Re: Cannot Load Web Pages

From: Chuck (none_at_example.net)
Date: 03/26/04


Date: 26 Mar 2004 15:42:14 -0600

On Fri, 26 Mar 2004 19:41:39 +0000 (UTC), "Simes"
<simon312002@NOSPAMTHANKSyahoo.co.uk> wrote:

>Any ideas anyone?
>
>All of a sudden I cannot load any web pages at all. My internet
>connections seem fine: I can download and send email, I can receive and
>post to newsgroups, when I check my Norton programs via Live Update it
>finds the updates and downloads them, etc etc.
>
>I just cannot seem to load my webpages. If I pick one of my favorites at
>random from the bookmarks and then use the 'favorites' menu to try and
>'add to favorites',it just says "Cannot Find Server" in the box where
>you type/save the name of the webpage you want to save.
>
>I have considered some sort of DNS failure although I havent checked if
>this is a fault with my ISP; is there anything else anyone can think of
>that I should be doing on my own machine? Any sort of file or .dll
>failure for example?
>
>Thanks!
>
>Simes

If you have internet connectivity but browser can't load any web pages, I'd
suspect either a browser or dns hijack.

Search your entire system drive, including hidden and system folders, for file
"hosts". There is one legit copy, in C:\WINDOWS\system32\drivers\etc\.

How current is your virus protection? Try these online virus scans first:
<http://security.symantec.com/ssc/home.asp>
<http://housecall.trendmicro.com/housecall/start_corp.asp>

Then, download LSP-Fix from <http://www.cexx.org/lspfix.htm>, and CWShredder
from <http://www.majorgeeks.com/download4086.html>.

Next, run CWShredder. Have it fix all variants.

Now check for, and remove, spyware. Get HijackThis
<http://www.majorgeeks.com/download.php?det=3155> and Spybot S&D
<http://security.kolla.de/index.php?lang=en&page=download>.
1) Install and run Spybot. First update it ("Search for updates"), then run a
scan ("Check for problems"). Trust Spybot, and make all recommended deletions.
2) Install and run HijackThis. Do NOT make any changes immediately. Save the
Log.
3) Have your HJT log interpreted by experts at one or more of the following
forums (and post it here):
<http://forums.tomcoyote.org/>
<http://www.wilderssecurity.com/>
<http://forums.net-integration.net/>
<http://www.spywareinfo.com/forums/>

Run LSP-Fix.

Finally, prevent this from happening again.

Harden your browser. There are various websites which will check for
vulnerabilities, here are three which I use.
http://www.jasons-toolbox.com/BrowserSecurity/
http://bcheck.scanit.be/bcheck/
https://testzone.secunia.com/browser_checker/

Harden your operating system. Check at least monthly.
http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/

Block possibly dangerous websites with a Hosts file. Three Hosts file sources I
use:
http://www.accs-net.com/hosts/get_hosts.html
http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm
(The third is included, and updated, with Spybot (see above)).

Cheers,
Chuck
Paranoia comes from experience - and is not necessarily a bad thing.



Relevant Pages

  • Re: internet / virus scan
    ... Try these free online virus scans, ... They're all free - and most pretty small, so they download quickly enough. ... Install and run Spybot. ... Block possibly dangerous websites with a Hosts file. ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.help_and_support)
  • Re: cant get updates
    ... Next, download LSP-Fix from, and CWShredder ... Install and run Spybot. ... Install and run HijackThis. ... Block possibly dangerous websites with a Hosts file. ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.general)
  • Re: home page does not load upon connection
    ... it used to load without problem. ... it used to load upon connection but now doesn't. ... > Note that AdAware and SpyBot S & D will each catch some things the other ... > Alternative download pages for Ad-Aware, Spybot, HijackThis and CWShredder ...
    (microsoft.public.windows.inetexplorer.ie6.browser)
  • Re: Home page hijacked Plus+++
    ... Download McAfee Stinger, available at: ... Install and run Spybot. ... Check at least monthly for security updates. ... Block possibly dangerous websites with a Hosts file. ...
    (microsoft.public.security.virus)
  • Re: Cant open link
    ... rename the HOSTS file and see if ... HOSTS file from mvps.org. ... The "Enable permanent blocking of bad addresses" feature of Spybot creates a ... Should I download a Host ...
    (microsoft.public.windows.inetexplorer.ie6.browser)