Concerning my earlier post of "What Do You Make Of This"
Moderator: Wiz Feinberg
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Bill Myrick
- Posts: 2567
- Joined: 21 Feb 1999 1:01 am
- Location: Pea Ridge, Ar. (deceased)
- Contact:
Concerning my earlier post of "What Do You Make Of This"
The thought occurred to me--since I only have this problem when online--would it be a waste of time and money to install a new modem ?? A $ 50.00 deal and even I can do that. I was thinking the only thing running online that isn't off line would be my modem right ? or---- not that simple ? I'm interested in your comments and thanks guys very much. Bill
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Tom Diemer
- Posts: 244
- Joined: 26 Nov 2000 1:01 am
- Location: Defiance, Ohio USA
Hi Bill, thanks for the email 
My thoughts on this, for what it's worth.
I doubt very much your modem is to blame. A modem is a very simple device, just an interface to a phone line. There is a chip, containing a program with the AT command set in it, but usually you would lose it all, not just one little part like this, if it were to fail. It just wouldnt work anymore. A bad modem will not dial, or will disconnect often.
Some modems, called Winmodems, contain the AT commands in software that is loaded with the driver, instead of on the modem itself, and runs in windows. It could be that the driver is corrupt, but again, replacing the modem really wouldn't be the answer to a software driver problem.
We need to see what is loading when Windows starts, and get out anything that isnt needed, and start ruling things out. And we need to check your device manager, to make sure all your hardware is working correctly. Jack is right, video is a good place to start. And a video problem is very difficult to diagnose.
However, it doesnt seem logical to me, that a video problem would only act up when online, unless there is an application that is causing it to, that runs when on line.
ICQ can cause problems like this (because of the user and email database it uses), if it gets corrupt. Perhaps try shutting it down before you get on line, to see if the problem goes away. Anything else you may have running, like Yahoo messenger, AIM, or the like? Internet accelerator programs?
I'm with Jack on this. Memory or Video, if it's hardware related.
Bill, if you wish, I will email you detailed information, on how to check your system files for corruption, or out of version files, how to scan your registry for errors, things like that.
The problem with that, though, is it will only fix 'windows' files, and won't even check other application files.
Oh, on Norton, disable auto-protect, and see if the problem disappears. Norton 2000 and above, autoprotect is a real horsepower hog.
It's on Options/System/Autoprotect on the Norton menu. Uncheck the box to unload it.
You might try that, to see if anything changes. At least it would give you a place to start.
My best guess: you have a driver, or corrupt application, that is causing a DMA conflict with the video driver. Now to find it....
Anyone else with ideas?
Tom
P.S. sorry this is so long.
My thoughts on this, for what it's worth.
I doubt very much your modem is to blame. A modem is a very simple device, just an interface to a phone line. There is a chip, containing a program with the AT command set in it, but usually you would lose it all, not just one little part like this, if it were to fail. It just wouldnt work anymore. A bad modem will not dial, or will disconnect often.
Some modems, called Winmodems, contain the AT commands in software that is loaded with the driver, instead of on the modem itself, and runs in windows. It could be that the driver is corrupt, but again, replacing the modem really wouldn't be the answer to a software driver problem.
We need to see what is loading when Windows starts, and get out anything that isnt needed, and start ruling things out. And we need to check your device manager, to make sure all your hardware is working correctly. Jack is right, video is a good place to start. And a video problem is very difficult to diagnose.
However, it doesnt seem logical to me, that a video problem would only act up when online, unless there is an application that is causing it to, that runs when on line.
ICQ can cause problems like this (because of the user and email database it uses), if it gets corrupt. Perhaps try shutting it down before you get on line, to see if the problem goes away. Anything else you may have running, like Yahoo messenger, AIM, or the like? Internet accelerator programs?
I'm with Jack on this. Memory or Video, if it's hardware related.
Bill, if you wish, I will email you detailed information, on how to check your system files for corruption, or out of version files, how to scan your registry for errors, things like that.
The problem with that, though, is it will only fix 'windows' files, and won't even check other application files.
Oh, on Norton, disable auto-protect, and see if the problem disappears. Norton 2000 and above, autoprotect is a real horsepower hog.
It's on Options/System/Autoprotect on the Norton menu. Uncheck the box to unload it.
You might try that, to see if anything changes. At least it would give you a place to start.
My best guess: you have a driver, or corrupt application, that is causing a DMA conflict with the video driver. Now to find it....
Anyone else with ideas?
Tom
P.S. sorry this is so long.
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Bill Myrick
- Posts: 2567
- Joined: 21 Feb 1999 1:01 am
- Location: Pea Ridge, Ar. (deceased)
- Contact:
Hi Tom and thanks for taking all the trouble to make such a nice response. I understand what you are saying about the modem now. I am trying to remember anything that I have added or changed since I got this computer and the only thing I can remember is I had to replace the modem twice this summer due to lightening and it seemed like maybe it started doing this sometime after that but may not be related at all. Also, I only recently installed Norton 2000 so it was doing it well before then. I have a zone alarm program but it has always been there.This new computer has ran a year now and I've only had this problem 2 to 3 months.
As far as other programs running, ICQ and Yahoo never open automatically. I very seldom have more than one application at a time running. I have experimented several ways and it will do it with nothing open at all--just setting there online I mean.
If you don't mind and have the time, I would love you to e-mail me but please remember, I am a novice at this so I may need to know where to go to find certain things. Thanks again, I surely appreciate everyones interest and help. Bill
As far as other programs running, ICQ and Yahoo never open automatically. I very seldom have more than one application at a time running. I have experimented several ways and it will do it with nothing open at all--just setting there online I mean.
If you don't mind and have the time, I would love you to e-mail me but please remember, I am a novice at this so I may need to know where to go to find certain things. Thanks again, I surely appreciate everyones interest and help. Bill
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winston
- Posts: 1478
- Joined: 4 Aug 1998 11:00 pm
- Location: Frankfort, Kentucky 40601
Bill
I am certainly am not any kind of computer wizzard but I had a modem go shot on my computer and the thing went nuts. Sometimes it would boot up, sometimes not, sometimes it would just quit. By accident I removed the modem and the machine worked fine. I bought a modem from a fellow forumite and have had no more problems with that computer.
Just my 2 cents worth.
I am certainly am not any kind of computer wizzard but I had a modem go shot on my computer and the thing went nuts. Sometimes it would boot up, sometimes not, sometimes it would just quit. By accident I removed the modem and the machine worked fine. I bought a modem from a fellow forumite and have had no more problems with that computer.
Just my 2 cents worth.