Only certain URLs will open, others won't

[Marilyn de Queiroz]

History: I've been running IE6 since February 2003. On
August 2nd, I downloaded and installed Windows 2000
Service Pack 4 Express Install for End Users from
http://v4.windowsupdate.microsoft.com/en/default.asp

I also downloaded and partially installed DirectX 9.0b End-
User Runtime from the same page. The installation hung. I
killed the process and tried again. Same thing happened.
Since then I have been able to use my browser to go to
some web pages and not others. MS is ok. My ISP is ok.
PBS's web site is ok. myway.com, javaranch.com,
symantec.com and others are not.

I get no error code. No 503 pages or 504 pages. Nothing!
The status bar goes about 1/3 to 1/2 of the way and just
stops. It can sit for 30 minutes and nothing happens (at
least nothing that I can see)!

The security settings are at "default". No antivirus
software is running. No firewall is running (I know, I'm
living dangerously while I try to solve this problem).

The network connection is not the problem. I've done
tracert and I have no problems with email or ftp-ing.
Also, I have another machine using the same network
connection which has no problem accessing the internet.

I'm really frustrated. Any help will be appreciated.

 

[Marilyn deQueiroz]

I uninstalled Service Pack 4 and the problem went away.

I think it would be nice if there were a way to search
this newsgroup for similar problems/solutions without
reading 2270 pages of threads.