Ever since I got the cable modem installed last week, I have to reboot my computer AT LEAST ONCE A DAY, EVERY DAY--I either get a "blue screen of death" and when I then press a key, I no longer have a connection to the server (web pages all say "The page cannot be displayed" and so on) and have to reboot--or the screen just goes black and reboots on its own--or the window just freezes completely.

I e-mailed the so-called customer support and they told me to repair Internet Explorer and if that didn't work I should contact Microsoft. I followed the instructions but it didn't help. I don't even feel I should have to contact Microsoft--my PC was fine until they installed the cable modem. It seems to me it should be their problem to correct!

My PC is maintained every week--scan disk, etc. I just used some programs in Norton Systemworks that are supposed to optimize the PC performance. It hasn't helped. I am seriously infuriated. It has me screaming like a maniac, cursing like a sailor, and last night I punched a wall a couple of times... eek!

Anyone who has some ideas on what I can do, I would greatly appreciate it.

Some computer info--I have Windows 98, a Pentium III, 128MB SDRAM, 20GB hard drive. I don't know what other info is needed.

Did you install any cable modem software program that came with it? Its probably what caused the problem.

I had someone come out and install it, which was a mistake because I probably could have easily done it. I don't know what software he installed.

Joe - I'm no expert (by a mile) but a couple of things:

Do you know if your installation of Win 98 has the most current patches available? You can check at this site:

http://www.microsoft.com/windows98/downloa...ads/default.asp

Another Microsoft page with Win98 info:

http://www.microsoft.com/windows98/usingwi...ing/default.asp

From a hardware side, if you feel comfortable doing so, you could also try re-seating your memory SIMMs (have a current backup and of course, AYOW)

Good luck and let us know. Sorry that my basis knowledge isn't more extensive.

Joe, you have my sympathy my friend. I have been there so many many times. Is your Win 98, second edition? Thats what I had, and it has lots o' flaws. I finally got so pissed off that I chucked that computer, got a new one, and have XP-Home. Love it. No comparison to '98. I wish you all the luck in the world. Hang in there.

It's very possible that the software drivers that come with your modem aren't compatible with Windows 98. Do you have Windows 98SE, or just 98? What's the make/model of the modem?

Remember that technically, Microsoft no longer supports Windows 98. Sometimes getting new stuff to work on that OS is difficult.

Trevor

I hate to buy another computer but I think that's what I'll end up doing--it's easier than trying to upgrade everything on the current PC. Someone suggested I might have better luck connecting the cable modem through an ethernet connection rather than the USB, which it's set up as now. But that's gonna involve opening up the PC to install a card and I don't really want to do that.

I had problems when I first had my DSL modem installed when I was using Windows 98. Upgrading to Windows XP solved the problems for me.

Joe,

Well, it is probably not a terrible idea to buy a new machine. Since 98 isn't supported, you'll have problems with new software, maybe, as time goes on. At least if you get a new machine with XP, those problems would be gone.

And look at the bright side. Computers are SO cheap now.

Trevor

Well, if you're going to buy a new machine, I say get a Mac. I love my PowerBook, and the OS X operating system is incredibly intuitive, whereas Windows is just the opposite. And Apple customer support is legendary.....

Actually if you going to buy a new computer for home what will you use it for? Surfing the web and email? or will it have to be compatible with work so that you can work at home? The guy that installed our Cable modem had never touched a Mac before and he wouldn't accept any of my assistance.

At work I have to support a network of Win98 PCs and let me tell you...booting them four or five times a day is a normal occurance with that OS.

If you are only worried about e-mail and surfing and don't want to worry abour virus problems then get a Mac. They are easy to setup, easy to use and really don't cost anymore than a PC. I'm not slamming macs for being easy to use!!

If you need to be compatible with work than I suggest a new Dell or at least a clean intall of a new OS on your current PC if it can handle it. Do not upgrade the OS, especially 98. It can be an ugly process and sometimes causes even more problems. Trust me, I'm about to rebuild a PC that I was stupid enough to do the upgrade of the OS instead of a clean install.

Hope some of this helps. I really love my G4 at home, I haven't had any problems with it. Although I do tend to abuse it. I have lots of DVD editing software on mine as well as graphics apps and CD mixing software. I'm also using MS Office and Adobe InDesign too. So mine gets lots of work thrown at it.

I've got the cable modem hooked up to the laptop using the ethernet connection, and so far so good. I even watched a bit of streaming video from a website without any problem.

At some point I'll decide on a new PC, but I can put that off for awhile as long as the laptop is okay. I don't use my computer for work at all, so that's not an issue.

Thanks to all for your advice and comments.

I have a computer question. How do you link to a certain part of a page, rather than to just the page itself? Like, to a specific paragraph halfway down the page. I thought you had to add a # and a keyword to the URL, but that never works for me.

FeverDog,

Here's an example:

Your HTML link would look like this:

<A HREF="#OBJ">A Link within HTML Page</A>

Then, wherever the section is that you want to link to, you'd have:

<A NAME="OBJ">Here is the section I want to link to within the same HTML page.</A>

See if that works for you.

Oops, just read the part about using a URL. You're right with saying you just have to append the #OBJ at the end of the usual URL for the HTML page itself. Example: ...mypage.html#OBJ

FeverDog

See, I'm doing something wrong. I put "#FeverDog" at the end of the URL for this page but it just links to the top of it.

:confused: :confused: :confused:

Is there a section in the HTML page you are linking to that has the <A NAME="FEVERDOG">. . .</A> tag? That's what sets up the spot for the browser to know what point within the HTML page you want to go to.

Hope that wasn't obvious ;-)

Can you show me an example? If I wanted to link to the 7:55 entry at http://espn.go.com/page2/s/simmons/020507.html what exactly should I do?

Well, I looked at the source for this page, and you wouldn't be able to link directly to that portion of the espn page because there is no internal tag set up for it. Here's the HTML for that paragraph:

<p>
<b>7:55:</b> Sturtze is taking about 25 seconds between pitches. Gotta hate that. Why do some pitchers take so long? What do they think about?
</p>

In order to open the page and have the browser directly scroll to that section, you'd have to add the following to the HTML:

<p>
<A NAME=755>
<b>7:55:</b></A> Sturtze is taking about 25 seconds between pitches. Gotta hate that. Why do some pitchers take so long? What do they think about?
</p>

Then, you'd be able to enter the following address into your browser (or set up a link to go to this address):

http://espn.go.com/page2/s/simmons/020507.html#755

Hope that clarifies things. You can't link to a portion of the page unless there is a label (the <A NAME=????> set up within the HTML.

Oh, I thought you could link to any keyword and the page would jump to it. Thanks for your help.