Blinking cursor
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Blinking cursor
I seem to have a cursor that blinks back & forth between > The arrow & the hourglass.
Does anyone know what causes this?
I installed a new modem about a week ago & noticed this yesterday.
I also seem to have intermittent browsing power to.
Sometimes downloading works & sometimes not.
Could these symtoms be a modem problem ?
Does anyone know what causes this?
I installed a new modem about a week ago & noticed this yesterday.
I also seem to have intermittent browsing power to.
Sometimes downloading works & sometimes not.
Could these symtoms be a modem problem ?
Posting Guru
Joined: Jul 2001
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From: Eastern Iowa Soon Texas
normally the hourglass/curor thing is from something running in the backround. As far as the download problem it may be your firewall may be blocking this. When you find something you cant download try to turn down your firewall or disable it before you click on the download link and if you downloading starts then turn your firewall back on.
I have had to do this a couple of times because i have my firewall set on high security.. Im far from a computer whiz, but this has helped me hope it works for you
I have had to do this a couple of times because i have my firewall set on high security.. Im far from a computer whiz, but this has helped me hope it works for you
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Nope,that will be in 3 weeks.
I try and watch the 2 monitors in the task bar.
The cursor seems to blink most when it is not downloading (watching for Lit up monitors).
When the monitors don't light up, the cursor blinks.
I try and watch the 2 monitors in the task bar.
The cursor seems to blink most when it is not downloading (watching for Lit up monitors).
When the monitors don't light up, the cursor blinks.
Postmaster
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 3,028
Likes: 1
From: Annapolis, Maryland
That's a special feature for Canadian PCs - every time somebody within 10 miles of your home changes their channel to a hockey game, the cursor blinks back and forth 
Actually, if it's what I'm thinking, it's something working in the background. The new modem could very well be the component that brought this on - if it's loading a couple of memory-intensive drivers or background programs, then it'll be working in the background a bit - especially if your computer is more than a week old and actually has to work to start the programs up.
What OS are you running?
XXL
Actually, if it's what I'm thinking, it's something working in the background. The new modem could very well be the component that brought this on - if it's loading a couple of memory-intensive drivers or background programs, then it'll be working in the background a bit - especially if your computer is more than a week old and actually has to work to start the programs up.
What OS are you running?
XXL
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Joined: May 2003
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Why did you install a new modem in the first place? Were you having trouble with the old modem? Do you have the latest drivers for the new modem? How much RAM do you have? I trust that you've run virus scan, Spybot S&D, scan disk,defrag, Windows update for patches,etc. to rule out these as possibilities. Have you dumped your temp. internet files recently?
Normally, when you get the hour glass figure, something is running in the background or writing to your hard disk. I don't see the hourglass when I'm downloading and the "monitors" are lit up. Next time it happens, look at your tower/desktop box and see if you can see the disk drive light flashing.
Sometimes you just have to bite the bullet and do a complete fresh reinstall to dump all the accumulated junk. I know that's not the answer you want to hear, but sometimes it is the easiest path to take. Or you may just consider jumping up to XP. IMHO, much more stable than 98.
Normally, when you get the hour glass figure, something is running in the background or writing to your hard disk. I don't see the hourglass when I'm downloading and the "monitors" are lit up. Next time it happens, look at your tower/desktop box and see if you can see the disk drive light flashing.
Sometimes you just have to bite the bullet and do a complete fresh reinstall to dump all the accumulated junk. I know that's not the answer you want to hear, but sometimes it is the easiest path to take. Or you may just consider jumping up to XP. IMHO, much more stable than 98.
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Posting Guru
Joined: Sep 2003
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From: N. Florida - The "No 4x4
Ummmmm, did you uninstall the old modem drivers?
start/control panel/system/devise manager
You'll probably see a red "x" beside the old modem - go ahead and "Remove" it.
HTH.
start/control panel/system/devise manager
You'll probably see a red "x" beside the old modem - go ahead and "Remove" it.
HTH.
