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Topic: An Intermittent Problem - Dontcha Just Luv 'Em? |
Richard Damron
From:
Gallatin, Tennessee, USA (deceased)
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Posted 18 May 2010 6:45 am |
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Dell XPS410, Windows Vista Home Premium, IE8, Hughesnet ISP (satellite service).
This has happened twice during the last week. Things will be rockin' along just fine. A haze appears across the screen. Have to back out and reboot. When I try to access the internet again I first get the message that I'm "offline". I NEVER work offline and I certainly didn't check it under "tools". Uncheck it. Get a small window that asks me to connect. Error message that says that my "Service Name" (a Hughesnet variable?) may be in error. Looks OK.(?) A System Restore to a known good date and time cures the problem. Apparently my good settings are being restored.
Is there a place where I can now check these internet settings such that, if my settings or "service name" have been mysteriously changed, I can make note of them?
Any ideas as to why these changes occur?
Any ideas as to a permanent fix?
Many thanks. Respectfully,
Richard |
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Mitch Drumm
From:
Frostbite Falls, hard by Veronica Lake
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Posted 18 May 2010 7:00 am Re: An Intermittent Problem - Dontcha Just Luv 'Em?
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Richard:
Don't know, but here is what passes through my mind:
You say that a system restore to a known good date fixes the problem. I assume only temporarily?
Do you mean that "offline" is checked by some mysterious process and that immediately after a good system restore it is NOT checked? And somehow then again becomes checked?
You get a message saying you are offline. From who or what? What other words are on the message box?
Do you freeze up during the hazy screen? And that forces a reboot? Are you doing anything in particular immediately before the hazy screen?
Have you made any recent hardware or software upgrades?
How certain, if at all, are you that you have no viruses or malware? Have you recently run Malwarebytes? What is your antivirus protection?
Have you talked to Hughesnet, not that they are necessarily competent--but are others having the problem? |
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Richard Damron
From:
Gallatin, Tennessee, USA (deceased)
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Posted 18 May 2010 7:33 am
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Mitch -
A System Restore must be a temporary fix since the problem occurs again.
"Offline" is mysteriously checked. NOT checked after a System Restore.
"Offline" meaning that I cannot access the internet until I uncheck it under "tools".
The hazy screen is a "freeze" of sorts accompanied by that damnable rotating hourglass. Just browsing when it occurs.
No recent software or hardware upgrades other than the usual MS downloads.
Have run both CCleaner and Malwarebytes. No gremlins found.
Hughesnet tech assistance is the India Indian pits! That's why I'm trying to lean on folks here on the Forum. At least you folks know what you're doing and are willing to go out of your way to assist the members.
For THAT I'm most appreciative.
Respectfully,
Richard |
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Mitch Drumm
From:
Frostbite Falls, hard by Veronica Lake
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Posted 18 May 2010 7:57 am
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| Richard Damron wrote: |
Mitch -
"Offline" is mysteriously checked. NOT checked after a System Restore.
"Offline" meaning that I cannot access the internet until I uncheck it under "tools".
Hughesnet tech assistance is the India Indian pits! |
Just got it through my thick skull that your Hughes connection is apparently satellite delivered as opposed to coaxial cable. I am way out of my element there.
It appears that after you do a system restore, offline is not checked. Then you get the hazy screen and reboot. If you then look again, offline is checked.
If this is a laptop and you take it elsewhere, do you have issues?
I guess your connection is subject to a lot of the issues that the average TV user had to go through in the days of rabbit ear antennas--weather, hardware failures beyond your control at the satellite level, etc. The screen going hazy sounds like what happens when a TV picture gets a bit dodgy for no apparent reason.
I'd guess it is a Hughes issue.
For which you have my sympathy. I gave up on Dell because I was once immersed in India tech support hell for weeks over a legit Dell monitor failure under warranty.
Do you have any cronies who use Hughes and also have issues?
Do you have an alternate modem or router (whatever you use) that you can swap in to test?
I'd guess most of the settings and configuration info are viewable within the modem or router if you know how to get at it.
If you are not aware of it, you might graze here:
http://www.dslreports.com/forum/sat
Or Hughes may have its own forums?
As with all problematic computer issues, pound Google with the best combination of search terms you can think of. |
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Richard Damron
From:
Gallatin, Tennessee, USA (deceased)
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Posted 18 May 2010 10:02 am
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Mitch -
Many thanks for the link. Tons of information there but nothing, offhand, pertinent to my problem. Could have missed something. Will have to revisit when I have the time to really search.
Respectfully,
Richard |
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Archie Nicol R.I.P.
From:
Ayrshire, Scotland
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Posted 19 May 2010 5:00 pm
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What you need is a kitten, DYK!
Arch. |
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Richard Damron
From:
Gallatin, Tennessee, USA (deceased)
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Posted 19 May 2010 8:10 pm
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Arch -
I'm afraid that my two grown Persians wouldn't appreciate a feisty little snot aggravating the hell out of them! |
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Dave Potter
From:
Texas
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Posted 20 May 2010 7:28 am Re: An Intermittent Problem - Dontcha Just Luv 'Em?
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| Richard Damron wrote: |
| A haze appears across the screen. Have to back out and reboot. When I try to access the internet again I first get the message that I'm "offline".....Get a small window that asks me to connect. |
No experience with satellite service, but my guess is that you're experiencing connection issues, either from over-the-air reception problems or network adapter issues, hardware or settings. Agree with the previous post that the Hughes end is a prime suspect.
Often, the "hazy screen" happens with the software is "not responding", meaning something's crashed. My experience has been that the system going "offline" happens when the internet connection is intermittent. The job is to discover why it is.
| Quote: |
| Error message that says that my "Service Name" (a Hughesnet variable?) may be in error. Looks OK.(?) A System Restore to a known good date and time cures the problem. Apparently my good settings are being restored. |
I personally would avoid going the system restore route if I could. It's not addressing what's wrong. One thing that comes to mind is that you might check all your internet-related settings once things appear normal, then check them again when stuff goes awry, and pursue those clues to troubleshoot.
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| Is there a place where I can now check these internet settings such that, if my settings or "service name" have been mysteriously changed, I can make note of them? |
The knee-jerk answer is Hughes tech support. If you've tried that and don't have the stomach for more of it.........
an alternative would be to peruse one of the Hughes-oriented forums like this one.
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| Any ideas as to why these changes occur? Any ideas as to a permanent fix? |
Things just "happen" sometimes. Nothing stays the same. My ISP once changed a setting in my email service and didn't say anything. I called them and was told to check a setting previously unchecked, and it worked again.
On your end, you could run the command ipconfig /? in a "CMD" box, study the options, research them on the internet for meanings, and see if you think things are normal.
Tough trying to diagnose from here. Good luck. |
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Richard Damron
From:
Gallatin, Tennessee, USA (deceased)
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Posted 20 May 2010 4:20 pm
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Dave Potter -
THAT'S the guy that I talked to!!!!!!!!!!!!! |
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Dave Potter
From:
Texas
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Posted 20 May 2010 4:50 pm
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| Richard Damron wrote: |
Dave Potter -
THAT'S the guy that I talked to!!!!!!!!!!!!! |
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Richard Damron
From:
Gallatin, Tennessee, USA (deceased)
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Posted 24 May 2010 10:00 am
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Mitch and Dave -
A belated many thanks for the suggestions. Still do not have it resolved but am working on it.
Respectfully,
Richard |
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