fax protocol error

Here's some new input regarding the problem as originally stated in this thread.
I reveal a suggested solution.
I hope very much that someone can do better, and let us all know.

Note: You may view my past "posts" on the original topic in this thread - which is about inability to send faxes from OS X.
(I have not checked in my system to see whether other concerns as reported by other correspondents elsewhere in this thread - i.e. concerns about "USB modems" and about "receiving faxes" - apply to my system or not.)

I took my iMac to the local Apple Store. A "Mac Genius" there first proved** that the problem is not due to hardware - and thereby deduced it must be in software. As the fax software is in the OS, he concluded that there must be corruption in the OS.

**
He booted up my iMac from a separate OS in an external hard drive; and then we faxed a document - successfully!

The solution he suggested is to "erase and install" the OS.

Woe is me!
Somebody please tell of a less painful and intrusive cure.

I've done a similar "archive and install" replacement of the OS once before; and I view that process as being somewhere on a level with being subject to a tax audit.

He said that "erase and install" * may be more time-efficient than an alternative of "archive and install", as corruption can persist through an "archive and install".

His suggestion seems consistent with advice at the end of the following article by Apple,
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=25392
which is an article about isolating issues in Mac OS X.

*
For descriptions of "erase and install" and "erase and install", see the following Apple article: http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=301270

For more information about "Archive and install" see
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=107120







G4 iMac Mac OS X (10.3.9)

G4 iMac Mac OS X (10.3.9)

We have had the same problem.
We called tech support at Apple. The technician had us create a new user on the desktop to start faxing from there.
However two weeks later , the same problem developped again with that new user.

It definitely looks like a software malfunction in Mac OS X and Apple should finally address the issue . The problem has been there since they introduced the fax function on the OS. It never worked properly.

Thank you, all, for sharing.

Thanks to your sharing, we now see that the subject problem is universal throughout OS X 10.3 and OS X 10.4.

All "work around" (i.e. coping) solutions reported in this thread to date are only temporary - i.e. the OS fails again in the same way soon afterwards. For example, erasing and restoring the OS merely restores a defective OS that will later fail in the same way.

It is now clear that Apple should tell us how best each of us may fix this problem.

Dear all, how do we get Apple to respond to this demand?


G4 iMac Mac OS X (10.3.9)

G4 iMac Mac OS X (10.3.9)

Dear all, how do we get Apple to respond to this
demand?

Apple will never admit it but I'm fairly sure that they come here often to look around…


:-))


Hartz


rev A - SP 1,8 G5 - 160 GB HD Mac OS X (10.4.7)

TO EVERYONE AFFECTED BY THE FAXING PROBLEM DISCUSSED IN THIS THREAD!

TO GET APPLE TO RESPOND TO THIS THREAD WITH A SOLUTION TO THE FAXING PROBLEM, I URGE YOU ALL TO KEEP ON SEND REGULAR REPLIES TO THIS POST DEMANDING A RESPONSE FROM APPLE.

THE HOPE IS THAT APPLE LOOKS AT POPULAR POSTINGS.

LET'S KEEP IT UP UNTIL APPLE POSTS A RESPONSE WITH A SOLUTION.

I am very surprized with Apple's attitude.

So many people loosing so many working hours trying to fax are ignored!

Please Apple, some respect for your customers!

Still no solution. Maybe we should wait for Vista? 🙂

Same problem here - would love a solution.

Suddenly I am having the same identical problem...

I have the option to receive faxes turned off because of junk faxes but never had any problem whatsoever sending faxes.

The modem makes the connection and then reverts back to "Hold" and keeps attempting to resend.

Is it a 10.4.7 glitch? Nothing new added except for new network laser printer, Dell 3100cn.

Have to say this is the first time that I have seen a real problem posted by so many with no one stepping forth with a solution. 😟


iMac G5, Powerbook G4 Mac OS X (10.4.7)

Mine is now working!
Just successfully sent 2 faxes...

All that I did:
Repaired permissions

Unchecked " wait for dial tone before dialing" in network preferences/modem

Repaired permissions again, and restarted.

A corrupt preference file perhaps?

ETA: A thank you to "keryna" for the suggestion!



iMac G5, Powerbook G4 Mac OS X (10.4.7)

No.
That procedure** doesn't fix the problem in my Mac.
(**I repaired permissions; then I unchecked "wait for dial tone before dialing" in network preferences/modem; then I repaired permissions again; then I restarted.)
When I tried to fax a document, my Mac contacted the receiving fax-machne OK, and then put the fax on hold for 5 minutes - just as before.

G4 iMac Mac OS X (10.3.9)

Same for me.
That procedure doesn't fix the problem in my Mac.

Very surprized from Apple's SILENCE

Didn't work for me - still a software problem.

Ok, looks like we'll all have to wait until 10.4.8 comes out, but I hope NOT until Leopard…


:-))


Hartz

Hartz

Are you aware of some glimmer of an indication that Apple is even considering fixing the fax problem at all - let alone as soon as in 10.4.8?

Somehow I doubt it. In my view, Apple has an atrocious record regarding support for faxing from OS X. The fax capability built in to OS X has always been crude and user-unfriendly. Then came Apple's promotion of "better" fax software from Smith-Micro - which was buggy too. Now Apple has excluded internal modems from its laptops.

Apple seems to imagine that e-mail has replaced faxing. I believe that view would be exposed as a delusion, were Apple to bother polling bankers, lawyers, etc. about present day utility of faxing. Apple, however, seems to be too busy pandering to airheads that go around with their ears plugged in to the matrix all day.

I believe that if we wait patiently for a solution from Apple, it will ignore us, through 10.5 and forever. I remain firmly of the opinion that the best policy is to beat hard on Apple, however possible, to fix the fax problem.