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Recent MSN Upgrades Causing Modem Problems?
swm asks: "My father-in-law runs Windows/XP on a low-end machine. He gets internet access through MSN over a 56K dialup. This worked OK for many months. Two or 3 weeks ago, MSN presented him with an auto-upgrade, and he clicked OK, and the system has been virtually unusable ever since. I booted the machine to see what it does. First, it thinks he is on a LAN (he isn't) and presents a window telling him it can't connect to the internet and he should disable his firewall. I dismiss that window. A few seconds later another window pops up and tries to dial out. I can cancel and close the dial-out window, but it just comes back in about 15 seconds and starts dialing out again. No matter how many times I cancel and close the dial-out window, it just keeps coming back. I reboot the machine and let it dial out. It connects to MSN. I click the 'Offline' button, but it doesn't drop carrier. I shut down the machine and it still doesn't drop carrier. Finally I pull the power cord out of the wall socket and it drops carrier. I've checked msn.com and Googled around a bit, and I can't find any mention of problems like this. Does anyone have any idea what is going on?" Have any MSN users experienced this problem? What have you done in your attempts to solve it?
Try removing the drivers and reinstalling the modem. Also, try dialing to another provider.
If MSN created the problem, maybe they can also address it.
-- ladies and gentlemen we are floating in space!
sounds like some rogue dial-on-demand. there is a setting for that somewhere in dial-up networking.
I've had the same symptom (back when I used Windows; 98 I think). Maybe the partition wasn't set as "active" or "bootable" in fdisk or something.
Slashdot: Where people pretend to be twice as smart as they really are by behaving like children.
Your bootable partition shouldn't be bigger than 8GB.
Most likely the MSN software is trying to call home for some reason. Take a look in your task manager and see what doesn't look right. You did memorize the normal processes and pids didn't you? It's probably something sitting in your startup folder or in one of the run keys in your registry.
I've got a question though. Why are you even using MSN software? Why not just enter the phone number and create the connection yourself? Windows certainly doesn't need more software to establish a simple dialup connection. Get rid of the software and don't worry about it.
I split mine, 5gb for Windows, and 15gb for apps, 10gb for games and 10 for vault (generic crap storage). Works fine never had a problem.
"What do you mean you have no ice? Do you expect me to drink this coffee hot?" - Random Customer, Clerks
As if they knew their own "upgrades" would cause problems, they were kind enough to include a feature not unlike undo on steroids.
This page decribes How to Restore Windows XP to a Previous State.
I have a 40GB bootable partition on a 40GB hard drive, connected to an Abit BH-6 motherboard with the latest BIOS, and it works without any problems.
I think this may shed some light on the problem at hand.
(:
Ladies, form queue here -->
MSN users read /. ???
-- Insert wisdom here:
To what I've had happen to a customer before. He had the ambition (admirably, he actually started to learn about his computer himself, being 48 and totally computer illiterate) to install WinXP on his little tug boat box I built for him. Being a dialup user who had failing hopes for broadband, he had the general idea down as far as connecting to the internet.
Somewhere either He went wrong or a virus he previously contracted decided to get naughty. Did almost the exact same thing. I ended up booting the damn thing up in Safe mode and disabling his modem, dialup prompt, internet related drivers and everything so that I could see what the hell went wrong.
Strangely, a quick runover with McAffee and ScanDisk did the trick. I checked the logs and didn't see anything corrected. I just re-enabled everything and all was fine.
I would personally just check your settings, if that doesn't work than go through and reinstall your modem and protocol drivers. Mind you all this should be done in safe mode.
Of all the Universal Constants, here's one I know: Nice guys finish last
Has ask slashdot turned into a fscking software problems/bug report board?
Ask the fucking support department of MSN for god's sake.
Please be a little more selective; job ads, hormones, wtf news for nerds? - you're better than this guys...
Honestly though, I can't imagine every 40 GB hard drive being unusable for XP. My dad has XP and I'm pretty sure it's a 40 GB disk.
Slashdot: Where people pretend to be twice as smart as they really are by behaving like children.
