Has this happened to anyone else?

[Occhidiangela]

1.  Did you install the broadband over the dial-up? 
2.  Have you ever been able to download files with the new set up?

1. I already had dial up, then I installed the broadband. I still have both cards in the computer.

2. No, except for Norton Live Update, which apparently by passes whatever it is that is hosing me up. But I can load web pages. I still think it is in the "how to save things from a dowl load" thingie.

If I ever get the PC back up, RR is dead after I send all of my email to another account. I just ran into the old "turn on PC, monitor clicks itself off automatically when Windows screen loads, never get to desk top."

When I get home today, I will get to spend much time on that. Last known program running was Brood War by my son.

[Nastie_Bowie]

Did you install the broadband over the dial-up?


This could be the key question.

I had to go into regedit and make some changes, with the help of Verizon tech support.

[Kevin]

Some notes about firewalls.

Firewalls insert a layer (or put wrappers on the layer) between the Application and Transport layers. Even when a firewall is disabled, it is still active even if you say disaple the firewall. Ports that are shut down stay shut down. This wrapper/layer isn't fully removed unless the firewall software is unistalled. My networking is getting rustier, but that is some of the basics about firewalls. So if you have the install file you can just uninstall ZA and check from there.

I have a feeling that most of the downloads you are trying to do are http and not ftp. I bet Norton just uses ftp and that is why it would update.

Do you have a stand alone FTP program, or are you familar with command line ftp? You could always try hitting ftp.blizzard.com and seeing if you can get the patch that way (should be in the pub/war3/patches dir though their FTP server seems to be down now so I can't check).

In IE go to tools -> Internet Options -> Connections. Since you are using the LAN to connect make sure it is set to "Never Dial a connection".
Then click the LAN settings button. Check the "automatically detect network settings" box. Uncheck the "use proxy server" unless the ISP specifially told you to do so, or you have set up your own proxy (doesn't sound like you have).

Completely removing and readding the network protocols takes about 5 minutes if you have the CD or .cab files handy. Just right click Net hood select properties, and clear it out. Restart and then re-add Client for MS Networks (installs some of the stuff that handles WINS resolution, it's needed for a lot of the networking stuff to work right without tweaking a lot of crap by hand), TCP/IP, IPX/SPX (if you play local LAN games that need it), File and Print Sharing (if you need it). But I think that 98 just needs TCP/IP and Client for MS networks to behave.

Umm, may want to go into the TCP/IP settings and set it to whatever the ISP needs. Generally that will use DHCP, enable WINS, obtain DNS automatically. Check this for the standard TCP/IP settings and the TCP/IP -> Your network card settings. I'm trying to think 98 off the top of my head, and I am sick. This might be worth checking before you uninstall reinstall. I pretty much never install ISP software, I usually just get the settings and plug them in, if it isn't all DHCP anyway. You could call them and say that the CD won't install, but if they give you the TCP/IP settings you need you can put that info in manually. Or it might be on the website. I'm used to smaller ISP's I don't know what Road Runner publishes.

That seems to be all my illness addled brain will give me right now. Hope some of it helps.

Oh, installing XP should be fine. I started with a dual boot of 98SE and XP, and pretty much never go into XP anymore, very little that I have issues with on it. I recommend doing a clean install if you can though.

[Occhidiangela]

Yes, when I get over the monitor sickness ( I suspect a Windows re install is in my future off the recovery disk) I will de install Zone Alarm.

As to the settings, I think they are all as you say they are, but I have not specified the IP address, which I suppose I could do.

Will go to the FTP site for the patch, good suggestion, that was on my list of things to do when the monitor problem blew up.

After I save most of my crap to zip discs in the next day or two, I probably will indeed format C: drive and then I will probably install XP. Not sure, still considering whether or not I should do that.

98 SE has generally been very very good to me, with few to no problems, for three years.

Will keep grinding, thanks for the suggestions. :)

[Nastie_Bowie]

Good luck!

Doncha just love your computer? :blink:

[Occhidiangela]

Was extremely reluctant to walk me through registry issues, and Zone Alarm may be as culpable as any.

Grrrrr. Need to find out how to get inside ZA and open some ports.

[Nastie_Bowie]

Bet you a nickel the problem is in the registry.

The Verizon tech told me we had to sneak up on the dial-up software and fool it. I can't remember for the life of me, what we changed, though, sorry.

Have you tried un-installing the dial-up software?

