problem with DSL and dial up modem after Regedit

[Wchin8]

I spent almost 90 minutes trying to help a friend solve a computer
problem. The friend has two computers, a desktop and a notebook. They
swap a DSL direct connection by plugging and unplugging the cord to the
DSL modem. The problem is that the desktop no longer can access DSL,
or dial out with its 56k modem. The friend suspects that an improper
usage of Regedit when certain lines flagged by the antivirus program
were deleted instead of modified. Unfortunately, no backup export of
the Registry was made.

I did a cursory search for troubleshooting modems on the Internet. The
home computer was working fine one day, and then the next it was not.
So far the only symptoms are problems with the modem and DSL. The
device driver is there. Running a modem test from the Device manager
shows it there. Yet, it can not do something so simple as dialing out
using the phone dialer in the accessories folder, much less dialing up
for Internet. The error message is no dial tone. If wait for dial
tone is disabled, the modem looks like it keeps trying to dial out, but
I don't think it is doing so. (The sound is turned off.)

It may be a hardware problem, but modems rarely fail just for nothing.
There are no cats or pets to dislodge the wiring. Also the DSL modem
works fine for the notebook, but not at all for the desktop, so there
is definitely something up with the desktop. Thanks for any
suggestions. I am tempted to go for the panic button and do a fresh
install of Windows, but there must be intermediate solutions to try
before the scorched earth solution. I will do more research, but I may
be in over my head.

 

[Guest]

Try shutting down the desktop, turning off or unplugging the modem, then plug
it back in or powering it back up wait for 30 seconds until the modem has
completly started back up. Plug in the ethernet (RJ45) cable to the desktop
and restart the computer.

 

[Wchin8]

Shutting down the computer did not help. I found some other related
posts and several more things were tried including:
* uninstalling the 56k modem driver and then re-installing it.
* LSPFix (winsock?)
* CWShredder
* Hijackthis

In the process of trying things we also uninstalled the DSL software
but could not get it reinstalled. It looks more and more like a
reformat of the hard drive is the best option. I have never done that
before. Of course the obvious is to backup all the data onto CD and be
prepared to reinstall all the programs. I wish I had an external USB
drive as that would make backing up all the data relatively easy.
Anything else that might make this step easier/safer? It will probably
be tackled next weekend.

 

[Guest]

I would not reformat a harddrive when it sounds like you're only having a
modem or setting problem. Something as simple as the two computers having a
different nic card speed setting could cause it not to work. My simple advice
would be to stop using dial up, use a network hub and connect both PCs to DSL.

 

[Og]

Jay:
Keep in mind that the vast majority of dial-up users do so not through
cussedness, but through lack of choice. There are large swaths of the United
States where neither a phone company nor a cable company is willing to spend
the billions of dollars necessary to install the backbone necessary to
support high-speed Internet access.

Yes, I am, indeed, aware that satellite is an option -- I have satellite
television. Satellite connection fails when there is sun-spot activity,
fails when it snows, fails when it rains hard, and fails when the planets
are aligned incorrectly. In addition to those downsides, satellite Internet
costs $800 up front, costs $80 per month, and is supplied by only two
companies, each with questionable long-term viability. StarBand is under
Chapter 11 Bankruptcy protection, and Hughes has had their satellite
Internet division for sale for several years.

steve

 

[Joan Archer]

And it's not just the United States, the area I live in has only just been
ADSL enabled. I live in a rural village in Wales UK, no chance of cable in
the district and to enable an exchange the phone company needs a certain
amount of people to sign up before they will do it. In this small area
that's asking a lot our only saving grace was we have an MOD station just
along the coast and they demanded it be done <g>

So as you said not everyone is able to connect high speed even if they
want to.
Joan

 

[Guest]

If is very simple to complete a new clean install without a format or losing
your data.

 

[Malke]

If is very simple to complete a new clean install without a format or
losing your data.

No, I'm sorry but that is incorrect. The definitions of a "clean
install" is to format the hard drive (preferably deleting the partition
first, although this isn't a requirement) which will remove all the
data on the hard drive.* You are thinking of a "repair install" which
is in effect reinstalling the operating system "on top" of itself. A
repair install will leave the programs and data intact. Here are links
to help you with both types of installs:

http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm - Repair Install
http://michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html - Clean Install

*Data recovery software can find data on a formatted drive, but without
any special programs like that the data will be gone.

Malke

 

[Guest]

I do it everyday. Everyday sometimes twice.
Bootable CD or Floppy

Depending on the OS, the OS CD or Options directory...
Xcopy C:\Windows\Options C:\Options

The the DOS Move command
Move C:\Windows C:\OldWin

Move C:\Progra~1 C:\OldPro

Reinstall from C:\Options or from the CD-Rom
All existing Data is left on the hard drive.
You have to install all your other programs such as office.

You will find much more info at:

=======================================
"Imagination...is the irrepressible revolutionist."

Regards, Gary 'Doc' Adams in New Orleans

http://military.accaw.org
~ Read to Learn - Write to Think ~
=======================================

 

[Malke]

I do it everyday. Everyday sometimes twice.
Bootable CD or Floppy

Depending on the OS, the OS CD or Options directory...
Xcopy C:\Windows\Options C:\Options

The the DOS Move command
Move C:\Windows C:\OldWin

Move C:\Progra~1 C:\OldPro

Reinstall from C:\Options or from the CD-Rom
All existing Data is left on the hard drive.
You have to install all your other programs such as office.

Yes, I'm sure that works for you but it isn't a clean install. The main
point here is to make sure that the OP really understands that if s/he
formats his/her drive, his/her data will be gone. We want to make sure
the OP completely understands this *before* s/he formats his drive so
there are no Tears Before Bedtime when s/he goes to find those precious
photos or data files and they aren't there.

Malke

 

[Guest]

You know if anyone knows how to format then they know all is gone - lost -
forever.

 

[Malke]

You know if anyone knows how to format then they know all is gone -
lost - forever.

No, that is not necessarily true. Look at the name of this newsgroup: it
is windowsxp.newusers. Trust me, never take the depth of an end user's
knowledge for granted. That is not a slam against end users; it is just
knowing that it is better to never assume what an end user does or
doesn't know - it is always better to spell it out for them in advance
to prevent mistakes. One of the Golden Rules of dealing with end users
is Do No Harm.

If you want to have complex technical discussions, you should post in a
group that is not specifically for new users of anything.

Malke

 

[Guest]

New users can learn here and they need to learn and want to learn how to
reinstall windows without formatting the hard drive.