Archive through October 31, 2002
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TV ClubHouse: Archives: Computer Problem - I need advice/help (ARCHIVE): Archive through October 31, 2002

Suitsmefine

Saturday, October 26, 2002 - 05:25 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Hillbilly, I had no idea! I could have been chasing you down for all of these questions too!!!That food comment includes the whole male gender doesn't it, whether they are computer geeks or not?LOL!!

Draheid

Saturday, October 26, 2002 - 05:34 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
FWIW: The possible problem with trying to format the drive from a bootable floppy in this case is that XP can use the NTFS file system which may require you to use FDISK to repartition the hard drive. Win98 should include this procedure in it's automated routine.

The only problem with the site you indicate, Zachsmom is that it presumes you are trying to do this with Win/98 installed on your machine. Following these procedures on a machine with Win/XP installed will create an XP boot disk which may not work to install Win/98. In fact, XP doesn't have the 'create a boot disk' option in the Add/Remove programs section.

Hillbilly: Excellent suggestion. If you are uncomfortable with all that is needed to do this type of procedure on your computer, having (bribing) someone with experience is much easier on you than the frustration that can come from things not going smoothly!

Whit4you

Saturday, October 26, 2002 - 05:40 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
To tired to read all this right now, but in case someone hasn't made it clear... before you reformat you need a boot disk with CD ROM support.

You can get this on the net.

Zachsmom

Saturday, October 26, 2002 - 07:43 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Draheid..that's true..but she can create a Boot Disk from her windows 98 CD Rom..:)

OR she can go here


Boot Disk Download

Jo_5329

Sunday, October 27, 2002 - 04:05 am EditMoveDeleteIP
I have a program called Norton Utilities. About a year ago, I started having shut down, lock up and other problems with my Win 98. I finally got sick of all the problems and went out and bought Norton Utilties. I got Norton because I already had Norton products on my system and didn't want to clash.

Yes, I would do system maintenance at least once a month - once a week if I was really busy - but I was still having problems. Norton Utilities has a subprogram to fix windows problems. When I ran this program the first time, I almost fainted when I saw all the problems it found. Lost links, lost dlls, lost icons ..you know it, it was Lost, hidden, had escaped the computer, who knows what! I fixed all those problems and rebooted.

Amazingly I have had little problems since then. I don't run this program all the time, only when I uninstall a program. I also like the scan disc and defrag programs with Norton and other fixes it has.

I'm not promoting this particular program, I'm suggesting finding a program that will help you find Window's Errors, etc., for some of those folks out there that are not as familiar with computer stuff. I am buying this program for my Sister in Law in NC - so we can dispense with the 1 to 2 hour long phone calls when her computer gets pissy with her.

Jo
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Halfunit

Sunday, October 27, 2002 - 10:33 am EditMoveDeleteIP
winmac

Draheid

Sunday, October 27, 2002 - 10:44 am EditMoveDeleteIP
How about this 'blast from the past', Halfunit!

c64

Halfunit

Sunday, October 27, 2002 - 11:11 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Heh heh... Commodore...

compcurse

Jo_5329

Tuesday, October 29, 2002 - 11:46 am EditMoveDeleteIP
HELP

This morning I signed on just fine to my ISP at about 49,000 - which is normal for my log in speed.

This afternoon when I tried to sign on, the highest I can get is 26,000 ... I kept trying but that is as high as I can get it. The modem connect speed is set at 58,000. So I jumped over to AOL to see if it was maybe my ISP (Earthlink) and I can't get that to connect any faster either.

My driver is up to date - according to Gateway. The computer is 3 years old -- the modem has never been replaced.

The only thing I haven't done is try to sign on with my husband's computer to see if how fast it signs on.

Anyone got any ideas?

I have a US Robotics 56K Voice Win Modem

Thanks in advance.

