One alternative is disconnecting the modem line from the phone
jack.  Another is to go into any of the software you're using
and tell it not to connect automatically.  Unfortunately, many
of the ad-filled OE messages sent HTML are set up to contact
the web to retrieve pix, etc, so each of them will activate
the dialing on the server;  I believe if you go to File>Work
Offline in your mail program and in your browser, you can get
around this problem.  Do you have Windows Update set to check
for updates; you can uncheck that feature or simply get it out
of startup by going to Run>type   msconfig  and click on
startup, untick that program.  Honestly, I think the simplest
work around is to unplug the phone line.

HTH,  Joanne Doolin

> Date:    Thu, 28 Sep 2000 12:54:44 -0400
> From:    "K. Karl Kuller" <[log in to unmask]>
> Subject: Random ISP Dial Up
>
> Hello All,
>     My backup computer with Windows 98 SE has gotten into
the habit of
> randomly dialing my ISP, thus tying up my telephone line.
Does anyone know
> why this would happen and how it can be eliminated?
>     Since I need to have both my main and backup computers
running, the only
> workaround I could think of was to connect my main computer
to my ISP first
> then fire up my backup computer, which would show an error
dialog box (No
> Dial Tone).  As long as the error was displayed, it could
not again dial up
> my ISP.  Disconnecting my main computer from my ISP would
then give me some
> peace of mind.
>
> K. Karl Kuller          [log in to unmask]

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