[Occhidiangela]

Sadly, that helped not at all. :angry:

[Nastie_Bowie]

Sadly, that helped not at all.


ouch!

Maybe try calling broadband tech support again, for a different technician. People are different. I have found with most software companies, most of the techs are quite knowledgable, and a few are not. I think I got lucky with the guy at Verizon. He spent an hour with me and caught hell for it from his superior, he said at the end.

For some reason the registry keeps coming to mind, I wish I knew more about this area.

I can feel your frustration, been there.

I love my 'puter .................... today.

NB

[ZatarRufus]

Post creation in progress.

I'm going to post and edit because I use preview alot to fix my worstest grammatically errors and hence forget that the 'Post Title' must be changed one last time before clicking 'Add Reply' button.

Step 1 (for me, so hang on)
Learn to break out pieces of a quote w/o goofy things happening.

ZatarRufus
Good enuff.

Your turn.

Occhi
...when I get over the monitor sickness...

Step 1. Solve this problem. I've not encountered it myself. Q1. Can you boot to anything that you can see and/or can you interact with the computer? (Such as Safe Mode, Command Prompt Only, or as a last resort, a DOS boot from a floppy.)

From this:

Occhi
... I just ran into the old "turn on PC, monitor clicks itself off automatically when Windows screen loads, never get to desk top."

I infer:

You can see the bios POST (Power On Self Test) screen and then the Win98se splash screen (which can be disabled in case you actually like to read what your 'puter be telling ya) appears (or trys to), nothing else overly exciting occurs ('cept the monitor going nighty-nite). Q2. Does the computer also auto-shutdown as well? If yes, do you briefly see the "It is now [theoretically] safe to turn off your computer" message? Q3. no Q3. I'll wait until I know what we are working with as the troubleshooting tree branches alot.

Occhi
I suspect a Windows re install is in my future...

If you'd like, I have ideas for this as well. I'll not grab the other quote of yours, but XP at this time would be a bad move IMO. Don't introduce other factors whilst immersed in a current deliema. Stay with something you know how to move around in. If told to go to Device Manager or some such, which would be faster, more comfortable, and productive? The one you know, or the one you get to play the 'WITF is the such & such thingy' game? The move up(?) to XP should be done under controlled circumstances, ideally with a separate standby computer with access to the Windows Updates, possibly drivers sites, and of course the Lounge.

Final? Edit: I had to think it, so you get to read it. Oh, and I noticed elsewhere:

LochnarITB
...I don't want to let go until it is solved.

So I'll chime in with: Nor do I.

[LochnarITB]

Sadly, that helped not at all.  :angry:

I have to ask an obvious question just in case - did you reboot the machine after uninstalling to reset all ports, etc. to be sure everything was reset?

BTW - I hate you! ;) I have been hunting around for answers off and on since you first posted. I am the type, especially with computers and electronics, that hears someone with a problem and immediately goes into bulldog mode - grab on and don't let go. I have had people get upset because I don't want to let go until it is solved. :blink: By this point, I would be pushing you aside and saying "let me do it". Why don't you just bring your machine over here so I can get my hands on it and we'll get it going. :lol:

One other thing you can try is to scan your ports to see what is open and see if anything looks suspicious. A nice scan can be found at grc.com using their ShieldsUP! port scanner. There will be a bar listing several types of scans - choose "all service ports". This will give you a grid of the first 1056 ports. If you have zone alarm running with the internet zone security set to high, these should all be green - stealth - they don't exist to the outside world. If it is set to medium you should have mostly blue - closed but their presence is detectable - with a few scattered green and, possibly, a red or two - open to any comers. (BTW - for anyone who might know - mine shows 1025 open and it seems to be from windows System Event Notification Service which I think I need because I am on a wireless network [read mobile computing] - is there any way to shut this port down without affecting my system?)

Hmmm - maybe that won't tell us anything after all. It will show 20/21 ftp and 80 http as either closed or stealthed even though programs can use them. It is only reporting what can be seen from their server and can't say what your computer is actually doing with the ports. Oh well, give it a try anyway if for no other reason than to learn a little bit more about internet security.

Also, you mentioned setting ports in zone alarm. Do you have the free version or pro? In the free version, you can't set individual ports. You can only make general settings behind the "advanced" button. In pro, you have to choose the custom option for the internet zone on the firewall tab screen. There will be a box there where you can open or block ports depending on whether you have selected a high or medium security option.