Jo
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Draheid

Tuesday, October 29, 2002 - 11:56 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Jo_5329: This sounds like a situation of your telephone company making changes to your phone line. I had exactly the opposite situation a couple of years ago when I couldn't connect any faster than 26,400 every time I tried (using a 56k modem). When I *finally* convinced my phone company to give me a direct connection to the central office (instead of going through a device they use to multiplex lines onto a single pair of wires), I immediately connected at 48,000+ every time I connected.

Now for the possible solution. Contact your telephone company and inquire if they have made any changes in your neighborhood. You will probably have to fight to get through to the technical support department because the normal customer service won't know what you are talking about. Do not give up. In fact, you might bypass the 'sales' side by calling the repair line instead and ask to speak to a supervisor.


Specifically, ask if they have installed anything on your line that changes your signal from analog to digital in any way.

The reason they use these devices is because it allows them to bring more phone service (more lines) into an area with a limited number of wires instead of going through the trouble of adding more wiring into the area.

Let me know how this works out.

And GOOD LUCK!

Jo_5329

Tuesday, October 29, 2002 - 01:18 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Dra -- thanks for your fast response. I think it could very well be the phone line. When I first bring up the dialer and hit connect, I get the dial tone, then there is this "skip" then another tone and then the dialer dials. There is NO call waiting on this line, as it's a 2nd line.

I booted my husbands computer to see if it could be my modem, and danged if that same "skip" didn't happen with his too! And he has a completely different modem in his system.

I fired off an email to the phone company -- let's see what happens there. But <sigh> I guess there is nothing I can do now but wait. This is so frustrating!

smilie

I know the phone company has been advertising they have DSL in our area now -- wonder if that's a problem too?


Jo
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Draheid

Tuesday, October 29, 2002 - 01:35 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Jo: There's a possibility that offering DSL in your area is indirectly related. As far as I know, DSL requires 'straight copper' (direct wire from the central office to the connection in the home). If there is a shortage of wire pairs in your area, they would likely give priority to DSL subscribers and put everyone else on the device that multiplexes the lines coming into the neighborhood. Multiplexing means they put 'several' phone numbers onto a single pair of wires in the central office and then split them again near the homes. This requires converting the signals from analog (normal voice) to digital and back. That process is fine for normal talking on the phone but it's a nightmare on highspeed modems.

The 'skip' might not be related at all. It could simply be your modem 'checking' the line before dialing. I don't know this for sure, though.

Since they only promise voice quality lines into your home, they might not be willing to try and resolve your modem troubles unless you specifically subscribe to a data grade service (read more $$). The way I was able to finally get mine resolved was because they were using a device that my modem seemed to confuse which caused my voice line to disappear for hours at a time!

Again, good luck. And let me know how things turn out.

Wargod

Tuesday, October 29, 2002 - 01:40 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Good luck, Jo! When my phone line went bad, I got very lucky in that the phone company was fairly quick (a couple days) to fix it. My phone acted busy for about 10 hours straight..then it worked for a few hours, then off and on. They had to replace the whole outside line.

My neighbor on the other hand, had the same problem a few months before and it literally took her about four months of fighting them to get them to come and fix hers. I know for her it was a big pain in the neck.

Juju2bigdog

Tuesday, October 29, 2002 - 07:26 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Occasionally I have a glitch occur with my phones where I have a dial tone and can use the phone perfectly well for voice communications but cannot dial out with the modem. I invariably call the phone company and they inform me in frosty tones that they only guarantee voice connections, and there is nothing they can do for me.

Misslibra

Wednesday, October 30, 2002 - 01:53 am EditMoveDeleteIP
I could sure use some help here. I downloaded some 'rar' files. When I click on them the box that ask you what program you want to use to open the file pops up.

The problem is I don't know which program to use since I have never used a 'rar' file before. Could someone give me some info on this mysterious file I have download. Thanks a bunch! :)

Grannyg

Wednesday, October 30, 2002 - 04:12 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Misslibra, Win Rar is a file like a Winzip file except you have to have the Winrar program. Here is a link for Win Rar. I have the program just for the simple fact that sometimes I get a file that is winrar instead of winzip. You can try Win Rar for 40 days for free. This site also explains what Win Rar is. Hope this helps.

