Corrupted Operating System (Computer Question)

Factual Questions
1

Last week, my sister ordered broadband service through AOL. Time-Warner sent a guy to her house to install an Ericsonn cable modem. He told her she needed a Network card, which he installed. He was unable to get the modem synched and basically just gave up and left, after telling her the computer has a “Corrupted Operating System.” He wanted to take the computer with him, supposedly to repair it, which she wouldn’t allow. When I looked at the computer, I found that the driver(s) for the network card hadn’t been loaded. After I loaded them, the computer recognized the card but the modem still wouldn’t synch. Changing from the network card to USB didn’t solve the problem either. A call to the Time-Warner help desk resulted in an appointment with a tech for Monday morning.

The computer is an HP Pavillion running Windows 98SE. I am really curious about the supposedly corrupted operating system and would appreciate any input regarding that.

Thanks in advance.

2

That sounds like a Lame Tech Excuse.
Yes, WIN98 like all OSs can get corrupted, but if that were truly the case the computer would be a nightmare to use, if it worked at all.

If you have more specific questions I will try to answer them for you.

3

What BadDog said re excuses.

Make sure your TCP-IP settings are all set to defaults. If there were specific address settings for a previous dialup ISP still loaded in the TCP-IP config panels it could be messing with the ability if the card to communicate with the cable modem both in direct NIC card and USB mode). The flip side is that it is set to defaults and your particular cable ISP may need specific address settings plugged into these setup panels.

Depending on age many Pavilions have (sometimes hard to see crowed in on the rear jack panel) onboard NIC adapters on the MB that can be turned on and off via the BIOS setup. There is the slight possibly that you have currently have two NICs in the same PC and that they are not playing nice.

It might be worthwhile to scrub out all the NIC drivers and reload and re-initialize them.

4

I agree with BadDog – it’s a major Lame Tech Excuse. The guy didn’t know how to fix it, so he just blamed the problem on your computer.

When you say, “couldn’t get the modem synched” – what exactly did you mean by this? For example, my cable modem has some lights labelled “Receive”, “Send”, and “Online”. When I first plug it in, the lights will blink, and the blinking light means it’s trying to acquire a channel (e.g. when the receive light blinks, it’s trying to acquire the receive channel). Once everything is connected, all three lights are ON, solid.

Now, when you say can’t get the modeml synched, did this mean that the modem didn’t seem to be making a connection? I don’t know your model of modem, but I presume there would be some indicator lights on the front to tell you whether it had acquired a connection or not – did it?

If NOT, then it would have nothing to do with your computer – it would be the cable modem or the cable line itself.

When I first got my cable modem, everything else installed, I got the ethernet driver installed (with some trouble, because the Win 98SE’s “Add New Hardware” wizard is basically worthless when it comes to searching for drivers, and can’t tell its own ass from a hole in the ground). However, my first attempt resulted in the lights on the modem blinking and blinking and blinking, and there was never a connection. Turned out to be a problem on the PHYSICAL cable line – they had to replace an old splitter on the outside of my house. The cable TV had been coming through fine, but something about the splitter wasn’t allowing the internet connection to go through.

So, it could be a variety of things. If the cable modem IS acquiring a connection, then I would guess that it’s one of the settings for the network card. You’d get to these, for instance, by going to the “Network” control panel and selecting the appropriate "TCP/IP -> (name of your network card) " item, and selecting “properties”. There are settings relating to dynamic vs. static IP, what protocols it used for DNS, etc. You need to make sure you know what all the settings should be (i.e. your service provider needs to TELL you what the correct settings are).

But if it’s the cable modem itself that is not acquiring the connection – tell them to fix the modem, or get somebody from the cable company to check the line (I’m not sure how this would work in your case – I presume they would have some agreement with the cable company itself…?)

5

Here’s something simple you can try that might help. I have Comcast cable, so YMMV.

First of all, make sure there isn’t a firewall running, then try the following…

-Go to Control Panel -> Network

-Make sure you’re in “Configuration” (It’s a tab on top).

-Highlight the TCP/IP component that relates to your network card. For example, mine is “3Com Integrated Fast Ethernet Controller.”