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Posting Guru
Joined: May 2003
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From: Thomson, GA
When I read the title of this thread, I couldnt help but remembering the mac video someone posted a while back. I can see dennis sitting at his PC, helping some guy out, when out of the corner of his eye, he sees the cursor bouncing like a jack russel ----ing terrier!
Do these first. I have a program called Ad-aware that will tell me what programs are running and where the files are located, so if something is running that shouldnt be, I delete it.
I trust that you've run virus scan, Spybot S&D, scan disk,defrag, Windows update for patches,etc. to rule out these as possibilities. Have you dumped your temp. internet files recently?
Post Fiend
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 13,873
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From: Atlanta GA
It could be as simple as you bought a WinModem (one that uses the computer's cpu for processing data and ram) to replace a stand alone modem (one that comes with its own cpu and ram). Sort of like a printer for "mac, dos and windows" and a printer that runs under "windows only".
Could be a simple irq problem. Remove the card, unload the device and drivers (new and old). Power down, power up. Power down, install card, power up. If new drivers are not selected, install them manually. Helps to have teh newest drivers on-line BEFORE you remove the working modem.
Sometimes instead of using the uni-driver you have to use a specific OEM driver.
Could be a simple irq problem. Remove the card, unload the device and drivers (new and old). Power down, power up. Power down, install card, power up. If new drivers are not selected, install them manually. Helps to have teh newest drivers on-line BEFORE you remove the working modem.
Sometimes instead of using the uni-driver you have to use a specific OEM driver.
Elder User
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 967
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From: Southern NJ
This highly depends on what software you having running for internet related functions. What connection speed are you getting? If your computer is receiving information slower than it can process it, it will pause while it waits for the next packet. I concur on cleaning up the system, anything that is even trying to be located and not there should be eliminated. Such as old modem drivers. Always,,,, ALWAYS,, go to the company's website fro whatever new hardware you get and download the exact driver you need. Window's uni-drivers are more trouble than they are worth. 98SE is still a reliable platform (don't get me started on XP :P) but it does need monthly, if not bi-weekly, maintenance. I have used all the available OS's including UNIX and (shudder) Mac, and I'm using Windows ME now. Mil1ion, my yahoo handle is on my profile, you are welcome to add me and I will walk you through any procedures that you have trouble with. This is yet another of my grand hobbies, lol. Been working on computers for 10 + years and garnered quite a few troubleshooting techniques. Let me know if there is anything I can do to help. Least I could do for ya, considering all the help you have been to me here at FTE 
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AMD 1.3G Hz
352 MB of Ram
Disk fragmenter is run every 10 days
I toss my cookies & temp files every night
Scan disk every 10 days
The old Modem packed it in,(everything for it deleted)
Loaded driver from packaging of New Modem US Robotics VC92 56K w/ connection speed of 46,600
Firewall (Zone Alarm) shut off
Have Updates & Patches up til Oct /03
Security set at Medium
EDIT:
It just disconnected me twice.
I think it is a faulty Modem
352 MB of Ram
Disk fragmenter is run every 10 days
I toss my cookies & temp files every night
Scan disk every 10 days
The old Modem packed it in,(everything for it deleted)
Loaded driver from packaging of New Modem US Robotics VC92 56K w/ connection speed of 46,600
Firewall (Zone Alarm) shut off
Have Updates & Patches up til Oct /03
Security set at Medium
EDIT:
It just disconnected me twice.
I think it is a faulty Modem
Elder User
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 967
Likes: 0
From: Southern NJ
In the past when I was still on the back of a turtle for internet speed, I never had a US Robotics modem work reliably. I won't even consider buying their products now. And yes, I had quite a few. Try 3Com, Creative, or IBM. Stay away from Lucent, ActionTec and of course, US Robotics. It's definitely not in your OS, you've got plenty of guts there. How long have you lived there? Did the old modem ever give similiar problems? Might be time to call the phone company and have them upgrade the cables. That's a long shot, but I've seen it cause problems before. More than likely, you are correct, your modem is faulty. True, Torque, very few actually run independently these days, excluding external modems, of course. But the amount of CPU usage even the top of the line modems utilize is negligible. Especially on any processor over a Gig. Good maintenance schedule too, Mil1ion.
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