WinRar

Misslibra

Wednesday, October 30, 2002 - 05:51 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Thank you so very much! :) Going to that site now.

Draheid

Wednesday, October 30, 2002 - 08:41 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Juju2bigdog: Can you describe exactly what happens when your modem won't dial out? Do you get any messages on the computer??

Juju2bigdog

Wednesday, October 30, 2002 - 02:12 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Hi Draheid, I have Juno isp, and it gives me a Juno error message. I forget right now exactly what it is, but it is not a busy number error message. I have three computers and two isp's, and the two times it happened, I have tried all three computers, got the same message, and concluded it is the phone, not my computer. Both times it happened it cleared up by itself after a few hours.

Jo_5329

Wednesday, October 30, 2002 - 02:17 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Well I'm still waiting on the phone company - they said they'd send out a repair person between today and 11/4 ... great .... LOL

Draheid

Wednesday, October 30, 2002 - 02:38 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Juju2bigdog: Well, it could possibly be either end of the dialup connection. Your's or the ISP's. Have you tried calling (voice) the ISP and inquire if they might be having any problems?

Jo_5329: Unfortunately, I have a feeling how your visit is going to go. The repairperson will check your phone connection outside your home and verify that the dialtone is there and (maybe) at the correct levels within the phone company's specifications. And most likely they are. That doesn't help your situation because the devices I described are designed for voice calls and work very well for that.

I hope you will be able to get a very knowledgeable service person and can ask them about the recent changes to your service area. If they even hint at not knowing specifically, ask them to please call into their technical center and ask there. Specifically, since they are offering DSL, have they added any new equipment to the neighborhood for DSL to be available, etc.

Again, good luck. I sure hope things work out for you. If not, I have another 'sneaky' idea that might work!

Twinkie

Wednesday, October 30, 2002 - 07:22 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Juju, I used to work in tech support for Juno and certain areas of the country to go down sometimes and they are usually working on the problem. Call Juno and find out. BTW, maybe its just because I worked for them, but Juno is a piece of crap. LOL

Juju2bigdog

Wednesday, October 30, 2002 - 10:55 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Thanks, Twinkie. Actually, I have had Juno for about four years, and have overall been pretty happy with them. They don't like me to chat, but I have found a way around it. I like Juno way better than AOL, which I had for a year free when I bought the laptop.

Hillbilly

Thursday, October 31, 2002 - 03:52 am EditMoveDeleteIP
I also used to have Juno and liked them quite well. They let me pay by check instead of requiring a cc like AOL. I never had any problems with their service as a paid account. They're web access for email is a big plus.

Jewels

Thursday, October 31, 2002 - 02:02 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
I hope somebody is here that can help me! My problem isn't with my computer so much as trying to download my pictures from my digital camera. And I am pretty computer illiterate so excuse me if I use non-technical language!

I have an Olympus digital camera that I have had for almost 3 years, so it is an older model. I always download the pictures through a cord that plugs into the back of my computer and then into the camera. It does have the smart media card thing, but I never have used it and don't plan on it. I use the Camedia software that came with the camera for downloading and storing the pictures.

A few weeks ago I went to download some pictures and got an error saying it couldn't connect to the camera. I had done it the same way I have been doing it for 2 1/2 years. I jiggled the cord around on the computer, but no luck. I looked at the tip of the cord that goes into the camera and it was bent. I put the tip into the camera to try to bend it back and I heard a crack. Thinking I just broke the dang thing I called around to different stores and went to a few, only to find that no one sells these kind of cords anymore for some dumb technical jargon reason that I didn't understand. So I called Olympus and they said to send the cord back to them and they would send me another one. So I did.

I got the cord back this week and just tried to download the pictures again, so I can take Halloween pictures tonight and I got the same error message again saying it can't connect to the camera. Now what? I am at a loss! Help!