I solved a nagging problem with my Mother-in-law’s computer. She had purchased a Compaq Presario (AMD Sempron 3000+, 512MB, 120GB hard drive). She liked the computer. But, she could not reliably get a dialtone for her modem.
When I last visited, she bought the computer and I set it up. All was well that first night. Then, intermittently she could connect — if it got a dial tone, it connected. But, first, there were all sorts of strange clicks and clacks from the speakers. And, she only got a dialtone one time out of maybe 6.