Web pages not loading on XP - a virus ?

[ajjauin65]

Internet Explorer and Firefox have both stopped loading web pages toda
(for no obvious reason). My dial up connection is fine and the servic
is ok as tested on another PC. I am 'on-line' but web pages just don'
display at all on both programs even though I have not altered anythin
on the system or programs today and it was working earlier. I hav
checked settings on IE for any obvious mistakes (i'm used to doin
this) and the modem is set up ok. I have called my ISP for help bu
they did not solve this. Is there a virus which could cause this goin
around or some setting in XP itself that I need to look at; but where?

I have up to date Norton Antivirus and firewall and I run Ad Aware fo
spyware problems. I am thinking of getting a Mac as they do not suffe
from such problems. Please help before I go that far
-
ajjauin6

 

[Chuck]

Internet Explorer and Firefox have both stopped loading web pages today
(for no obvious reason). My dial up connection is fine and the service
is ok as tested on another PC. I am 'on-line' but web pages just don't
display at all on both programs even though I have not altered anything
on the system or programs today and it was working earlier. I have
checked settings on IE for any obvious mistakes (i'm used to doing
this) and the modem is set up ok. I have called my ISP for help but
they did not solve this. Is there a virus which could cause this going
around or some setting in XP itself that I need to look at; but where?

I have up to date Norton Antivirus and firewall and I run Ad Aware for
spyware problems. I am thinking of getting a Mac as they do not suffer
from such problems. Please help before I go that far!

Start with some diagnostics.

Please provide ipconfig information for the computer.
Start - Run - "cmd". Type "ipconfig /all >c:\ipconfig.txt" into the command
window - Open c:\ipconfig.txt in Notepad, copy and paste into your next post.

From each computer:
From a command window:
1) Ping www.yahoo.com.
2) Ping 66.94.230.33.
Report error messages.

From your browser:
3) Browse www.yahoo.com.
4) Browse 66.94.230.33.
Report error messages.

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

 

[ajjauin65]

Chuck, thanks for your reply, very constructive comments, muc
appreciated.But struggling a bit !

I ran "ipconfig/all>c:\ipconfig.txt" and saved the resulting setting
in notepad ok.

Got as far as ping, don't know what this means !

How do I ping a website address and an IP address ?

btw I can send and receive email
-
ajjauin6

 

[Chuck]

Chuck, thanks for your reply, very constructive comments, much
appreciated.But struggling a bit !

I ran "ipconfig/all>c:\ipconfig.txt" and saved the resulting settings
in notepad ok.

Got as far as ping, don't know what this means !

How do I ping a website address and an IP address ?

btw I can send and receive email.

You ping by Start - Run - "cmd" - Type "ping" (target) into the command window.

But, since you now state that you can send and receive email, let's look into a
browser hijack.

How current is your virus protection? Try one or more of these free online
virus scans, which should complement your current protection:
<http://www.bitdefender.com/scan/license.php>
<http://www.pandasoftware.com/activescan>
<http://www.ravantivirus.com/scan/>
<http://security.symantec.com/ssc/home.asp>
<http://housecall.trendmicro.com/housecall/start_corp.asp>

Now check for, and learn to defend against, additional problems.

Start by downloading each of the following free tools:
AdAware <http://www.lavasoftusa.com/>
CWShredder <http://www.majorgeeks.com/download4086.html>
CoolWWWSearch.SmartSearch (v1/v2) MiniRemoval
<http://www.majorgeeks.com/download4113.html>
HijackThis <http://www.majorgeeks.com/download.php?det=3155>
LSP-Fix and WinsockLSPFix <http://www.cexx.org/lspfix.htm>
Spybot S&D <http://www.safer-networking.org/index.php?page=download>
Stinger <http://us.mcafee.com/virusInfo/default.asp?id=stinger>

Install and run Stinger.
<http://us.mcafee.com/virusInfo/default.asp?id=stinger>

Create a separate folder for HijackThis, such as C:\HijackThis - copy the
downloaded file there. Spybot S&D has an install routine - run it. The other
downloaded programs can be copied into, and run from, any convenient folder.

Start by closing all Internet Explorer and Outlook windows, and running
CoolWebSearchSmartKillerMiniRemoval, then CWShredder. Have the latter fix all.

Next, run AdAware. First update it ("Check for updates now"), configure for
full scan (<http://www.lavahelp.com/howto/fullscan/>), then scan ("Start" - "Use
custom scanning options" - "Next"). When scanning finishes, select everything,
and hit Next again.

Next, run Spybot S&D. First update it ("Search for updates"), then run a scan
("Check for problems"). Trust Spybot, and delete everything ("Fix Problems")
that is displayed in Red.

Then, run HijackThis ("Scan"). Do NOT make any changes immediately. Save the
HJT Log.
<http://forums.spywareinfo.com/index.php?showtopic=227>

Finally, have your HJT log interpreted by experts at one or more of the
following security forums (and post it, or a link to your forum posts, here):
Aumha: <http://forum.aumha.org/index.php>
Net-Integration: <http://forums.net-integration.net/>
Spyware Info: <http://forums.spywareinfo.com/>
Spyware Warrior: <http://spywarewarrior.com/index.php>
Tom Coyote: <http://forums.tomcoyote.org/>
Wilders Security<http://www.wilderssecurity.com/>

If removal of any spyware affects your ability to access the internet (some
spyware builds itself into the network software, and its removal may damage your
network), run LSP-Fix and / or WinsockXPFIx.

And please don't contribute to the spread and success of email address mining
viruses. Learn to munge your email address properly, to keep yourself a bit
safer when posting to open forums. Protect yourself and the rest of the
internet - read this article.
http://www.mailmsg.com/SPAM_munging.htm

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

 

[Sam Drucker]

I'm going to jump in here where ajjauin65 left off, because I have a similar
problem up to this point:
I can't get to web addresses by using the standard dns address.

I'm running XP Pro and have been running Norton AV, Firewall, and a few
anti-adware programs.

I CAN get to a web page by using an IP address if I know it. Running Ping, I
get nothing for www.yahoo.com, but get a reply from entering the IP address.

My Outlook Express email is also UNABLE to connect.

So, what is my basic problem, and how do I correct it from here?


Thanks-

Sam

 

[Chuck]

I'm going to jump in here where ajjauin65 left off, because I have a similar
problem up to this point:
I can't get to web addresses by using the standard dns address.

I'm running XP Pro and have been running Norton AV, Firewall, and a few
anti-adware programs.

I CAN get to a web page by using an IP address if I know it. Running Ping, I
get nothing for www.yahoo.com, but get a reply from entering the IP address.

My Outlook Express email is also UNABLE to connect.

So, what is my basic problem, and how do I correct it from here?


Thanks-

Sam

Sam,

Unlike ajjauin65, you CANNOT connect using Outlook Express. That, IMHO, makes
it very likely that you have a different problem.

Please start a new thread, using a different subject, to enable your problem to
be handled without confusion.

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