MJ keeps resetting itself. PLEASE HELP!

[IWonder]

Hello All
I'm fairly new to this forum. I've been a MJ user since 2007. I've been VERY lucky up until now. Recently my MJ has started to reset itself for no apparant reason. Just sitting idle it will reboot itself. Usually it will come back up in a few minutes but sometimes it will not come back at all. I have to unplug it from the USB and then plug it back in again. That usually does the trick but I can't get it to stop. It also does the same thing when in use. I'll be talking to someone and the phone will either completely drop the call and bring me back to a dial tone. OR it will allow me to hear the other person but they can't hear me. This goes both ways. Sometimes the caller will hear the "elevator" music as if they were put on hold like when using call waiting. Everytime this happens I will loose the softphone on the desktop and it begins it's reboot process again. Can anyone PLEASE help me fix this problem? I've already tried the MJ support, Live chat and all. They are USELESS! After 3 hours of asking ridiculous questions they tell me that they don't have an answer as to what's causing these problems. You people on this forum are my last hope! Someone PLEASE HELP ASAP!
Thanks

[Nobody beats the Whiz!]

That certainly sounds frustrating.

A couple of questions:

1) Have you changed computers, and then the problems started?

2) Have you changed which usb ports you are using, OR what other items are plugged into USB ports on your computer?


Just a gut theory, is that it sounds like your USB is "puttering" out of current.

Try it on a different computer, and/or with a powered usb hub to rule that out.

[IWonder]

Hi Whiz
Thanks for the reply.
I have not changed anything at all. I have the exact same system that I've been using for the last 1 1/2 years. I do use a Powered USB hub to operate the 5 phones I have. I use an ATT Expandable system. It has only 1 main phone that needs to be plugged in to a phone line. The rest are all cordless that just have a charging base that plugs into a 110v outlet. without the powered usb hub the phones will not ring. I will try and eliminate the hub to see if it could be causing the problem. I have nothing else plugged into it other than an occasional usb cord for random devices. (Ipod, Archos, etc...)
I'll let you know what happens. The hub does have a power light on it and I've been watching it while typing this. The MJ just reset itself again and the light did not flicker. That doesn't mean it's not malfunctioning.

[IWonder]

Whiz,
I tried your suggestion and this is what's happening. I unplugged the powered USB hub from a port on the front of my Dell XPS 400. This is the same machine and USB port that's been running my MJ for almost 2 years. I took the MJ and plugged it directly into the exact same usb port that the USB hub was using. The magic jack shows up in my computer but with no icons. The MJ does NOT start and boot up. I tried another USB port on the front of my machine and it will not even recognize that the MJ is there. HOWEVER, if I plug the powered hub back in to either of the same usb ports and then plug the MJ into the hub it recognizes and boots the MJ! I can't explain this at all. Can anyone offer up an answer? I also tried some other usb devices directly into the ports on the pc and they work fine. ???????? This has me baffled.?????? I also took the MJ and plugged it directly into my laptop and it booted fine. I don't know if it will have the same problems with the constant re-booting or not. I need to take the laptop in another room to do some work i've been neglecting so I can't try the MJ on it for any length of time. If anyone thunks I should try it I will but it will have to wait awhile. Should I even bother? To me it seems that the problem does not lie in the magic jack itself. OR am I mistaken?

[Nobody beats the Whiz!]

Whiz,
I tried your suggestion and this is what's happening. I unplugged the powered USB hub from a port on the front of my Dell XPS 400. This is the same machine and USB port that's been running my MJ for almost 2 years. I took the MJ and plugged it directly into the exact same usb port that the USB hub was using. The magic jack shows up in my computer but with no icons. The MJ does NOT start and boot up. I tried another USB port on the front of my machine and it will not even recognize that the MJ is there. HOWEVER, if I plug the powered hub back in to either of the same usb ports and then plug the MJ into the hub it recognizes and boots the MJ! I can't explain this at all. Can anyone offer up an answer? I also tried some other usb devices directly into the ports on the pc and they work fine. ???????? This has me baffled.?????? I also took the MJ and plugged it directly into my laptop and it booted fine. I don't know if it will have the same problems with the constant re-booting or not. I need to take the laptop in another room to do some work i've been neglecting so I can't try the MJ on it for any length of time. If anyone thunks I should try it I will but it will have to wait awhile. Should I even bother? To me it seems that the problem does not lie in the magic jack itself. OR am I mistaken?

