thanatoid wrote:

Robert Baer wrote in
:


Am trying to config Win98SE from scratch and have the
following
serious problem.
Run the Internet Wizard, use manual as i already have an
ISP. Put i all parameters possible and then have to
diddle modem for
115Kbaud, max FIFO; have to diddle dialing for always use
area code; and some other diddling i do not remember to get
the damn dialing to work correctly.
*First* time, IE does automatically "launch" dial-up,
connect, etc.
**Problem #1: Absolutely hate it taking forever to login
(booting an original 1980 IBMPC XT was faster).
So i am on the net (whoopee - except i am asleep due to
long wait). Close browser, disconnect.
Try IE again, same story.
Shut down, power off, power on, boot to Win98SE.
**Problem #2: Try IS and *NO* auto dial-up; no fiddling
will fix it.
Wipe HD and try again.
Same sh*t.
Am getting ****ed.
Any positive suggestins to *permenantly* fix these
problems?


It's been a long time since I had to set anything up (I have
been spoiled by Acronis True Image, a real life saver) but two
of the main things I would imagine are causing your problems is
a) using IE to establish the connection, rather than just having
a properly-set up dial-up connection shortcut, which upon double
clicking connects you and sits there waiting for you to start
whatever internet application you want to use and b) using IE
which messes with everything it can, changes settings however
*it* wants to, and also lets everyone else in the world mess
with your computer.

You APPEAR to be using Netscape, I suggest Opera, see below. And
WHY are you letting IE be in charge of the connection when you
are obviously smart enough not to use it as a browser? I would
suspect (I didn't look at your headers earlier, and I've been
writing this for a while) that it's the conflict between IE
wanting to be the default browser and changing settings which
may be causing a considerable part of the problems.

Remember, you have to properly set up the modem, the dial up
connection, the network protocols (a few settings there are
crucial for your security even if you don't use IE), etc. Most
of this is in the Control Panel and the Wizard may or may not
get you to make those settings the way they should be.

Not a bad idea to reboot after every part of this is done, and
save the registry before and after. Make a directory with
subdirs for all the registry copies that will start
accumulating.

Checking with your provider is not a bad idea, there used to be
a time ISP's gave you a disc and manual, I don't know whether
you got one or not, but many ISP systems have small but possibly
significant set-up differences. Anyway, you're their *customer*
and it's their *job* to walk you through this when necessary.

If the ISP tech support doesn't make all this work, I would
Google a bit, there are MANY sites which explain this entire
long and painful process very thoroughly and make it fairly
easy. (Might also consider switching providers if they're
jerks.)

I would also suggest you get Opera, www.oldversion.com, the new
versions may not run that well on a (presumably) older machine.
I use 7.23 on this 166MHz w/96RAM, works fine.

Another GREAT browser if you like fast as hell, totally safe and
simple, and don't care about Flash and Java is at
www.offbyone.com
Oh, i do use solution (a) as a way of getting on the net (mainly) for
updating my AVG.
But launching IE or NS (or FireFox) is *supposed* to automatically
run the dial-up/logon program.
So what the he** di i do to force that to happen *AND* make it stay
that way?
Since this is a new configuration, i have yet to load another
browser; wanted to check operation before going any further.
You are right about the "Wizard"; it does not allow one to set all
that is needed - hence the fiddling.

"OffByOne" sounds neat...a few questions:
With NS7.2, there are some sites that are browser hostile in that
they cause the computer to freeze - - and some lock the computer that i
hace to unplug it (but IE works with them).
What does OffByOne do with those &#^$&*^#$ sites?