Win98SE DialUp Problems

[OZEE]

I've been fighting with this for some time now... It's not all the time, but nearly every time I try to dialin to ISP (yeah -- I know -- I'm out in rural KS stuck with dialup, no hopes of ever getting broadband...)

Anyway - often when I click on the icon for my dialup, it'll come up with a small dialog box with a red circle and an OK button. Clicking the OK button then brings up a small dialog box with a yellow triangle with an "!" in it, and an OK button. Clicking the OK button clears the screen. When it does this, I have to reboot - then everything is fine.

I've seen a couple of things on microsoft's support site about corrupt dun and telephony files - I've done all these fixes (rebuilding the telephon.ini and other telephony files, reinstalling the telephony files from the cab's, etc.)

Any other hints? My wife's about ready to kill the 'puter ...

Thanks in advance!

OZEE

EDIT:
If it matters... just changed mobo from Amptron K7-807 to IWILL KK266R. This didn't change anything. The modem is an external BOCA MD56DEE with current drivers, flashed up to v.90.

:disgust:

 

[compudog]

When you switched from the Amptron to the Iwill did you re-install the OS? If not, then then Windows is still looking for the original amptron modem (probably a cheapo integrated or AMR type) Anyway, uninstall all modems from control panel and then device manager. Then go into the C:\Windows\INF directory and delete any .inf files that pertain to any modems. Reboot with your external modem disconnected and check control panel/modems to see if any are listed. If not, great. Shut the PC down and hook back up the external modem. Then restart and follow the hardware wizard and install the latest drivers. Modems can be a big PIA! This should work (or some variation of the same.) PM me if I can be of more help.

 

[OZEE]

No, I didn't reinstall the os (do I really need to?) and I was using the same modem on the old mobo. And it was doing it in the old config, too.

I've already uninstalled modem and reinstalled. Everything says it's working ok.

 

[DAPUNISHER]

Since you went from the KT133 to KT133A chipset you shouldn't need to do a clean install, however, did you update the via 4in1 drivers? Also, are you making sure that the modem is on before you power on the computer? If not that's the problem and explains why it works fine after the reboot. Let us know how your getting on.

 

[michec]

Boot up in safe mode (tap F8 after the memory has stopped counting) and check the device manager. Is your modem listed twice? The device manager in safe mode keeps track of all hardware that has been installed whether or not you are using it in your existing configuration. If the Boca modem is listed more than once, delete all of the listings, reboot, and re-install. Actually, anything that shows up twice, you should remove and re-detect/re-install (except for PCI steering).

 

[OZEE]

OK, I've now updated the 4in1 to v4.37 - that didn't change anything.

Also went to the device manager in safe mode. Found lotsa duplicates on several devices. Went through and killed 'em ... then nothing worked. Had to redetect and resetup nearly everything. (I've got 4 profiles setup in Win98 - one for me, one for my wife, one for both of the kids... it appears that the dupes were associated with each of the profiles...)

Anyway, it's still happening... Might try to do a reinstall over the top of what's there...

Any more ideas?!?

 

[OZEE]

^

 

[billyjak]

I would get a different modem and try that.
It seems your drivers are not loadind properly.
Try changing 6he IRQ assignment
You can disable the serial ports in bios to free up another IRQ port, and put the modem on the new IRQ

 

[OZEE]

OK - just put in an old PCTel ISA WinModem that I still had laying around ... It's doing the same thing.

One pattern we're noticing -- the modem will work okay for the first user who logs on after bootup. If you change users without a reboot, you're gonna get those pesky lil' faults...

 

[OZEE]

^

 

[AreEss64]

Seen this before on 95 - rather, a variation. Clicking connect in DUN gives you a non-closable page fault.

Resolving this issue is anything but fun. I never found a root cause. There are possible causes - bad modem drivers, bad IRQ routing, IRQ conflict, corrupt or AOL Winsock (AOL winsock will give you no end of migraines), and the occasional hardware issue with the modem. Windows does -not- handle external modem screwups better than internals, I'm sorry to say - if the modem responds unfavorably to a test command or init string, it's going to take some wrangling to get it to work if you want to avoid rebooting.

As far as solutions, well. One, reinstall. Not a fun option, but seems to work most of the time. And not install-overtop, format-install. Now the fact that it works for the first user to logon does give a helpful pointer - I've seen this happen in Windows systems where the individual user profiles got shafted.

THIS fix is fairly easy, but it's going to tick folks off if you don't back up the little things like favorites. DON'T BACK UP THE WHOLE PROFILE. I never figured out which file did it. JUST the interchangeables - favorites, desktop, start menu, etcetera. Back these up to a SAFE PLACE. Now, delete EVERY profile and REMOVE Windows Logon. This is going to make networking REALLY funny for a bit - don't worry about it. Reboot after removing Windows Logon, do NOT immediately readd it. Reboot, add it, reboot. (Enough hoops yet?) After reboot, go through logon, add users, restore files. Pay attention to what happens to each logon - if any logons detect new hardware when others don't, you're probably going to have to reinstall.

Now, going into details? Ha. Yeah right. It's a Windows thing, and I'm -not- a Windows expert - I just had to deal with it for a while. I haven't the slightest clue WHAT causes it, WHY it happens, or HOW it happens. All I know is that somehow hardware isn't picked up correctly in user profiles and the only fix is to blister it all and put it back. Sometimes it fixed it, sometimes it didn't. So it's not a definite fix. But it's probably the next best thing to try.