Serious Computer Problem Need Help?

thcri · Aug 7, 2005

Last week one day we lost power and I don't think this has anything to do with it but thought I should mention it cause this problem started right at that time.

I have a Dell Dimension 4000 running Windows XP with SP2. Have had the computer for over two years and has worked fine. Last week when our power went down and came back on we have had a slow internet connection. We have reset our modem and power cycled it. But our problem is we can't get any of our Email, we can't get to our home pages that were registered at the time, we can't get to MSN, Hotmail or Yahoo. I can't get to our ISP's web page or my companies web page that is being hosted by our ISP. However, I can get to our web page by using others computer or even my work ones. This problem is just at home. I nor my wife and kids can't get their email. I have manually updated my anti-virus program and find no virus's. I have ran scan-disk/defrag and nothing helps. I have cleaned out all cookies and temporary files/history.

I am lost, what can I do?

murph

Junkman · Aug 7, 2005

Restart the computer and keep hitting the F8 key. This will start the computer in "Safe Mode". Then go to "Start", "All Programs", "System Tools", "Accessories", "System Tools", "Restore". Click on restore and follow the instructions on screen. Restore your computer to a earlier date when everything was working properly, and hopefully this will alleviate the problem. Best that I can do.... I am not a computer geek, but there are some here that are, so they will also chime in hopefully..... Junk....

DocHeb · Aug 7, 2005

Are the modem lights (power/receive/send/online) all lit appropriately? I had a cable modem fail last month after a storm, probably related to a voltage spike.

DannyD · Aug 7, 2005

If you have a separate router check the ip address being given by your isp, my bet is you dont have one. Most of the routers can be 'got into" by typing 192.168.1.1 in the address bar of the browser you use. Check WAN status.

If you do not have a router, contact your isp and make sure your modem is working. they will have you type in 192.168.0.245, or 192.168.1.254 to get to their GUI and follow thier prompts etc.

could also be the "gateway" your getting is wrong, or the subnet mask is wrong. One more test, get to a command prompt, black screen, blinking curser....type in ipconfig, post results here please.

FingerLakes · Aug 7, 2005

Do you have dialup, DSL, Cable or other, Internet access?

v8dave · Aug 7, 2005

You don't indicate directly that the computer is working or not. It appears to be working because you state you can't get to . . .

So, first things first.
1) Check the computer. Does the computer seem to be working exclusive of the network based functions? If so, you have either a network configuration problem on your computer or your network is down.

If the computer is actually running ok, it's likely the computer's network settings are ok too. But just in case, step 6 below will get to that.

2) Have you set up a network in the house? That is did you buy soemthing else to put between the modem and your computer? Assuming no which means you plug the computer directly into the modem, then the problem is either a configuration problem with the modem or a dead modem. If you do have other stuff them disconnect that other stuff and connect your computer directly into the modem. Follow the original instructions with the modem about setting the computer up properly.

Does the system work now? If so it's your house network equipment that's bad. Time for new ones.

Assuming you're connected to the modem and it still doesn't work.

3) You cycled the power on your modem, so it should have reset itself. Dissconnect every thing from it and cycle the power again, then reconnect it. Get the manual that came with the modem and make sure the modem and computer settings are ok.

Still doesn't work?

4) What kind of network service do you have? Cable or DSL service? If you have cable or DSL service call the provider and have them check to see if they can "see" your modem from their side. I'll bet they can't. Which means it is most likey is a dead unit.

5) Get somebody to bring over a lap top computer and see if it will work.

6) Junk's suggestion about doing a restore may help if the above steps don't work.

7)All else fails call Best Buy and get the geek squad to come out and troubleshoot it for you.

Inspector507 · Aug 7, 2005

Make sure when you reset or power cycle the modem, that the computer is turned off. Restart the modem first, then the router if any, then the computer. If you are using IE, in Internet Options under the connections tab, make sure that your LAN settings are set to "automatically detect"

thcri · Aug 7, 2005

Computer is working fine, I can connect to the other computer on our router and everything works great. I can go to just about any web page, except MSN.com, Yahoo.com, hotmail.com, qwest.net which is our ISP, and even my own web page which is hosted by qwest.net. We can not get our email using Outlook unless I connect using a dial up adapter which is somewhat pointing to our modem. Our system is like DSL but we are using a cell phone tower. As far as rebooting out modem we shut everything down and then wait a half hour and then start the modem up, then router then computers. We also have restarted it using different sequences hoping this would help. I have been on the phone for two hours with qwest and also an hour or so with the cell phone company. Not sure what more I can do.

murph

ps: edit: Also the web pages I do get to are very slow and even TBN while typing this post it still says I am receiving data from TBN yet and my mouse is in the active mode. When I click on post it does not take me back to the forum.

Junkman · Aug 7, 2005

Sounds like you have tried everything except for the restore feature. I am also wondering if you might have become infected with a worm or virus. I would do a complete virus scan after doing a live update of the virus protection. If you are using windows XP. it comes with technical help, so you might give them a try. XP comes with free installation help and the rest cost $35 per incident, but they will continue to help you until the problem is resolved, no matter what amount of time it takes.

v8dave · Aug 8, 2005

I'm with Junk. Try a system restore.

However, one last thing to try is get a lap top that is known to work elsewhere and try it at home.

System restore will set the computer configuration to a known past state. It has saved my bacon several times.

Since the computer is running the easier way to get to system restore is:
click "Start" in lower left corner,
click "Help and Support",
click "Sytem Restore" or search for System Restore and then run System Restore.
Pick a date prior to your power failure date.

All this is strongly pointing to your "modem" as being bad. If the restore doesn't fix it you still need to eliminate your in house router from the process. Connect a computer directly to the modem, while you have the lap top there to test with use it. That is try the lap top through your home net and also direct to the modem. You'll have to change the computer configuration to connect to the modem though. It'll tell you what to set to in the modem manual or the set up information you received from Quest.