Very strange problem....

[AG]

I have a problem where several sites will not come up in
IE6. I talked to a friend and the sites come up no problem.
List of what I have tried:

- Repaired IE6
- Cleared cookies/temp file/history/etc
- pinged website. (one site pinged ok, the other failed)
- tried using IP address
- flushed DNS
- tried using public root DNS instead of ISP
- tried using Opera/Mozilla
- followed the normal Microsoft fixes for "page will not display"


This problem is happening on my XP box and my 2000 box. Both
are patched (up to date) with all patches for OS, IE6 and Office
products. The weird thing is that if /displaydns, it is showing
the records as found and gives the IP, so it's not DNS. TIA!

 

[Robert Aldwinckle]

The weird thing is that if /displaydns, it is showing

the records as found and gives the IP, so it's not DNS.

That symptom could also occur if you have a HOSTS file
with that entry in it. If the HOSTS file entry is incorrect
it would explain your problem symptom.

Try renaming your HOSTS file (i.e. get rid of it entirely)
and then do another /flushdns. Then retest.

BTW sometimes malware has been known to hide the HOSTS file
in a nonstandard directory, perhaps even leaving a supposedly clean
HOSTS file in the usual directory. The following command line
could show you if this is the case:

netsh diag show adapter /v | find /i "DataBasePath"

Or just search your registry for the DataBasePath value name
and verify it is pointing where you thought it was.


Good luck

Robert Aldwinckle

 

[AG]

Robert,
Thanks for the help. I forgot to mention that I did the whole
malware/spyware and the hosts thing. When I checked hosts, it only had
the old loopback entry so I didn't think anything of it. Took your
advice and did a full hosts scan and didn't find another one. Checked
registry and it's pointing to the correct spot. (Although I have no
idea why the hosts file is dropped in /drivers/etc). Renamed the file,
and bingo, one of the sites worked! Can't begin to image how that
cleared it up, but thanks! I still can't get this other site up, but,
I'll take any small victories I can take!

 

[Robert Aldwinckle]

I still can't get this other site up

Share some details if you still need help.

 

[AG]

I still can't get to a particuliar site.
Everytime I try to go there I get the MSN
"We can't find "www.yoursite.com" page. That
was why I was sure it was DNS, but, as stated
below, I've ruled that out. Your advice with the
hosts file helped with the other page, but this
one will still not come up. I've asked at least
four or five friends, (though none with the same
ISP), to try to bring the page up and they can.
Any chance this is a proxy thing with my ISP? I'm
on DSL with Verizon. That is the only web page
that I can't pull. Email, VPN, FTP, telnet and
TFTP work fine. I've tried pulling the site on
my 2000 box, my XP box and my openBSD box, and
no luck. I thought maybe my router was goofing with
me so I went straight to my 2000 and XP box, and still
no luck. Any help would be appreciated. TIA.

 

[Peter]

I had a similar problem with www.lavasoftsupport.com and my ISP provided me
with an alternate access method for IE6 using their proxy server. After I
finally got there I changed back the access to automatically detect and it
now works fine. Maybe Verizon might give you that info. Otherwise you
could probably reach it via www.proxify.com

 

[AG]

Peter,
That worked like a charm! Thanks for the help.