Bizarre Confuser Problem

A cable broadband connection should have nothing to do with phoneline issues. Do you have a phoneline connected to the computer's modem? If so, I'd try disconnecting it and seeing what happens.

Now, "Msgsrvr32", with a final "r, isn't a native Windows item. "Msgsrv32", with no final "r" is, and involves PlugandPlay services, such as USB, soundcards and modems. If "Msgsrv32" is the actual app in question, and you're having modem problems, I'd suspect a modem driver problem. You might want to visit your modem vendor's website to download the current latest drivers for your OS/Modem configuration. Download into their own folder, put that folder where you can find it easily, and give it a distinctive name. Then uninstall the existing modem drivers, then remove the modem from Device Manager, then reboot. The machine will detect the modem and ask if you want to search for drivers. Don't let it do that on its own, choose to manually search for drivers in a specific location, and point to the folder you created for the new drivers and install those.

Now for the worrisome news; "Msgsrvr32", with that final "r" is known to be associated with a variety of malware. Is your antivirus up to date, do you have a current anti-adware application, and have you done a full system scan with both recently?

Duhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

I forgot to unplug the phone line when I switched to cable modem...many thanks Timber

PS I do have blonde hair...

Hey Timber, since you're on a roll: The other night I got a message that memory was used up. Knowing I had 256 ROM I Ctrl-Alt-Dleted and found that none of my programs had switched off Even web sites I had visited were still working. There were 7 Mic Int Exp btyb AOL still open. What's causing this?

Well, the mean-and-nasty answer is AOL. To try to be actually helpful, though, I'd suggest whittling down your startup apps, and actually closing browser windows you're done with ... not just minimizing them. An "out-of-memory" error usually means a buncha stuff you don't need is hogging resources. IMO. all that should start with Windows is Explorer (Windows Explorer, not Internet Explorer), Systray, and your security software. Scan Reg, Power Profile and Restore-related stuff is prolly cool, too, if you use 'em, but they will consume processor time and available RAM. Background messenger or chat apps can really bog down a system, as can resident P2P apps, like KaZaa, Bearshare, Grockster or that one with the little kitty-with-headphones logo. Gator, Gozilla, and other download managers or browser helpers, most memory managers, and just about any search expediter, other than google toolbar, allowed to load at startup generally function as drag 'chutes, as far as I'm concerned. My personal take is anything not absolutely needed by Windows to allow Windows to function, apart from security apps, shouldn't be allowed to start with Windows.

I got rid of AOL but I have a sneaking suspision it's still screwing up my'puter. How does one find and turn off start up programs...permanently?

The best way is to track the suckers down and shoot 'em dead one registry key at a time, then burn their folders ... but you can use a startup utility ... there are free, shareware, subscription, and purchase-only examples all over the place. Here's a LIST of some startup managers. If you have SpyBot S&D, a pretty competent startup manager is included among its Advanced features. I happen to like PC Forrest's StartMan, but as his site fell off the web a couple months ago, I hesitate to offer a link. PC Magazine's Startup Cop Pro is pretty good, too, with some handy features, but its not free.

In The Better Late Than Never department:

Thanks again Timber

<chuckle> Better late than never, eh? Well, what's the big deal - it hasn't even been a year and half yet. Best not to hurry these things, you know ?

Seriously, I'm glad I was able to help you get yourself out of A-O-Hell.