browsers on pc cannot access any websites

email ok, surfing no go. tcp/ip problem maybe?

[deejay]

So the boss shows up this morning with his home pc and says 'fix it. please'.

Apparently they haven't been able to 'access the internet' for about two months (I know, I know, I nearly fell over backwards too).

Dialup is ok. Connects fine, all settings normal.

Email coming and going fine.

Anti-virus (PC-cillin) is updating now - no apparent access problem.

Browser (IE) is a dead duck. Opens fine, but cannot connect to any websites. Standard 'The page cannot be displayed' message.

I have loaded up a copy of Opera to see if it was an IE specific issue, but no luck with O either. "Could not find proxy server" message pops up.

The OS is Windows XP home. I have done the reset TCP/IP thing to take it back to original in case one of the boys has been playing (netsh int ip reset c:\tcpipreset.txt at the command prompt). No change.

No apparent spyware or viruses. hosts file is clean and normal. Of course, the definitions haven't been updated since June, and probably not scanned in as long, so I am guessing at this stage.

Windows firewall was enabled. Have switched it off. No change. No other firewall software on board.

I could really use some inspiration. Ok, and a little hand holding.

Have you seen this before?

Any suggestions on where to look next?

<add> dang, dang, dang. wrong forum. Hawkgirl, I'm not even sure which forum I was heading for now *l*, but could you move this please?

[vkaryl]

Hm. Wasn't there a virus/worm a while back that caused something similar?

[This might get more response in the Windows OS or HTML/Browsers fora....]

[deejay]

ugh.. I hope not vkaryl, but you're quite possibly right.

I did recently have gaobot on a couple of machines (not associated with this one), but that did the standard blocking of antivirus sites via hosts file.

You think you've seen one that blocks all sites? Couldn't recall a name could you?

*starts searching*

[vkaryl]

I can't - I've never had virii/worms. I just remember reading/hearing about something a while back. Sorry!

[Edit.... y'know, depending on machine brand, the best thing to do might be back up anything that looks like being important to boss and family, and format/reinstall.... especially if it's been a while since a clean install was done.... AND since it's XP Home, maybe boss could spring for the upgrade to Pro?]

[tedster]

Email coming and going fine.

So there IS Internet access - but no http. Can you access any https: addresses? How about ftp? Two quick experiments that might narrow down the problem a bit.

[Lance]

Might want to make sure there isn't an http proxy that doesn't belong as well.

(Tools -> Options -> Connections)

[deejay]

Lance, yer a flippin pearler mate!

(that's a good thing, btw)

I dunno how the heck I missed that (repeatedly, I might add), but i did.

Now to go and growl at the boss' kids :)

[Lance]

Pearler, huh?

I've been called a lot of things but...

Glad I could help.