Modem, Shut Down, Windows Configuring, and Genuine Windows Error!

[Bimmerknut]

My Dell XPS 8700, I bought from Dell has been a pretty good machine. But then I started seeing the modem failing to initialize. It would do this for so long, I'd have to get up an walk away for awhile. Other times only a system restore would fix it, but even that wasn't guaranteed. I noticed when I gave up and finally just want to reboot that it would hang on "Windows is shutting down," but never would. My last resort then is to do a hard shut down. Only problem then is that it would hang on "Please wait while your computer is updating." Only it would never boot back up. If it leave it like this overnight then sometimes I wake up to the desktop but the modem is still not engaged. The modem is a cable modem and it was JUST changed out to a newer one about three weeks ago. But this intermittent problem has been going on for well over a year. Now the most recent development is that the lower right corner of the desktop says that my Windows is not genuine. The ONLY thing that is not OEM from Dell on this computer is my sound card. I installed a Creative SoundBlaster X-Fi on it the day I got the computer.

I run CCleaner both for windows cache and registry cleaner on average once a week, and it is constantly active. I'm on my computer mostly for college but I also play a lot of games on Pogo. I'm not what you would consider a "gamer" utilizing other online platforms.

I'm running an i7 processor with 8GB ram. My Windows Experience Index rating is only 1.0 whatever that means. I did upgrade to the Windows10 trial about 6 months ago and hated it. Then trying to go back to Win7 was a disaster which led me to completely resetting the computer back to factory install.

I am networked with my wife's computer whose is the same as mine, but she doesn't have these issues and additionally even we my modem won't initialize, my wireless router works fine, as I am on my laptop now asking for help.

I'm very computer literate having worked for Gateway for 2 1/2 (back in 1999-2001) years on their Help Desk, therefore I can often research and implement my own solutions to problems but this one keeps escaping me.

 

[torchwood]

updates/drivers

Hi There,
sounds like you've got a couple of problems,

Lets play with them in the right order
First your modem dropping out
Navigate to your Device Manager and select your (soft) modem or Problem device.
right click update driver should hopefully find a more upto date version, and repair the fault.

Non Genuine please follow the directions in this link
http://www.sevenforums.com/windows-...ne-activation-issue-posting-instructions.html

Roy

 

[Bimmerknut]

Thanks Roy, I appreciate your help. First before we go further. I finally ended up doing as I always do as a final solution and that is to use system restore back a few days. This always seems to resolve the symptom but I know the problem is always there, waiting to rear it's ugly head again. The Genuine Windows notification in the bottom right-hand corner of my desktop went away also. That's the first time I've seen that happen. As far as finding the modem in Device Manager, it's not there. Keep in mind also that it is a "cable modem" from Mediacom and it's brand new, just installed about 2 weeks ago. I'm giving you screen shots of my device manager and these are in normal mode, not safe mode.

 

[torchwood]

Hi Bimmerknut,
The driver you need to update any way (ethernet cable connection) is the Realtek one, under network adapters.
Wouldn't hurt to update the dell Wireless 1704 driver as well if you ever want to go Wifi.

As for the non genuine thats odd, wouldn't hurt to run the Mgadiag and see what we get.

Roy

 

[Bimmerknut]

Hi Bimmerknut,
The driver you need to update any way (ethernet cable connection) is the Realtek one, under network adapters.
Wouldn't hurt to update the dell Wireless 1704 driver as well if you ever want to go Wifi.

As for the non genuine thats odd, wouldn't hurt to run the Mgadiag and see what we get.

Roy

Thanks Torch, I already have a wireless router. I did run the Mgadiag earlier. I can post of copy of it.

 

[torchwood]

Hi Bimmerknut,

No point in posting the MGAdiag now as youv opted for a restore.
Youll have to reinstall the drivers again thou.
And if/when Non genuine rears its ugly head, we'll start over.

Roy

 

[Bimmerknut]

Thanks Roy, but letting it search for a new driver on the internet revealed nothing. Therefore the driver didn't change.