Re-install Win 98 Resolved I think

[doug]

Thank you one and all - including Boris I think I've now done as much as I can re-installing prior to taking it back then installing the BT Broadband connection and updating/re-registering the applications. think I'll wait to see how they get on with it now. The main problem that they had was very unreliable Internet connections. My thought was that I couldn't make much progress until I was sure that the PC was uncluttered, I've also installed the printer using the parallel printer port so there will be nothing on the USB connection. Will report back on this asap.

[Boris]

Re. the BT broadband - have they updated the firmware in whatever router they have ?

[doug]

Tell me more. Morag's problems were unreliable connections!

[Irene]

It interested me too, doug.

The following was one of the results of a Google search....

READ THIS

[doug]

Hmmm! Morag's connection is via the USB port.

[Boris]

So she has a USB modem ? - rather than a router ?

What model ?

[doug]

Thought it was a router and that modems were internal dial-ups. Anyway will check the model and No. when I take it back to the "final" part of the set-up - possibly tomorrow night (G'children permitting).

[doug]

Still not sure which she's got. However took the PC round tonight and things may be sort of all right - possibly. Reconnected everything that I had working at home here. then went through the BT connection routine. From what I've been able to glean on the underside were a series of numbers as follows:-

S/N CP0648FHN10 (28)

Bulk DSLCBAR7GBG F2

It's BT Total Broadband

and BT Homehub

Then a couple of lines relating to wireless codes but as she wont be using a wireless connection I couldn't understand those so didn't write those down. Anyway started the set-up and first thing was that after switching the beige box on there were only 2 out of the 5 green lights on. "No change there", said Morag. Always does that when it wont play properly. They normally switch off go away then come back and switch it on again. I had set it up with a separate powered socket to minimise all the palaver of powering down and re-booting the caboodle Anyway, went through this routine a couple of times and then on switch on all 5 lights started flashing. "There", said Morag. "It's going to play nicely now", and so it did. Went through the install routine and it halted asking for the Win98SE install disk - I had left it at home! Went back for it, stuck it in the CD drive and relaxed only to be rudely notified the the Thomson ST Remote NDID Device couldn't find the required files. Tried re-inserting the 98 Cd several times. B*********r! So I then clicked on the ignore button, did this several times. On completion managed to update the AVG Anti-virus package - haven't updated Zone Alarm yet. But it does now have an Internet connection and Morag was able to look at a couple of e-mails that had been sent to her since I had the PC. Sent a test e-mail to myself and have just sent another one to her.

Am now having a very stiff sensation from a large glass. Any thoughts on the modem/router.

Haven't been able to re-install her e-mails that I backed up nor her address book. It's BT Yahoo and I'm not familiar with that. Had several goes on setting up Internet Explorer and Outlook express but each time it kept coming up with the message that MSN rewuires a modem to be connected and I couldn't seem to get any further. Am a bit bushed having had No.1 G'son all day.

[Boris]

doug

The BT Home Hub is a re-branded version of an older broadband router - Thomson SpeedTouch 7G - hence the references you had to "Thomson ST Remote NDID Device".

Re. my previous "has it got the latest firmware ?" question ............. software updates are 'pushed' out to Home Hubs automatically whilst they're connected.

This is quite a good overview of the BT Home Hub :-

http://www.frequencycast.co.uk/homehub.html

If you/they ever feel like smashing their Home Hub in frustration - watch :-

http://youtube.com/watch?v=PJvcgyIhzmI

:D

[doug]

Thanks for that quick read Boris. But as I said earlier I couldn't do a complete installation from the CD. It asked for the Win98 SE disk which I inserted but it said the files it needed weren't there so I had to skip those. Did then manage to connect to the IE using the BTYahoo icon. Worked for both IE and the Yahoo e-mail package. Each time I tried to run Internet explorer it kept asking fo a modem to be installed, same with Outlook Express. So I left things as they apparently worked sort of!

Had a call from Morag earlier to say she had a problem. The router did it's usual games on switch on but after several goes it then worked. Morag was trying to get onto the IE using Internet Explorer but, of course it couldn't. Now we are away for a couple of weeks as of next Wednesday - after I get leave of absence from the Admin board of course. So if there are any quick suggestions I'll try and get up there before we go. I mean up there as she lives up on Pelton Fell. It's always 2 overcoats colder up there!