Weird Things Happening.

[pyrate83]

Well, my computer was acting a bit funny so I decided to just go ahead and reformat the HDD and put a fresh copy of Windows back onto it. I feel better after having done this.

But I still am having something weird occur with my modem and I can't explain it. When I disconnect from the internet I usually get a fluctuation in CPU usage as the modem is disconnecting. In fact if I am listening to music or doing anything else, the music or sound and the entire system kinda hangs for about 2 seconds. Now here's the thing that just started happening. I get that brief hang for about one second like my modem is disconnecting when it's really not. This happens periodically when I am online now. Its like the CPU is being tied up for that second and nothing else like sound our games matters. It has just started to happen in the last few days and is just weird. Any suggestions about what would be causing my modem to behave this way?

Also, none of this occurs when the modem is disconnected so I'm pretty sure now that it's the modem and not something more serious.

[defense]

if it only happens when your modem is connected...is sounds like it's your modem. You have a 56k dial-up modem? From my experience... dial-up modems are only good for about a year or so. That's why when I purchased my last one..it was a US ROBOTICS with a FIVE YEAR WARRANTY. Sure enough....just a couple of weeks ago...my modem went completely. It was causing low power on my phone line...and I sent it in to USR with an RMA and they tried to pull a fast one and say my serial number wasn't on my modem. I had to go through a little hassle...but ending up getting them to send me a brand new...newer model overnight...with a fresh 2 year warranty.

Cable will be in my area soon....but in the meantime...I ended up using a CREATIVE LABS MODEM...and all I can say is CREATIVE CAN'T MAKE MODEMS WORTH CRAP. Constant disconnects...constant errors and compression issues...but the USR modem works well even under poor conditions.

The people at USR said the biggest reason for modem issues of ANY kind are due to power surges. It's constantly storming down here....so they reccomended that I get a surge protector for my modem too. My surge protector for my PC is top notch...I figure with a 2 year warranty.....I'll leave the modem without a surge protector..but it's an idea for you.

Anyway....purchase another modem.....keep the receipt...if the problem disappears...you know it was your modem.....you can get a good USR modem for $29.99. If you do have dial up....I reccomend getting the USR 5699B at Best Buy right now with a $10 Mail In Rebate. That modem is excellent..especially for the price...and it comes with a two year warranty. The price with the rebate is $29.99.

Good luck

[MOVIEGEEK]

I use a BestData 92 modem and sometimes get the same problem,it must be common with dial-up modems and soundcards sharing IRQ's.When I rip a CD or DVD I always disconnect first because I noticed artifacts/errors in the ripped file when I was connected.
Another problem I had was when I had a USB2.0 PCI card installed,man talk about crappy sound it was hogging my IRQ and CPU resources.

[pyrate83]

Thanks to both of you. Your information is much appreciated. However, it looks as though I have figured out the root of my problems. My system apparently contracted two viruses recently. One was the LovSan.A virus also known as the Blast virus. The other was called Nachi or a.k.a. Welchia virus. Both were slowing my internet down big time. My syst. also rebooted for no apparent reason. I'm not real sure how these two made it onto my system as I am running anti-virus and firewall protections.

Stupid Microsoft

[flaninacupboard]

well i used to have this happen on an old amd k6-2 system. It was running a software 56k modem, and did exactly as you describe, music cutting out during dial up. i borrowed an external modem, and all my problems disappeared. i bought an internal hardware modem instead of a software one, and all my troubles were gone. The modems included on motherboards nowadays are all cheap software designs, so if you have to use dial up, get a decent one

[defense]

Thanks to both of you. Your information is much appreciated. However, it looks as though I have figured out the root of my problems. My system apparently contracted two viruses recently. One was the LovSan.A virus also known as the Blast virus. The other was called Nachi or a.k.a. Welchia virus. Both were slowing my internet down big time. My syst. also rebooted for no apparent reason. I'm not real sure how these two made it onto my system as I am running anti-virus and firewall protections.

Stupid Microsoft



I don't think you found out your problem. That doesn't sound like symptoms of a virus. You also said you reformatted your HD....how can you still have a VIRUS?

[pyrate83]

defense Posted: Aug 23, 2003 16:06

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I don't think you found out your problem. That doesn't sound like symptoms of a virus. You also said you reformatted your HD....how can you still have a VIRUS?


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Actually, what I did was first reformat the HDD and re-install all of my files that I keep backed up on rewritable DVD's. Then when I connected to the internet to get the security patches from Microsoft, my system was pretty vulnerable to attack. That's when I picked up the viruses. Thankfully, Symantec provided removal tools for both viruses...one of which was hidden in my systems restore points that it records. And yes, the cause of my probs was due to the viruses. I just read that my symptoms were very characteristic of both of these viruses.

Everything seems to be 100% better now though.

[pyrate83]

flaninacupboard Posted: Aug 23, 2003 15:35

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well i used to have this happen on an old amd k6-2 system. It was running a software 56k modem, and did exactly as you describe, music cutting out during dial up. i borrowed an external modem, and all my problems disappeared. i bought an internal hardware modem instead of a software one, and all my troubles were gone. The modems included on motherboards nowadays are all cheap software designs, so if you have to use dial up, get a decent one

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Well to my surprise now the modem is still acting funny. The rest of my system is running top notch now since the removal of my viruses but the modem keeps doing that hesitation thing that I described earlier.

My question is, if I buy an external modem to use, how do I disable the one that is inside and came with my PC?

I have a funny feeling my modem may be going out on me.

[MOVIEGEEK]

pyrate83 wrote:"My question is, if I buy an external modem to use, how do I disable the one that is inside and came with my PC?"

Through your CMOS,when you boot up hit Delete or F12 and disable internal modem.If it is PCI just unscrew from chassis and remove.

[pyrate83]

Thanks Moviegeek! Weird thing is, sometimes things are fine with the modem and sometimes it acts up. I think I will see if maybe it doesn't go away in a week or so b4 buying an external modem. But thanks man!