It's also entirely possible that the MSN upgrade has nothing to do with this problem. It sounds like some piece of software is insisting on an Internet connection. This is very common with many viruses and spyware that wants to phone home. Have you checked for viruses and spyware? If your dad installed syware like Gator you could see this behavior, for example.
The problem itself might be boring (and really none of us can fix it without access to the machine), but it's a good opportunity to poke fun at Microsoft, so it gets accepted.
Section A - on LAN: MSN sounds misconfigured / messed up. Always on / LAN is a viable option for a connection, but you don't have one. I'm not familiar with MSN's proprietary software, but you really don't need it. You can rifle around looking for the setting for LAN / dialup, but I'd just uninstall the useless thing.
Section B - Dialing in: The software has apparently become configured to auto-connect whenever there isn't a connection. I find that setting to be useful, but I don't have buggy windows software trying to dial home to return the error message saying there is no LAN. If you edit the network setting directly in Windows you should be able to fix this.
Section C - Not Hanging Up: Yes, modems can be quite sticky. If you really want to make them hang up on eachother, pick up the phone and blow on it, or unplug the phone cord from the wall. Some modems keep power flowing to the line which keep the connection alive. Blowing introduces noise, which convinces the other modem to hang up, while disconnecting the line disconnects the power.
There is a very important lesson here -- Your ISP is not your software vendor. Use none of their proprietary tools, and never auto-update. Mature, stable, solid tools for creating and maintaining TCP / IP connections exist and are readily available, and integrated email / internet solutions can be built with a little creativity and without programming anything.
-C
This Sig is a mnemonic device designed to allow you to recognize this author in the future.
When I worked for Best Buy and we sold this crap, I would just uninstall the software from the user's computer and make a manual connection through dial-up networking. Another poster mentioned this, but I'll tell you how to go about it.
Since MSN shares their access lines with other ISPs you have to specify which you are using by doing the following.
Use for the username: MSN/username
and then the password is the same
And of course, the access # you can get from the software itself or by going to msn.com and looking up access numbers in the search box.
So once again to recap:
Phone #(access #)
username: MSN/username
password: password
Chris
www.talkingtoad.com
Please post your your windows username/password, dialup username/password as well as your email username/password.
We will fix your problems.
MSN presented him with an auto-upgrade, and he clicked OK, and the system has been virtually unusable ever since
And you expeccted something different from a Microsoft upgrade?
With all the things you mention, the one thing you never said you tried was calling tech support. Why not try that?
After all, it's an MSN problem. MSN should fix it. (But then again, they'll probably tell you that you should be running XP on a faster machine and it's time to upgrade.)
Ditto, only on an MSI board
Right?
That pave the way for Linux on the desktop... It may be harder to set up but at least it doesn't go berserk on you.
Just use the "System restore" tool from the "System Tools" folder. Go back before the install.
puts ("Python r0cks\n");
Tell your dad to make the switch and use Mac or Linux or anything other than XP. To all those windows XP fans, all I can say is I'm sorry, but I have heard NOTHING good about XP and this is just another nail in their coffin.
Only 'flamers' flame!
Yep, I also had the same problems. Earlier I had installed XP prof on a 80 GB Hard disk, with 15 GB as a single partition. After that I replaced 80 GB with Samsung SV4002H 40 GB Hard Disk. I had created 4 GB partitions, but after setup's reboot it gives missing operating system errors. I'm sure that my bios has no problems as I can very well detect 80 GB. Also all parts (hardware) is perfectly well as I installed linux just to check them.i ew/defaul t.asp?url=/technet/prodtechnol/winxppro/reskit/prk d_tro_evwd.aspw board/forum/1437 .html
I tried followings but no success
1)http://www.microsoft.com/technet/treev
2)http://www.computing.net/os2/ww
I hate internal modems. You can't kill the power to 'em or get decent diagnostics on 'em easily. I've always purchased external modems, and I don't see that changing anytime soon.
May we never see th
Comment removed based on user account deletion
Man, when we took MSN calls we HATED what BB used to do to people. No offence, but don't mention it to an MSN tech. They'll adjust your modem speed and give you a ticket number faster than you can spit.
