[Ham-Computers] RE: Blind Man's CPU Down For The Count?

Mon, 13 May 2002 12:53:22 -0400

Hello Aaron, 	

I am using Windows 98A on this machine. There is an option to create a log or
not, mine was checked not to create said log. 	

Once again, and I do NOT mean this in an arrogant or conceited manner, the tech
support people I spoke with were all dead wrong. I am a self-taught programmer
from Texas Instruments days of the 1980 99/4 era. The 16 bit chip that was
nearly a full decade ahead of the world's demands. I was instrumental in the
development of the TTS (text to speech) software that makes all of what talks
electronically, talk. The original lpc code is on a 5.25 90K diskette in my
bottom right desk drawer. 	

I learned how to think like a computer and how to exhaust every possible
combination of the 'if,then,else' argument. Then to explore the impossible
combinations. Generally, that is where the answer was. The errors a computer
shows the user, are only the closest match it has to the real error. Many times
the error is not even the actual error, so one needs to learn to interpolate, a
lot. The tech support people of today do not have much, if any, real computer
experience in the areas of architecture or programming. They basically are nice
people who sit at a desk and read you what their data base shows on the CRT
before them. They are not capable of abstract reasoning or true trouble shooting
guidance. Hence, the advice given is often incorrect.	

Once again, I found myself in that precise situation. Everything from replace
the modem, to upgrade the modem drivers, to upgrade the chip set on the Rockwell
modem, to remove all the pcpip software and reinstall it from the Windows 98 CD
etc. But I knew in my gut this was not the real issue. 	

All the settings for the dial up connection were exactly as they should have
been. I went through all of them, one by one. Nonetheless, I removed the dialup
connection to USOL, my provider, and created a new one. Bingo! I could now log
onto the server. I then disconnected and went to Outlook Express and tried to
log on from there. It logged on just as it should have and downloaded the mail. 

You were correct, Aaron. Even though the corruption of this data in the system
registry was unlikely, it was nonetheless corrupted.	

Even though I had remedied the issue before your post arrived,once again, Thank
you for some sage advice, again. You have an uncanny knack for nailing the issue
more so than most others do. You are to be congratulated for this insight. All
of us appreciate your willingness to share it with us.	

Duane Fischer, W8DBF	
[email protected]   

----------
From: Hsu, Aaron <[email protected]>
To: '[email protected]'
Cc: '[email protected]'
Subject: [Ham-Computers] RE:  Blind Man's CPU Down For The Count?
Date: Monday, May 13, 2002 4:58 AM

Duane,

My dial-up does that too once in a while (dials, connects, drops the line with
an error).  I know for a fact what's causing my problem (flaky 230,000bps PC to
modem DTE rate), but I doubt it's the problem you're having.

In Win98SE (don't remember if it's in the original release of '98), it keeps a
log of the last session.  The log is saved in the \WINDOWS directory with the
same name as the dial-up "connectoid", but with a .LOG appended to the end.  For
example, if your dial-up icon is named "dialup", then the log is "dialup.log".

The log basically contains the "2-way" communications between Windows and the
modem.  It may be a bit cryptic, especially if you're not familiar with the
Hayes "AT" modem command set, but it can give you an idea of what might be
causing the problem.

To make use of the log, attempt a dial-up.  After it fails, open the file and
browse through the contents.  This info may be useful to your ISP if you call
them and happen to fine someone knowlegdeable.  The log is over-written each
time you start the dial-up session, so save the log if you need it for future
reference.  You can also instruct Windows to append to the log.  To do this,
goto Control Panels, Modems, highlight the modem in question and click
Properties, Connection, Advanced.  There'll be a check box for "append to log"
(at least in Win98SE).  There's also a button here to view the log.

Another suggestion...create a whole new dial-up "connectoid".  The dial-up
information is stored in the Windows Registry, so it's unlikely that it's
corrupted, but re-creating a new "connectoid" is not difficult and won't cause
any harm.

Good luck!

  - Aaron Hsu
    [athsu]@unistudios.com
    [nn6o]@arrl.net

p.s.  "Connectoid" is the little known term that Microsoft created to describe
the icon created for dial-up sessions.  

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