How is you connection set up? cable->cable modem->computer -or- cable->cable modem->wired/wireless router->computer -or- cable->cable modem->ICS computer->computer (ICS=internet connection sharing)? If it is either of the first two, do the cable modem or router have a firewall built in? Can you access them and check for blocked ports?

This whole thing just does not add up. You can receive web pages so you are receiving http data. It sounds like you have been able to ftp a file. You can save other files to the intended directory - correct? Receive/save - what else is there in between??? Try this - save a web page to the directory you are trying to save to. In netscape this would be file/save page as and then save type as web page, complete. This should be the same as saving any other http file so I suspect it won't work. Arrrggghhh. I wish I could pull a rabbit out of the hat and come up with an answer.

-------------------------
Edit addition:
If you have zone alarm running check to see if any specific programs are permanently blocked. Go to the programs tab on the program control screen. Scroll through the list of programs to see if any have red x's listed. What are they? Do they sound like they could be the cuplrit?
-------------------------

Good luck.

Also, for anyone that might be interested, I found an interesting site for XP users called The Elder Geek on Windows XP. I have only scratched the surface but it seems like it might be a valuable site for XP issues.

[Nastie_Bowie]

Any luck Occhi? :huh:

[Selby]

For what its worth, I curse Occhi's computer problems. Not one day after giving my advice, my computer is now doing an almost identical thing. The internet dies every 5-10 minutes and stays dead for 5-10 minutes. I can hit the local network just fine, I can hit my UO shard on the internet just fine, and all the computers behind the firewall are fine. I've chalked it up to this crappy ASUS P4S8X board (NEVER BUY THIS BOARD or anything with the SiS 648 shipset).

Selby

[Occhidiangela]

Enormous project at work eating much time, had to take the time last evening with kids to play some D & D, they have not had their raid since three weeks ago, and are out of school, both on AB honor roll . . . their turn.

PC Set up: PC attached to a cable modem. No router.
ZA installed, free version. Yes, limited options.
When I get the monitor to work again, I will completely uninstall ZA before I go about anything else.
Norton Client Corporate verison.

Will be using the "save your ass with a DOS prompt" recovery disk tonight.

Yes, I get the BIOS screen, the next drivers screen, and the Windows splash right before I lose the monitor. I think I can resolve that once I reinstall. Did that a few months ago.

Glad I recently defragged.

For all of you nice folks, please don't hate me for being stupid. My third call to RR tech support was what got me to an outstanding young Canadian fellow who had many good ideas that we tried, to no avail.

I downloaded on another PC the win2fix for the winsock problem, the one from the Boston University site, but I read the site carefully: not all 4 conditions were true. So, I am not sure if I should screw with winsock fix.

More later, mucho thanks, work calls.

[ZatarRufus]

Will be using the "save your ass with a DOS prompt" recovery disk tonight.

Before you do, you might want to perform a simple check. Boot the computer and just after the drivers screen (while it says (at least on mine) 'Verifying DPMI pool data' or such), hold down the CTRL key to get the boot menu. Select step-by-step confirmation. If the problem is as I suspect, it will attempt to execute Wininit.Exe and then go quickly to the shutdown screen and/or in your case, turn off the monitor. If this is the case, the 'fix' to get you into Windows does not require a full recovery.

[Occhidiangela]

Why did I not think of that? Oh, I are a rube. Thanks. :) We shall see if it works out.

[ZatarRufus]

Why did I not think of that?...

Mayhap this is such a frazzling situation that you are thinking only in extremes. If that is the case then 'Take a hammer to it, then you'll know exactly what is wrong with it.'. (Paraphased from a Wes Harrison skit.)

[Nastie_Bowie]

GL Occhi! I can feel your pain through the screen.

Remove all heavy blunt objects from your reach when you go to fix your comp. :D

[Occhidiangela]

Microsoft Update still non functional, nor Mozilla downloads.

I took Zone ALarm off, but I could live update Symantec, so I suspect the http versus ftp issue is best cause.

Am on the phone to MS techs, who have crappy Muzak. :P

Of course, none of this explains my frequent disconnects from bnet. My dial up discoed less . . . blaaaaaaaach, Occhi is road kill on the info highway, again. Still working . . .

[Occhidiangela]

I tried to use the blizzard.com ftp site and got the same damned result for the download.

I wonder if somewhere on my machine, there is a "no bigger than a thimble" setting for th is function.