Modem dialing... or lack there of

So I help out friends and family with computer problems, like most others do, and I have finally been stumped. The only things I think I have left as options are to either blow up the computer and start from scratch or buy a new external modem, which probably won't fix the problem.

Here's the situation:
My neighbor uses Juno for an ISP and has had no issues logging on until a few weeks ago. Her daughter came over and downloaded some programs, what they are, I am unable to tell. So after she leaves the computer will no longer connect to Juno. So, the neighbor calls me in. I go over and check the modem settings and everything looks kosher. I open up Juno and check those settings, again everything looks up to par. I then try to dial out and them modem picks up, dial tone establishes, and then it hangs up and says something like “no answer†(unimportant). I close out Juno and fire up HyperTerminal and open up a session. I do a ATDT and get a dial tone. ATH and it hangs up. Then ATDT0 (I also tried to call other local numbers, not just zero). The phone picks up and I get tone for 2 seconds, then it hangs up and I get a return of “RESTRICTEDâ€. I then uninstalled the modem, and reinstalled it. No dice. I then started uninstalling all the other useless programs 90% of the computer user population keep on their machines which slow everything down and have the tendency to muck things up. Again, after uninstalling 15 programs nothing changed. I also tried resetting the modem back to factory defaults (ATZ) but that didn’t do anything either.
Now I know there are programs you can get which restrict the use of modems (http://www.stopitnow.com.au/help/guide/functions.html) but I couldn’t find any programs like this one either.

There’s got to be a solution without reformatting the computer. Any ideas?

 

Possible solution ...

Hi ...

I recently ran accross a similiar problem on a freinds Windows Me machine ...

In Device manager, there was an entry for an "enumerator" for the modem chip set ....it constantly reported "no dial tone" then something else which flew by to fast to see ...

At any rate, hold down the cntrl key while booting to get to safe mode and make sure something like that was not added ...also, use the control panel applet for modems to remove the modem and make sure the wave device is removed from sound controllers in device manager while in safe mode....you should then be able to properly reinstall the modem...

Hope this helps ...
Cheers
Jake

 

Jake,

You are right! There is an entry for an "enumerator ". I uninstalled it and when I reinstalled the modem it came back. I thought it was odd, but didn't pay much attention to it since I am unfamiliar with that flavor of modem. Looking back on it, I think you are on to something!

I forgot to mention that I did try booting up in safe mode and uninstall some of the uglier programs, but I didn't try to uninstall the modem at that point.

I'll defiantly give your suggestion a whirl.

Thanks!

- Adam