MLS Freezes During Sync

[russellhltn]

They sent me a KB article about an hour ago with some other steps to try, one of them verifying that there is a "T" in front of the dialup numbers in options. So I did that and now the machine no longer hangs when dialing. YAY

All this time I thought you were connecting and hanging during communication.

Was the modem trying to pulse dial? That's the only thing I can think of that a "T" would fix. (Changes modem dial command from ATD to ATDT.)

Now for the bad news... it goes to verifying username and password, seems to terminate the call and then starts dialing all over again. Wash, rinse, repeat three times and then I get the "three options" error message. Again, at least it isn't hanging any longer.

What kind of modems are these? Can the options be set? I'm wondering if you don't have some incompatible settings stored in NVRAM that's the source of your trouble.

[chmsant]

All this time I thought you were connecting and hanging during communication.

Was the modem trying to pulse dial? That's the only thing I can think of that a "T" would fix. (Changes modem dial command from ATD to ATDT.)

Nope wouldn't even start the transmit. With just a plane jane phone number it dials, goes to verify username/password and then hangs there. Adding the "T" eliminates the hang. Was not pulse dialing beforehand.

What kind of modems are these? Can the options be set? I'm wondering if you don't have some incompatible settings stored in NVRAM that's the source of your trouble.

Conexant PCI modems that shipped with the units. I'm about to run over to the stake center and see if I can find a spare USB modem in my stash.

[russellhltn]

Conexant PCI modems that shipped with the units.

And it didn't want to dial with plain-jane phone numbers??? Something isn't set right. Have you got a connection script turned on in MLS? I think it's supposed to be off - at least for the U.S.

BTW, I'm fairly sure that Conexant PCI was what I was using for my "adventure", but I didn't have dialing issues.

[chmsant]

And it didn't want to dial with plain-jane phone numbers??? Something isn't set right. Have you got a connection script turned on in MLS? I think it's supposed to be off - at least for the U.S.

BTW, I'm fairly sure that Conexant PCI was what I was using for my "adventure", but I didn't have dialing issues.

Yeah, strange right?

So I just got back from the stake center, plugged in one of the extra Conexant USB modems I had over there and there is no change in behavior. I think it's safe to say that this isn't a modem issue or a phone line issue at this point.

[russellhltn]

Do you have any other computers in the stake on dial-up? What version of MLS are they running?

What happens if you try to use the dial-out "MLS" network connection manually? You won't get too far since you don't know the login, but it should at least dial and connect. If it can do that, then it suggests the problems are more on the MLS side then the OS/hardware side.

When you reloaded the machine, you wiped the drive rather than going on top of the old install, right?

Taking what you've told me, the problem either has to have been re-introduced with the reloading of the machines, or has somehow survived the reloading - NVRAM, rookit, something.

You may have to do what I did: Nuke the hard drive. Load WinXP SP3 (no patches), turn on Windows firewall, load MLS and see if it works. If it does, update and add your programs one at a time until dial-up breaks.

[danieljl]

Found this thread while searching for a solution to our MLS send/receive issues. We are having the same issue. Started last Sunday, MLS dials in, makes the connection, goes to authenticate and then hangs the entire computer. So it sounds like I should try removing the av software. I assumed this would be a simple uninstall software. This thread implies that there is some batch file that is needed to do this. Where did this bat file come from?

Not sure what would have triggered this issue. Transmitted fine in the morning locked up in the evening and failed ever since. MLS Support not much help. I did pull a modem from one of my computers at home and failed in the same place. So not a modem issue. Running XP sp3. Do have Sophis (sp?) av. I believe running MLS 3.5.3.

[russellhltn]

So it sounds like I should try removing the av software. I assumed this would be a simple uninstall software. This thread implies that there is some batch file that is needed to do this. Where did this bat file come from?

Local Unit Support - which is now closed for the weekend.

Did anyone install any updates other then MLS patches? In my case someone connected the computer to a phone and updated everything. The other person experiencing problems rebuilt the machines at home with his broadband connection. So far, I think you'd be the first dial-up who was never updated externally to have problems.

[danieljl]

Thanks to your posts I've fixed our issue.

Went over to the Church tonight and uninstalled the Sophos firewall using the control panel add/remove programs. It's listed all by itself. Rebooted the computer and the transmission was successful. I don't recall now if I enabled the Windows firewall before or after that first transmission. But I did that as well and was able to send and receive. So for now we're good.

One bad side effect of being successful is our Stake Computer Specialist mentioned that if we couldn't get it fixed they would have to give us priority on getting our Ward an internet connection.

[danieljl]

Sorry forgot to answer your question. To my knowledge there were no changes to our computer other than MLS. Without the internet not much changes. Don't know how to update the av over dialup so it hasn't changed either.

[russellhltn]

uninstalled the Sophos firewall using the control panel add/remove programs.

It might be an older version. I don't think you can do that with one that's been posted by the church for the last few months.

Glad you got it fixed, and that it was that easy. (For others, I do highly recommend activating the Windows Firewall - no firewall is too dangerous.)

But it does worry me that this is just the start of a wave.