HTTP bad HTTPS good - cannot find server

[JS]

My web browser is unable to view any sites that I have tried, except
sites with the https:// prefix. For all other sites it returns the
"cannot find server" screen.

My info:

WinXP SP 2
IE 6.0.2900.2180.xpsp_sp2_rtm.040803-2158
Modem

Even with this problem I have other internet function, like SSH, FTP,
NTTP, ping, etc. I am even able to browse the web with a linux box whose
internet connection runs through my Windows-run computer with the
browser problem; using Mozilla. I haven't downloaded another browser to
try it out; I will do this but I'm guessing it's going to work. Anyway,
I'd like to be able to use IE and not have to run somewhere else.

I have scanned my system with both Ad-Aware and Spybot - Search &
Destroy. The only oddity was that Spybot returned an error:

Error during check!: Z-Demon (Ungültiger Datentyp für '') ()

and a DSO exploit seems to not go away, but return everytime I run
Spybot. I'm not very familiar with the software but I read that this is
probably a bug in Spybot:

http://forums.net-integration.net/index.php?showtopic=24389

I have also run 'nslookup' to check DNS servers (they seem fine) and
'sfc /scannow' to repair IE - but my installation disks
don't have the OS files available, so I can't continue with that
procedure - is there another way to re-install IE?

I have the most recent Windows updates and I have reset IE internet
settings to defaults.

To me it seems that there is some specific problem with the http
protocol in IE, since everything else on my machine seems to work fine.

If anyone could suggest anything else I might try I'd appreciate it.

(I can't really re-install the OS without formatting my drive first,
since I only have recovery disks and no plain OS.)

Thanks,

JS

 

[Jan Il]

Hi JS

It's possible that the http:// is damaged or corrupted. Try the following
and see if it helps:

IE will not connect to a web page without manually typing http://
http://inetexplorer.mvps.org/answers_8.htm#extension

Hope this helps

Jan
Smiles are meant to be shared,
that's why they're so contagious.

Replies are posted only to the newsgroup for the benefit or other readers.
How to make a good newsgroup post:
http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm

 

[JS]

Well thanks for the advice, but I actually figured out the problem myself.

Somehow a proxy server setting was activated, and all my HTTP requests
were being send to localhost:8081. I think this was from a modem
accelerator program that I was using; it crashed and I finally got rid
of it.

I think I'm going to call my ISP up and tell them about this rather
serious bug in their software.

JS

 

[Jan Il]

Hi JS

Well thanks for the advice, but I actually figured out the problem myself.

Somehow a proxy server setting was activated, and all my HTTP requests
were being send to localhost:8081. I think this was from a modem
accelerator program that I was using; it crashed and I finally got rid of
it.

I think I'm going to call my ISP up and tell them about this rather
serious bug in their software.

JS

You're very welcome! Glad to hear you were able to resolve your problem.
Good job!

Thank you for posting back and letting us know what worked for you, and for
the benefit of other readers who might have a similar problem.

Jan
Smiles are meant to be shared,
that's why they're so contagious.