IE6 on XP trouble?

[DH]

TIA

This one I can't figure out. I cleaned an XP box of multiple viruses and
spywares. The system is clean.

I can surf using IE6 to about 80% of the websites on the net. Randomly I
get a 404 error. For example, I can't get to Google. Yet at the same time
I can ping Google.

I have checked the hosts file and it is clean. I have also checked "Trusted
Sites" and "Restricted Sites". I can not find any third party programs that
would cause this. "Content Advisor" is not enabled.

I used "Winsockfix", that has served me well in the past.

I am out of ideas.

Before you suggest it, I have tried to download "Firefox", and all the
download sites are those that will not come up. Isn't that coincidental!

Any suggestions?

Again Thanks,

Dave H.

 

[Guest]

TIA

This one I can't figure out. I cleaned an XP box of multiple viruses and
spywares. The system is clean.

I can surf using IE6 to about 80% of the websites on the net. Randomly I
get a 404 error. For example, I can't get to Google. Yet at the same time
I can ping Google.

I have checked the hosts file and it is clean. I have also checked "Trusted
Sites" and "Restricted Sites". I can not find any third party programs that
would cause this. "Content Advisor" is not enabled.

I used "Winsockfix", that has served me well in the past.

I am out of ideas.

Before you suggest it, I have tried to download "Firefox", and all the
download sites are those that will not come up. Isn't that coincidental!

Any suggestions?

Again Thanks,

Dave H.

Run disk Cleanup and defrag in safe mode, then open a run command and type in:
sfc /scannow click [OK] you will need the XP CD handy.
HTH.
nass

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

The system may be "clean", but the malware likely compromised
some operating system files. The only way to make sure you have
an uncompromised system is to perform a clean install of Windows.

Cleaning a Compromised System
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/community/columns/secmgmt/sm0504.mspx

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows - Shell/User

---------------------------------------------------------------------------­-----


TIA

This one I can't figure out. I cleaned an XP box of multiple viruses and
spywares. The system is clean.

I can surf using IE6 to about 80% of the websites on the net. Randomly I
get a 404 error. For example, I can't get to Google. Yet at the same time
I can ping Google.

I have checked the hosts file and it is clean. I have also checked "Trusted
Sites" and "Restricted Sites". I can not find any third party programs that
would cause this. "Content Advisor" is not enabled.

I used "Winsockfix", that has served me well in the past.

I am out of ideas.

Before you suggest it, I have tried to download "Firefox", and all the
download sites are those that will not come up. Isn't that coincidental!

Any suggestions?

Again Thanks,

Dave H.

 

[DH]

The system may be "clean", but the malware likely compromised
some operating system files. The only way to make sure you have
an uncompromised system is to perform a clean install of Windows.

Cleaning a Compromised System
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/community/columns/secmgmt/sm0504.mspx

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows - Shell/User

---------------------------------------------------------------------------­-----


TIA

This one I can't figure out. I cleaned an XP box of multiple viruses and
spywares. The system is clean.

I can surf using IE6 to about 80% of the websites on the net. Randomly I
get a 404 error. For example, I can't get to Google. Yet at the same
time
I can ping Google.

I have checked the hosts file and it is clean. I have also checked
"Trusted
Sites" and "Restricted Sites". I can not find any third party programs
that
would cause this. "Content Advisor" is not enabled.

I used "Winsockfix", that has served me well in the past.

I am out of ideas.

Before you suggest it, I have tried to download "Firefox", and all the
download sites are those that will not come up. Isn't that coincidental!

Any suggestions?

Again Thanks,

Dave H.

First, I appreciate your response.



I have read your link and I think this Dr. Johansson is paranoid. His only
explanation is to format and reinstall. I suspect that every time he gets a
virus or piece of spyware, he formats his hard drive.

He even states that you can't trust a backup. Does this mean that you
shouldn't backup?

This guy is off the wall.

Dave H.

 

[DH]

TIA

This one I can't figure out. I cleaned an XP box of multiple viruses and
spywares. The system is clean.

I can surf using IE6 to about 80% of the websites on the net. Randomly I
get a 404 error. For example, I can't get to Google. Yet at the same
time
I can ping Google.

I have checked the hosts file and it is clean. I have also checked
"Trusted
Sites" and "Restricted Sites". I can not find any third party programs
that
would cause this. "Content Advisor" is not enabled.

I used "Winsockfix", that has served me well in the past.

I am out of ideas.

Before you suggest it, I have tried to download "Firefox", and all the
download sites are those that will not come up. Isn't that coincidental!

Any suggestions?

Again Thanks,

Dave H.

