"No Dial Tone" - Dialer held Hostage ?

[Renovator]

Thinking cap time.

The machine in question, reports the obligatory "No Dial Tone" message. I can access the ISP (AOL), by using a hand-set on the same line to aquire the dial tone. The modem then dials the access number automatically, as it normally would. ( I believe this is true for any connectoid, BTW.)

It gets better, if you hang up the handset, you loose the connection.

Now...I have searched the DB here, and have read as many "No Dial Tone" threads as practical. Let me assure everyone that nothing is wrong with the phone line, and the cables are in their appropriate holes.

It is also interesting to note that a hyperteminal attempt, results in an immediate illegal op.

I will try a number of things before I reinstall the modem. It has the "Mighty Fine" enumerator, and I will put that off as long as possible.


Besides, I have a strong reason to believe this is software (third party possibly) or an unwitting reg hack (also from an offending install) related.

Since the machine showed-up with a squeaky clean TIF and Cookies, I decided to look elsewhere. Not only has it been cruising the seemier side of the tracks, an interesting "dialer" was magically installed in C: . Also, a trip to Windows > Temp revealed up to 4 exe's masquerading as TMP's.

Normally, I save mystery files, in this case they were dumped. (The Dialer, BTW , was listed in "Add/Remove" programs, and "uninstalled" (???) from there.

Tauscan is reporting as clean, and it's process monitor shows nothing untoward. Same is true for rmboxes' Start-up Log. (Except, I honestly don't understand the Stub Log, looks like a lot of basic junk was installed along the way.).

Oh, I guess I should add, that it is clear that up until recently, the Primary users AOL PW was compromised. (It really does just keep getting better...dosen't it ?).

Anyhow, I haven't reinstalled DUN's yet. But I notice there is a VPN adapter installed as well as the AOL adapter. I need to figure out what that is about. And I'll do the DUN thing.

My thought is that, there may be a reg entry that is interfering with the normal access to the "dialer". If anyone can point me in the correct direction I would appreciate it.

If you have the silver bullet, but choose not to post, please mail me.

[BIG JOHN]

Hey Renovator, sounds like the modem may have gone south on you, a couple of things you might try, put a new line in between the modem & the phone jack, does the modem show up in the device manager without any conflicts? This happened to me a couple of years ago & I ended up replacing the modem. BJ

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[Renovator]

Hey BJ,

I realize the Modem may be a problem, kinda like lightning strikes while at the girlie show.

It is definitely not a line problem. I can duplicate the problem here, exactly as the user descibed when it first started.

My gut is telling me, that his sibling was smurfing around and got nailed in pop-up hell. The install of the third party "Dialer" and the stuff found in Windows > Temp, concerns me.

I'm going to start the reg search shortly, but I think I'm looking for a needle in the haystack.

Oh yeah John, the DM looks perfect, IRQ's are as one would expect also.

[SplashChris]

I agree with Big John on this one. I worked as a Technical Specialist for a Datacommunications company for nearly 10 years. Your Modem has a "dialtone" detection circuit that works in conjunction with a "loop current" detection circuit. It looks for the 55-60Hz frequency, and expects the right signal amplitude for the dialtone. BOTH are required for the modem to perform a dial out function. I've seen this portion of the circuitry go bad many many times, especially on European bound equipment due to the varying frequencies for dialtone. It was one of the MOST common failures in both new production and Customer repair units. Your only cost effective option is to replace the modem I believe.

Good luck.
Chris

Chris

[Renovator]

Thanx Chris and John,

That was the direction I was heading in, before I saw the other stuff.

I have no love for the modem installed, so a clean install of a "know good" makes plenty of sense.

I really appreciate the info, that with the one circuit out, the modem could act normal if jump started. Thank you.

[IMM]

Very occasionally beating up on the relay which connects to the line will help

[Renovator]

New Modem cured the problem...as you all suggested.

IMM, the relay wouldn't cooperate. The blunt end of the screwdriver, dosen't seem worse for the wear.

Thanx All.

[This message has been edited by Renovator (edited 08-26-2001).]

[IMM]

Yeah - for me to beat on them I pretty much have to desolder them, check the latching diode and drive them on and off fast with an overgrown supply. Sometimes the SIOV protection is gone too. New modem these days (unless it's external) is a much easier solution