No dialtone message

[Carl Price]

I have a customers machine on my bench that will connect (dialup) one time and let you do whatever you want. If you disconnect they next time you try to connect you will get a "no dialtone" message. I have reformated and reinstalled win98 (thats what he has the machine and license for) but I still get no dialtone the second and subsequent times I try to connect. Does anybody know what is happening. We have disabled usb and com ports to no effect. It is the only thing using irq 11 so no irq conflict. It is a 700 mhz compaq model 5bw160, stock with a 56k modem onboard video and sound. It has a separate hardware nic and modem. We have used 7 different modems with all known chipsets to no effect. It has no ISA slots so that's out. Help!!

If you need any more information please let me know.

[ktkendall]

Was this the same problem he has at his house?? Could be phone line prob, but if he had same problem at his house and now your having it also and after reloading win98, and trying all those different modems then I wonder what is the dial up connection you are using?? I would try a differennt one, and what if you dial up, then disconnect, and after trying again and getting the no-dial tone error, reboot the machine, then what happens?? I would almost bet then it works for one more time, also when you do try to dial up and get NDT error, did you try a phone set on the phone jack port of the modem?? Inspect the cord also, and try for actual dial-tone on the cord also when you get NDT error.. I'm betting it's the dial up connection since If I read you correctly that is the only common thing from his house to yours after reloading Windows, and I assume your using a different cord, different phone line, and you have tried different modems..

[Byte 2.0]

Carl Price, this might be a bit left field, but try using the dial program that is native in win 98. Of course I have forgotten the exact name of the program but I believe it is in start, programs, accessories and then communications.

See if you can get it to dial twice or more. Since you have already tried 7 modems, I am a bit at a lose on what else it might be.

With the existing modems that work once and then give a no Dial tone error, do they work again after a reboot?

[Carl Price]

I believe I have this problem solved. It has worked for 8 times in a row now. I put a older Modem Blaster modem in the machine. It is used but It solved the problem. I can't charge him for a new modem but it did solve the problem.

Thanks to all who replied. The answer to your both of your questions is yes. It worked once after a reboot.

Ktkendell, yes this was the same problem he had at his house. I made a new Bellsouth.net connection after I reformated. I have not used a phone set on this modem.

Byte, you are thinking of Hyperterminal or phone dialer.

[Byte 2.0]

Yea, phone dialer is what I was thinking of.