IE6 cannot access ANY Microsoft site!!

[Guest]

My setup: I have a Dell desktop with Win XP MCE 2002 SP 2. I have auto
update turned on, so I believe all the latest updates are installed.

My problem: For the last week or so, I cannot access ANY Microsoft Web
sites. Other web sites work fine! I can see the login page of hotmail. But
sign-in doesn't work and gives a "DNS or Server not found" error. (But DNS
is working for sure, as I can hit other sites fine.) I cannot open any MSFT
support web site; for example, when I go to the download portion of
support.microsoft.com, I get an error saying "this download is not available
at this time..." I cannot connect using MSN Messenger, or the MSN
application?

All this while everything works fine from another PC on the same subnet.

What has changed: Around the time these problems showed up, I have installed
the following new components on my PC... Office 2003 (Outlook, Word, PPT,
Excel), upgraded Norton Internet Security to the latest version.

Things I have tried: Deleted all cookies, temporary Internet files from IE6.
Searched for all *.web and *.tmp files on my C: drive and found none. I
have turned IE6 security to all default settings (in case ActiveX permissions
were wrong).

Are there any things I can try other then uninstall Norton, Office 2003 and
if that doesn't work, then re-install my entire OS?

Please help...

Best wishes,
-ADD

 

[Jan Il]

Hi ADD

MSN/Hotmail and .NET Passport should be treated as Secure Sites. Try the
following and see if it helps:

Troubleshooting Secure Sites (WinXP/IE6 SP2)
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=870700

Troubleshooting Secure Sites (WinXP/IE6 SP1)
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;813444

Tools>Internet Options>Privacy
Click Sites.
Enter each of the following sites and click Always Allow:
hotmail.com
microsoft.com
msn.com
(enter the ones above that you need, and add others that may not be in the
list)

Clearing the TIF Cache -
Safely Delete the Temporary Internet Files
http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/delcache.htm

Cannot browse certain websites
http://www.dslreports.com/faq/10082

If you have any 3rd party toolbars or ad/popup blockers, disable them and
see if that helps.

also..

Tools>Internet Options>Security>Advanced>Custom Level> change each of the
ActiveX Controls setting respectively down the list to the following:

Change the following in order:
Prompt
Disable
Disable
Prompt
Prompt

Check your Cookies folder and delete any cookies that relate to the
sites in question.

Check your C:\Windows\Hosts file as per this article:
Problems Using Internet Explorer with Incorrect Hosts File
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;q219843

Also, try adding those sites to your IE Trusted Zone.
How to add a site to a Trusted Zone in Internet Explorer
http://surfthenetsafely.com/ieseczone7.htm

Go to the Windows update site and have it scan for any missing critical
updates that may be causing this problem.

If you have McAfee, there are issues. See here:

Disable the McAfee ActiveX controls Applet filters in the Internet Filter
window when you select Customize your VShield settings

also..the problem may be caused by spyware. Follow the steps in the
information below to clean your system:

Courtesy of Frank Saunders -

What You Should Know About Spyware
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/spyware/devioussoftware.mspx

Help with Hijackware
All MS - MVP Sites.
(http://aumha.org/a/parasite.htm)
(http://aumha.org/a/quickfix.htm)
(http://mvps.org/winhelp2002/unwanted.htm)
(http://inetexplorer.mvps.org/Darnit.htm)
(http://www.mvps.org/sramesh2k/Malware_Defence.htm)

Unexplained computer behavior may be caused by deceptive software.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/827315

Hope this helps.

Jan
MS MVP - Windows/Internet Explorer
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