Run disk Cleanup and defrag in safe mode, then open a run command and type
in:
sfc /scannow click [OK] you will need the XP CD handy.
HTH.
nass

Nass,

Thank you for your reply.

Your suggestion for a "system file check" is not a bad one. I do appreciate
your response but how would "Disk Cleanup" and "Defraging" make any
difference. I probably shouldn't even ask but maybe I am missing something.

Again, thank you,

Dave H.

 

[MiB]

.....

I have read your link and I think this Dr. Johansson is paranoid. His only
explanation is to format and reinstall. I suspect that
every time he gets a virus or piece of spyware, he formats his hard
drive.
He even states that you can't trust a backup. Does this mean that you
shouldn't backup?

This guy is off the wall.

Dave H.

Actually, in technical terms he is well right! There is no other way IF you
want 100% certainty. However, try a repair install and hope all goes well
then - if not, the 'debris' is all yours

 

[Mark Shroyer]

I have read your link and I think this Dr. Johansson is paranoid.
His only explanation is to format and reinstall. I suspect that
every time he gets a virus or piece of spyware, he formats his
hard drive.

He even states that you can't trust a backup. Does this mean that
you shouldn't backup?

This guy is off the wall.

Actually, he's absolutely right. The sophistication of today's
malware is astounding; if a system is compromised then you can't
count on using some anti-spyware or anti-virus program to undo all
the damage that may have been done to the operating system.
Ad-Aware or the like won't be able to get rid of a rootkit. (This
goes for Linux and Unix as well as Windows.)

And no, you can't trust executables on a backup volume, either,
unless you are absolutely certain that the backup was made before
the system was compromised. The utility of a backup in such
situations is in preserving your data, not your software.

So yes, every time you get a virus or a piece of spyware -- any time
your system is compromised in any fashion -- you reformat and
reinstall from scratch. Or, to quote Aliens: "I say we take off
and nuke the entire site from orbit. It's the only way to be sure."
The key is being clueful enough to prevent the system from being
compromised in the first place.

 

[Guest]

TIA

This one I can't figure out. I cleaned an XP box of multiple viruses and
spywares. The system is clean.

I can surf using IE6 to about 80% of the websites on the net. Randomly I
get a 404 error. For example, I can't get to Google. Yet at the same
time
I can ping Google.

I have checked the hosts file and it is clean. I have also checked
"Trusted
Sites" and "Restricted Sites". I can not find any third party programs
that
would cause this. "Content Advisor" is not enabled.

I used "Winsockfix", that has served me well in the past.

I am out of ideas.

Before you suggest it, I have tried to download "Firefox", and all the
download sites are those that will not come up. Isn't that coincidental!

Any suggestions?

Again Thanks,

Dave H.

Run disk Cleanup and defrag in safe mode, then open a run command and type
in:
sfc /scannow click [OK] you will need the XP CD handy.
HTH.
nass

Nass,

Thank you for your reply.

Your suggestion for a "system file check" is not a bad one. I do appreciate
your response but how would "Disk Cleanup" and "Defraging" make any
difference. I probably shouldn't even ask but maybe I am missing something.

Again, thank you,

Dave H.

In simple words...
By Disk Cleanup, clean the debris's left behind from the infection and the
Temp files/folders pointing to a corrupt file/folder for the infection itself
or for a file for the system ( you can say Orphans Left behind).
Defrag will make things tidy and arrange the system files/folder in order.
HTH.
nass

 

[Don Varnau]

Hi,
Have you cleared out History, Cookies and Temporary Internet Files?

Winsockfix probably did the first, but from a command prompt:
netsh Winsock reset
then
ipconfig /flushdns
Restart.

Hope this helps,
Don
[MS MVP- IE]

 

[Alias]

TIA

This one I can't figure out. I cleaned an XP box of multiple viruses and
spywares. The system is clean.

I can surf using IE6 to about 80% of the websites on the net. Randomly I
get a 404 error. For example, I can't get to Google. Yet at the same time
I can ping Google.

I have checked the hosts file and it is clean. I have also checked "Trusted
Sites" and "Restricted Sites". I can not find any third party programs that
would cause this. "Content Advisor" is not enabled.

I used "Winsockfix", that has served me well in the past.

I am out of ideas.

Before you suggest it, I have tried to download "Firefox", and all the
download sites are those that will not come up. Isn't that coincidental!

Any suggestions?

Again Thanks,

Dave H.

Did you remove all the system restore points? The virus could still be
hiding there.

Alias

 

[Guest]

have a look at your hosts file. It's in c:\windows\system32\drivers\etc -
just open it with notepad.

chances are the bad stuff has filled it full of rubbish. If it has, rename
the existing hosts, and create a new one (in notepad) containing just one line

127.0.0.1 localhost