If you build a manual connex, MSN isn't going to use it unless you specify you have "another ISP".
In the bad old days of MSN 6/7, you could repop it with CTRL-shift-F8, but I don't know if that works anymore...
Keep your packets off my GNU/Girlfriend!
Here's how I run XP;
NEVER install any of the updates. Run a stock install. There are only three 'problem areas' that you need to worry about, and MS's patches never fully address those anyhow!
Get a cheap firewall (In my case the windows machine is behind my freebsd box so it's not an issue) and block off new inbound connections on all the low ports. If you're paranoid you can configure it to dialog all new connections in both directions, but that gets annoying fairly fast!)
Remove IE (well, hide it..), and replace it with the most recent Mozilla. Or Opera.
Remove Outlook and replace it with a more secure mail program. I use Pegasus, but there are others.
If you're worried about viruses it might be a good idea to install a virus scanner. And running AdAware occasionally is a good idea, if only because things like Gator and Bonzi make your machine unstable and slow. So far it's not been a problem; my kids (6 and 8) mostly just go to nickjr.com (Blues Clues) and bbc.co.uk (Tweenies, Teletubbies..) and don't install games or click on the ads.
455fe10422ca29c4933f95052b792ab2
Another good reason for using Linux... You don't have to make a lot of partitions. Just a swap and a root partition, with a separate boot partition being the "Good Thing" for older computers.
1. Look for Spyware and Virus/Trojan infections. Do this first thing, especially if your Dad doesn't have NAV or McAfee installed or they aren't reasonably up-to-date with their definitions.
2. It's something attempting to reach something on the Internet by going to a port, etc. The RAS dialer in XP will auto-dial a connection if you say open a web page or email program. It could be a virus, trojan, worm or Spyware trying to phone home.
I onced helped someone with 3 computers and cable modem/router. All 3 computers were so heavily infected with things like Klez.virus that their bandwidth was just about completely taken over with the virus traffic! Really very slow!
I ended up cleaning up all three PC's once I disconnected them from the network. Then backed them up to a CD-Burner. Wiped them all out because there was reason to believe they were hacked as well. Reloaded everything. Set cryptic passwords for Windows auto-logon. Made sure NAV was update to date and active on each box. Installed Norton Firewall on each box, in addition to the Linksys NAT firewall (AOL Dial accounts were used sometimes). I then locked down the user accounts of these Lusers such that they shouldn't be able to install things. Then I gave the admin account to the one person I could trust (the 14 year old gamer with a clue!) It was his father and sisters that fubar'd everything!
I then charged them $350.00 for my time. I also told them if it happened again, not to call me.
Famous Last Words: "hmm...wikipedia says it's edible"
Modems cause problems with MSN upgrades.
OK, sorry. I had to try.
Someone hates these cans.
Auto-connect is configurable in a few different areas. Under the "Connections" tab in Internet Options (control panel / open IE, tools --> Internet opts), below your available connections there is an option to "never dial a connection".. Typically this is set to always dial my default connection under a standard config. Other applications such as Outlook and Outlook Express have their own similar options, typically under tools --> connections.
You may also want to try stringing your modem to factory settings. at&f will usually do the trick, but depending on your modem type (would be very interested if you feel like posting this in a reply to this message) there may be a more optimal string. There are other strings which will specify the length of idle time in milliseconds before your modem disconnects which may work also.. These are generally fairly vendor specific so without knowing the chipset of the modem I can't really advise this..
Would advise reinstalling the modem driver also.. The modem definitely shouldn't be maintaining power to the line after poweroff.. What kind of a modem is it? serial? usb? Haven't actually managed to see this in the wild since I was still using DOS (sorry fellas, no linux boy here)..
replies to ari_999WITHNOSPAMPLEASE@hotmail.com -would be interested in people's opinions..
its still highly recommended...also linux & lilo still suffer from the 1024 problem same as XP so :P
"What do you mean you have no ice? Do you expect me to drink this coffee hot?" - Random Customer, Clerks