Computer reboots when modem dials in

[reboot]

Resource sharing and/or no resources.
Get the modem on it's own IRQ/memory allocation, and get rid of 15 or 20 icons you have in the taskbar.

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Who needs a life?, I have internet!
Cheers, Jim
Jim & Sue's Free Files (http://members.cnx.net/reboot) | Jims Modems (http://members.cnx.net/reboot/modems.htm)

[Omletteboy]

Here is the problem. There is this computer that reboots 50% of the time whenever it establishes connection with the internet. The connection is thro' a motorola 56K modem. Any ideas what can cause this. TIA.

[bdunn]

I had this problem on a system and had to turn off wake on modem in the BIOS and then it stopped.

[Omletteboy]

Thanx for the replies people, i'll give it a try.

[bobo1]

reboot-
you've perked my curiosity!
how do icons on the taskbar use resources that the modem needs?
I'm still having trouble with my ESS PCI 56K modem and might give that a try too (see thread: modem problem: crash after disconnect). I've already got it on its own IRQ and exchanged it for the same card: same problem.
The guy at compusa suggested that it may be a software problem with my ISP and that I should "get new initialization strings" from them, but it still smells like resource allocation to me.

thanks
bobo

[reboot]

EVERYTHING in the taskbar uses resources, mostly physical RAM. When the RAM is used up, Windows will read/write to the swap file (win386.swp), causing the HD "grind" that you may hear. Any time a computer grinds to a halt and/or reboots spontaneously it's usually out of resources, physical resources. The taskbar programs don't use IRQ's and such, but with a winmodem that needs CPU cycles and RAM to work, if there is none left because of program hogs (Norton/McAfee AV's, TSR's, Anti-crash utilities, system monitors...)anything that uses lots of RAM and will NOT free it up for use by anything else, a modem dialing or hanging up can cause a crash/restart. Windows DUN is trying to use, and then free up, resources for itself to use, and other programs are being greedy about releasing needed resources. Hence the recommendation from everyone here for hard modems.
Windows also has a way of sharing resources that a BIOS will not, hence a winmodem may share an IRQ with your AGP video card, and work just fine...most of the time...but you will notice a winmodem running at it's slowest when it's on a shared resource. If it's sharing with a video card (for example) it will only get attention from the CPU every second cycle through the interrupts, instead of once every cycle, virtually crippling half it's ability to do it's job. Set "PnP OS Installed" in BIOS to disabled (or NO), remove all devices in device manager in Safe Mode, and restart. Windows will now assign resources according to the BIOS, and NOT allow sharing. This cures 99% of all conflicts, even suspected ones that DON'T show up in device manager with yellow !'s.
For your ESS modem, get the latest drivers from my modems page, remove the modem in device manager, shutdown, take the modem out, restart, shutdown, put the modem back in a different slot if possible, restart, reinstall. Failing that, remove and reinstall DUN with a restart in between, then run inetwiz to make a new connection.
Ideally, desolder all the chips and stuff on the modem card, make jewelry, and buy a new modem. http://www.pcmech.com/ubb/biggrin.gif

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Who needs a life?, I have internet!
Cheers, Jim
Jim & Sue's Free Files (http://members.cnx.net/reboot) | Jims Modems (http://members.cnx.net/reboot/modems.htm)

[bobo1]

thanks for the tutorial, reboot
will give it a try (although the jewelry idea sounds pretty good at this point, too! http://www.pcmech.com/ubb/biggrin.gif)

bobo

[bobo1]

Hey Reboot!
wanted to give you an update
I tried all of your suggestions from above and got everything onto its own IRQ, etc. I even reinstalled windows and went to your link "to cache or not to cache" and increased freemem from 53mb to 83mb. Still same crash problem, so on a hunch from something I heard somewhere (probably from another string here) I upgraded my video card. I was running a 2mb ATI mach64; now running 8mb ati xpert 98. Guess what?

Problem solved! (and there was much rejoicing...)

I guess this proves yet again that a computer is only as good as its weakest link; in my case the video card and/or modem. I guess modem was hogging resources from display even on different IRQ?

Anyway, just wanted to thank you again for the tips!

bobo

[reboot]

I thought you were going to say you had a Cirrus Logic video card! http://www.pcmech.com/ubb/eek.gif NOT!

Glad it all worked out.

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Who needs a life?, I have internet!
Cheers, Jim
Jim & Sue's Free Files (http://members.cnx.net/reboot) | Jims Modems (http://members.cnx.net/reboot/modems.htm)

[WJWheels]

Don't rub it in Jimbo.... http://www.pcmech.com/ubb/wink.gif. I just inherited another CLM - this time a 56K PCI out of a pc I put a Supra Express in tonight. As soon as I find the drivers, I'll pawn it off on someone else. We're getting into lightning season down here, so they'll soon be frying right and left.

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"It's not just the ups and downs that make life difficult; it's the jerks."

[reboot]

CL drivers links are on my modems page http://www.pcmech.com/ubb/biggrin.gif

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Who needs a life?, I have internet!
Cheers, Jim
Jim & Sue's Free Files (http://members.cnx.net/reboot) | Jims Modems (http://members.cnx.net/reboot/modems.htm)