Yes, if it works reliably in your laptop, it probably means your usb port is on the fritz. You powered usb hub may simply not be able to "pick up its slack" like it used to.

Of course, there could be some software/driver conflicts that have shown up after some random install or update, but that'll be harder to track down.

[IWonder]

Yes, I agree BUT if the port was on the fritz why would my other devices work just fine in the same ports? I tried the MJ in my laptop for about 2 hours this morning and low and behold it is STILL rebooting itself. Now I know for sure it is in the MJ. Could you or anyone else PLEASE help me track down these supposed Driver/Software issues that you spoke of?

[Nobody beats the Whiz!]

Yes, I agree BUT if the port was on the fritz why would my other devices work just fine in the same ports? I tried the MJ in my laptop for about 2 hours this morning and low and behold it is STILL rebooting itself. Now I know for sure it is in the MJ. Could you or anyone else PLEASE help me track down these supposed Driver/Software issues that you spoke of?

I'm sorry you're still having problems. I know you must be frustrated. I would be too, because I rely on my MJ as my home phone.

Your latest report may actually be good news. The good news, is that your MJ may be kaput. Why is that good news? Well, you can end all this frustration by replacing your MJ, and then contacting chat support BEFORE plugging in your new MJ. (If you bought from them, and you pester them, you MAY convince them to replace it, even if it's over a year old, but I leave that up to you to decide if it's worth your time).

However, there are a couple things you could try, BEFORE giving up.

All these instructions are taken from the Magic Jack FAQ.

1) Backup your contacts by following these instructions:

Go to "Start"
Go to "My Computer"
In the Menu bar on top, Go to "Tools"
Go to In "Folder Options"
Got to "View" Tab
Under "Hidden files and folders".
Click on "Show hidden files and folders"
Click "Apply"
Click "OK"
Open the drive named "Phone" or "Vista Only".
Open the folder called "magicjack"
Copy the file named "Addressbook.xml"


2) Reformat your Magic Jack:

On your computer:

Click "Start"
Go to "My Computer"
Locate the drive named "Vista Only", "Phone", or "Removable Disk" (make sure it is the magicJack drive)
Right click that drive
Click "Format"
Click "Start"
Unplug your magicJack
Wait 30 seconds
Plug your magicJack back into your USB Port



3) If you upgraded to W7, go to the MJ FAQ, and search for:

Update for magicJack users wth Windows 7


4) If you have NOT upgraded to W7, but want the latest update, go to the MJ FAQ, and search for:

How do I run the upgrade?
--------------------------------------------------------------

That's all I have for you, right now. Hopefully, one of these will work. Otherwise, maybe someone else can chime in.

If all else fails, get yourself a new MJ. $39.95 every two years is still a great deal!

[IWonder]

Hey Whiz.
Thanks for the tips. I'll try them. As far as getting a new MJ goes I already have one. When I ordered my MJ years ago the original shipment was lost. I contacted them and they sent me another. After a week or so the original showed up. I tried to use it on another computer at my brothers house but it was blacklisted by Magic Jack personal. It won't work. They won't allow it to be registered. Does anyone know away around this? If so I can start using the other brand new MJ that's been sitting around the house these last few years.

[Magicjacktechsupport]

You only need 5 minutes work to resolve this issue .

Unplug your magicjack and run magicjack remover .

Magicjack Remover
http://upgrades.talk4free.com/tools/mjRemover.exe

After running remover replug your magicjack and your issue will be resolved

[notdeadyet]

if that didn't work, is there any chance you're using DvdFab or Nero, as they both cause my MJ to reboot endlessly until I disconnect my MJ?? Good luck!