IE won't load certain websites

[Guest]

Just recently, IE stopped opening the sites to
symantec.com, mcafee.com and grisoft.com. I thought
maybe a virus had hijacked IE and protected itself by
cutting off access to the anti-virus sites, but now that
my machine is clean (I think), I still can't access these
sites. Anyone ever had this problem?

 

[Ramesh [MVP]]

Have you checked the entries in your HOSTS file? Many parasites now add entries to HOSTS file as well. Rename the file named "HOSTS" (without a file extension). This tip is from MVP Mike Burgess. The HOSTS file will be present in the following location:

Windows XP=C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\DRIVERS\ETC
Windows 2K=C:\WINNT\SYSTEM32\DRIVERS\ETC
Win 98\ME=C:\WINDOWS

Just rename the HOSTS file to OLDHOSTS and try the remaining part of the advice.

[Spyware removers - This part not to be skipped]
Lavasoft Ad-Aware - www.lavasoftusa.com
SpyBot S&D - http://www.safer-networking.org/
(Spyware removers are rules-based and are updated very frequently as and when new malware is discovered. Therefore, update both of these tools before scanning, very important)
CWShredder : http://www.spywareinfo.com/~merijn/files/CWShredder.exe

[All about HOSTS file]
Blocking Unwanted Parasites with a Hosts File:
http://209.68.48.119/winhelp2002/hosts.htm
http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm

--
Ramesh - Microsoft MVP
Windows XP Shell
http://www.mvps.org/sramesh2k

What You Should Know About the Sasser Worm and It Variants:
http://www.microsoft.com/security/incident/sasser.asp


Just recently, IE stopped opening the sites to
symantec.com, mcafee.com and grisoft.com. I thought
maybe a virus had hijacked IE and protected itself by
cutting off access to the anti-virus sites, but now that
my machine is clean (I think), I still can't access these
sites. Anyone ever had this problem?

 

[Baruch]

On Wed, 19 May 2004 20:36:25 -0700,

|>Just recently, IE stopped opening the sites to
|>symantec.com, mcafee.com and grisoft.com. I thought
|>maybe a virus had hijacked IE and protected itself by
|>cutting off access to the anti-virus sites, but now that
|>my machine is clean (I think), I still can't access these
|>sites. Anyone ever had this problem?

Yes. Rename your hosts file to oldhosts (or another name of your
choice).

Use Windows Explorer to find the file. It's called "hosts", with no
extension.

What happened is some malware edited this file so that your computer
would be unable to find various antivirus Websites.

 

[William]

The same thing just happened to me, although different and
non-security-related sites, like camcorderinfo.com, for
example. I did rename my host file, as suggested,
although the last change date for HOSTS was Oct 2003, but
this had no effect.

BTW, I did check to see if the problem was the sites
themselves, and they were working fine. Any other ideas?
I flushed the page cache and the history. Reset all IE
settings to default. Also ran AdAware. Using Symantec
Corporate Antivirus 7.6.

Thanks for any further suggestions.

 

[alex]

Yes I have the same problem with Symantec site only. My
liveupdate won't connect and through IE its the same
thing after I'm in the home page. when I try to go
anywhere in the page I get, "HTTP 404-File not found",
sometimes its "error'800280IC' error accessing the OLE
Registry /iisHelp/common/500-100.asp, line 17" message.

I tried the solutions at the microsoft site but none
works. Maybe some of you people know what to do. Thanks

 

[Captain Jinks]

Yes I have the same problem with Symantec site only. My
liveupdate won't connect and through IE its the same
thing after I'm in the home page. when I try to go
anywhere in the page I get, "HTTP 404-File not found",
sometimes its "error'800280IC' error accessing the OLE
Registry /iisHelp/common/500-100.asp, line 17" message.

I tried the solutions at the microsoft site but none
works. Maybe some of you people know what to do. Thanks

Sounds like a Trojan or other form of Malware has either created or
added to your HOSTS file. This can prevent you from reaching websites
that offer fixes for the infestation of the malware. In Windows XP go to
C:\windows\system32\drivers\etc and if there is a file named "HOSTS",(no
extension), then rename it OLDHOSTS. Then check to see of you can access
the sites. If you can then you need to update your antivirus software
and any ad removal or malware removal programs and run them.

 

[H Leboeuf]

Look for your error message.
Microsoft Troubleshooting site.
http://v4.windowsupdate.microsoft.com/troubleshoot/