem was / is NOT at fault....
I KNOW that something went south in the GX1 computer....Whether it be 1 , 2 , or more items , I have no clue...
It IS the bit of information that tells the modem to pick up the phone line so Netzero can dial out that is messed up......
Where that's at & how to fix it is anybodys guess....
What REALLY bothers me is "why" & "how" it happened....
Since the computer was unplugged & disconnected from the phone line , a virus , etc , is NOT the cause...

paws;....


I totally agree...The cause & repair would have benefited us all...

Can you give me a definitive yes or no to my quote below, please.???....
OR is this your answer.???



I intend to do a "Repair Install" first....
Then try it out to see if that takes care of the problem....
If not , we go for the jugular & do a complete wipe & install....
As for the updates . I have been there , done that on dial-up....
I have learned to tolerate the length of time & slowness of dial-up...
As I said earlier , I'm checking into BB...


Doug & paws;...

Even tho we/you did not nail this problem to surgically correct it, I want you BOTH to know I REALLY appreciate your efforts.....

THANK you BOTH for ALL your efforts & advice....


Later....Ron.M...... .....

Dear Doug , paws , & anyone who has gotten this far on the thread !!!

This will probably be my last post on this thread....(Updateing)...

I started with a "Repair Install" first....
During the install a graphic popped up with an error code for "Com + Setup error"....Could not be found , failed to load the library in yada,yada....
After that error there were 5 more slightly different error graphics reffering to "Windows Update Errors"...
I clicked "OK" on every one & allowed the process to proceed.....When it was done , I had to install my modem & Netzero programs... AND when I tried to go online , NO dial tone !!!....
SOOooo I went for the jugular & did a raw total re-install.... NO dial tone !!!
It was then that I noticed another modem was installed , so there was 2 modems in one computer....
I took out the unknown modem , did some re-installs & re-boots & Waaa Laaaa , got not only a dial tone , BUT it dialed a number & got online !!!...
I put the 2nd modem (Lucent ??) back in to confirm if it was the fault & it still dialed a number & went online !!!
After ALL this BS , I/we STILL don't know if it was the errors OR the 2nd modem causeing the problem...

xxx xxx xxxx xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx xxxx xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx

Doug & paws; PLEASE reply to what I have below....


Just a theory on what "may" have happened..
The OS somehow got corrupted with those 6 errors over time...
The computer somehow shifted default from the SuperMax modem to the Lucent , similar to the way you pick a default printer....
I "may" have turned on the computer without the SuperMax modem installed & Windows may have made what it saw as the default modem...ie; the Lucent...
Since I was hooking up the phone line to the modem I thought was the default modem (the SuperMax ) , is why I couldn't get a dial tone...
During the re-installs , the SuperMax was NOT in the computer...
So after the re-installs , the SuperMax was NOT seen by Windows...Just the "Lucent"...
When I removed the Lucent , Windows saw the SuperMax & made it the default modem...
I hope you're not as confused as I was typing that...
Anywhoo , What are your thoughts on this theory ???



Again , THANK you BOTH for ALL your help...

Later...Ron.M....

I'm certainly not going to argue THEORY with a guy who has the power to be beamed up into an UFO!

But yes, your thoughts make sense.

Glad you got this one sorted.

Doug & paws;,....

Doug;...
Apparently paws is on vacation......Thanks for your reply...
Anyway this IS my last post on this thread...



Thanks again for ALL your help.... .......

Catch ya later sometime.....Ron.M.... .........

Paws taking another holiday caravan? .... well good for him.
He works so hard, he deserves it!