IE8 works, but Firefox, Opera etc. do not

[Ganz Doof]

On a laptop loaded with XP Pro (SP2), IE8 and Outlook Express appears to
work fine. However, other browsers (Firefox & Opera) cannot seem to connect
to the Net and Outlook 2007 cannot send/receive e-mail.

What could be wrong and what could be done to fix this?

Thanks

 

[Shenan Stanley]

On a laptop loaded with XP Pro (SP2), IE8 and Outlook Express
appears to work fine. However, other browsers (Firefox & Opera)
cannot seem to connect to the Net and Outlook 2007 cannot
send/receive e-mail.
What could be wrong and what could be done to fix this?

What AntiVirus do you use?

Last scan with what antimalware/antispyware application(s)?

How do you connect to the Internet?

Why SP2 and not SP3?

Can you give the exact version of your WIndows XP Professional with SP2
machine?
(Start --> RUN --> WINVER --> OK --> Version line verbatim.)

Sure your Outlook 2007 is setup (configured with your email provider)
correctly?

What can you do (specifically) in Internet Explorer 8 you cannot do in
Firefox? (Specific web page addresses, please.)

 

[Jose]

On a laptop loaded with XP Pro (SP2), IE8 and Outlook Express appears to
work fine. However, other browsers (Firefox & Opera) cannot seem to connect
to the Net and Outlook 2007 cannot send/receive e-mail.

What could be wrong and what could be done to fix this?

Thanks

What are you not yet on SP3? That may not be your problem, but there
are a few good reasons to upgrade to SP3:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/946480

Is that the message you see from Firefox - "cannot seem to connect to
the Net"?

Outlook 2007 require configuration information specific to your
Internet Service Provider for the POP and SMTP servers. So does OE,
so if OE is working it has been set up somehow.

Is the message from Outlook 2007 - "cannot send/receive e-mail"?

You can setup Outlook 2007 by following this article:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/287532

 

[Ganz Doof]

What AntiVirus do you use?

Last scan with what antimalware/antispyware application(s)?

How do you connect to the Internet?

Why SP2 and not SP3?

Can you give the exact version of your WIndows XP Professional with SP2
machine?
(Start --> RUN --> WINVER --> OK --> Version line verbatim.)

Sure your Outlook 2007 is setup (configured with your email provider)
correctly?

What can you do (specifically) in Internet Explorer 8 you cannot do in
Firefox? (Specific web page addresses, please.)

Norton AV (Corp Ed) is in use

Internet connection through a LAN cable; other computers connected to the
same router are working just fine.

I do have SP3 installed, it was a typo in my OP when I wrote SP2

OS is Version 5.1 (Build 2600.xpsp_sp3_gdr.090804-1435 : Service Pack 3)

Earlier, I could browse normally with IE8, but Firefox and Chrome just did
not work, i.e. no pages could be opened. Similarly Outlook did not
send/receive any messages.

HOWEVER, I just disabled the firewall (Zone Alarm) and now it seems that
both Firefox and Chrome are working, as is Outlook.

So can this be marked as a Firewall problem or could there be something more
sinister involved?

 

[Shenan Stanley]

Norton AV (Corp Ed) is in use

Internet connection through a LAN cable; other computers connected
to the same router are working just fine.

I do have SP3 installed, it was a typo in my OP when I wrote SP2

OS is Version 5.1 (Build 2600.xpsp_sp3_gdr.090804-1435 : Service
Pack 3)
Earlier, I could browse normally with IE8, but Firefox and Chrome
just did not work, i.e. no pages could be opened. Similarly Outlook
did not send/receive any messages.

HOWEVER, I just disabled the firewall (Zone Alarm) and now it seems
that both Firefox and Chrome are working, as is Outlook.

So can this be marked as a Firewall problem or could there be
something more sinister involved?

Uninstall ZoneAlarm Firewall. It is more trouble than it is worth for 90%
of users - especially if it is not kept up to date.

 

[Jose]

Norton AV (Corp Ed) is in use

Internet connection through a LAN cable; other computers connected to the
same router are working just fine.

I do have SP3 installed, it was a typo in my OP when I wrote SP2

OS is Version 5.1 (Build 2600.xpsp_sp3_gdr.090804-1435 : Service Pack 3)

Earlier, I could browse normally with IE8, but Firefox and Chrome just did
not work, i.e. no pages could be opened. Similarly Outlook did not
send/receive any messages.

HOWEVER, I just disabled the firewall (Zone Alarm) and now it seems that
both Firefox and Chrome are working, as is Outlook.

So can this be marked as a Firewall problem or could there be something more
sinister involved?

Are those the messages you were getting - cannot seem to connect to
the Net, etc.?

If you installed ZA and did not disable the Windows firewall as ZA
recommends, you may/will have difficulty. They even tell you that.

ZA works fine if you configure and look after it properly.

 

[Shenan Stanley]

<snipped>

Are those the messages you were getting - cannot seem to connect to
the Net, etc.?

If you installed ZA and did not disable the Windows firewall as ZA
recommends, you may/will have difficulty. They even tell you that.

ZA works fine if you configure and look after it properly.

And that last sentence says it all. Most people want something that just
works - not something they have to look after. Unfortunately (or
firtunately depending on your point of view) - not many things like that
exist (I'd dare say none - because everything needs *some* sort of
maintenance at some point.)