-Click on Properties then click on the IP Address tab

-Make sure the radio button that says “Obtain IP address automatically” is selected.

-Click Okay twice to get out of the control panel.
Almost done, now you need to get an IP address…

-Click Run from the Start menu.

-Type in winipcfg and click okay.

-On the pull down menu, pick the adapter that matches the one you’re connected to. ie. “3Com Etherlink PCI” (That’s what mine is). Don’t pick one labled “PPP” or “Dial Up adapter.”

-click “Release All”

-click “Renew All”

Hopefully, lots of numbers will fill in the blanks for IP Address, Subnet Mask, etc.

Try connecting to the internet with your browser.

I have no clue how AOL’s broadband works, so this may not help. However, it’ll take you about two minutes and it won’t hurt anything.

Good luck.

6

Hey… my first simulpost!

Yeah… what Monstre said! Especially about the blinking modem lights that I failed to mention. If the cable modem isn’t acquiring a signal, nothing that I mentioned would help.

Again, good luck.

7

If it were the operating system, you could just type SFC in the run box, its the System File Checker & it would report what needs to be done. I used this on W98, should be in SE too.

8

power down everything and bring it back up cable modem 1st (give it a good 5 minutes before the computer

9

Do you need some kind of software, such as PPoE, to run the broadband?

10

I appologize for not responding before now. I have been away all day. I suspected that the tech wasn’t really up to speed and that has been confirmed—my sister said the guy told her he had been “studying” computers for three months. My gut told me that if the OS was messed up, the machine wouldn’t run as well as it does. The modem in question is an Ericksonn, but I haven’t got the model number with me since I am at home. When I said the modem wouldn’t sink, I mean that the light indicating an acquired signal does nothing but blink, whereas the one on my machine burns steadily. Based on what several of you guys have to say, it seems as if the real fault lies with the modem. At any rate, another tech is scheduled to arive at 8:00AM tomorrow. I plan to be there just to observe and, hopefully, learn something.

In the meantime, my niece and her husband have arrived from for Thanksgiving. The guy is a successful DVM, therefore he knows everything and has been messing with the computer and modem all day. My sister swore she would keep him away from it as he apparently created a mess on his last visit. It will be interesting to see what transpires.

Again, I appologize for the delay in responding. I think you guys all gave valuable inputs and I will file this thread for future reference. Hell, I’m semi-retired (unemployed) so I might as well try to learn something more than how to click a mouse.

Thanks to everyone.

11

Like how to spell “synch” for instance. I don’t know if it would sink or not, though I suspect it would. Maybe the veterinarian can shed some light on that------

12

The modem, or perhaps just as likely, your cable line itself. Make sure the tech checks both.

13

What’s a DVM?

14

Doctor of Veterinary Medicine

15

I can’t believe no one has said this yet but the modem syncing up is completely unrelated to your computer. You can unplug the modem from your computer completely and the modem will sync just the same.

If the modem was truly not syncing up with the WAN then there are 3 possiblities:

  1. The tech did not call in the MAC address of your modem, which is necessary for you to be on the cable compaines WAN.

  2. The modem is bad. If its an Ericcson that is a good possibility. I have read that they are all crap.

  3. Line problem. Which I did have in my old apt complex.

Again, you have my personal GAIR-OWN-TEA that is the modem is not syncing it is NOT your computer.

Now if it IS syncing and you still can’t connect then it is something with your computer. Network setting, NIC, something.

16

If the modem is a cable modem and plugged into a surge protector it will not work. It must be plugged directly into the wall. Let us know what happens.

17

My very own cable modem is plugged into a surge protector and it works very well. I have had service techs out to my house twice for signal problems and neither of them mentioned plugging the modem directly into the wall outlet instead of a surge protector. Where does this information originate?

18

Latest word from Time-Warner is that problem is a “weak signal.”

I will post the final resolution as soon as I know what it is—I was unable to attend the services this morning.

19

Wha? Ummm… while I suppose operationally anything is possible I’m really at a loss as to how plugging the modem into a surge protected AC outlet is going to, or even could, affect it’s operation (other than protecting it from AC line surges).

20

I believe he means plugging it into one of those surge protectors that have a connection for your cable and phone lines to protect from surges thru those.