Re: Browsers that can't browse, but other programs can.
Mike wrote:
> The problem involves not being able to connect to the internet most of the
> time when using a browser, and when I am able to connect, it is only fleeting
> in that after one or two links the browser either continues to indicate it is
> waiting for the site, or I get the pop-up box informing me the page contains
> no data, or I receive the "page cannot be displayed" alert.
>
> Part of what has made this more frustrating is that other programs on the
> computer having the problem which must connect to the internet have no
> problem doing so and downloading the required files. These are Norton AV
> 2005, Spybot, Ad-Aware, MS AntiSpyware, and Zone Alarm. All programs which
> must connect directly are able to connect and download whatever is required.
>
> The browsers I use are MS Internet Explorer, Netscape 7.2, and the latest
> versions of FireFox and Mozilla. All have the same problem.
>
> When I attempt to check for the MS updates with MS IE, IE will hang at the
> page that states it is checking, but it never goes beyond that page. Today,
> although the other programs listed above accessed the internet and updated
> their definitions and any other necessary files, my attempt to check MS
> updates again resulted in the "Page cannot be displayed" page.
>
> The other browsers end up simply "waiting" for the site per the status bar
> (lower left hand side) and there they will stay.
>
> I am using MS XP SP2 Home on the computer that is having the problem. This
> particular computer is a Gateway 2K with an Intel PIII 500 MHz with 640 MB
> RAM. The computer having the problem is part of a home Ethernet and wireless
> network using Netgear components and dial-up access to the internet through
> the free access to MichNet provided by my employer. There are three other
> computers hooked by Ethernet to the home network, none of which have this
> problem. One of the computers, an old Gateway 2K with an Intel PII, with Win
> 98SE as the OS, I use to dial-up and act as the gateway for the home network.
> It only has the minimum programs needed to do its sole job. The second of
> the three wired computers is also a Gateway 2K with an Intel P4 with Win 2K
> as the OS. The third wired computer is another Gateway 2K with an Intel PIII
> with Win 98 as the OS, and while it can have access to the internet I do not
> use it for that purpose.
>
> If you wonder, by now, why I am providing so much information, I am a big
> believer in giving as much information as possible so those from whom I am
> seeking help so they have as much information as I do and I may not know what
> is important anyway, so I try to give it all to help someone to figure out a
> solution.
>
> This problem did not exist until this past April as I was able to browse
> with any of the browsers named above and to update XP prior to that time. I
> am not sure what occurred at that time, but I have a suspicion it may have
> been a certain MS patch which I have since uninstalled and, unfortunately,
> also forgotten the identification number.
>
> I have tried the following:
>
> 1. Virus scan.
>
> 2. Spyware scan using all three programs listed above.
>
> 3. Searched the MS Knowledge Base.
>
> 4. Searched the Web.
>
> 5. Asked various persons at work who are more knowledgeable about
> computers, operating systems, and programs.
>
> This problem was occurring prior to me upgrading the OS with XP SP2, which I
> just did recently, hoping the upgrade might result in it over-writing or
> fixing whatever was causing the lack of being able to connect to the internet
> with any browser.
>
> I have recently found information regarding the winsock.dll, winsock32.dll,
> and the two "wsock" files. I did what MS advised as far as the only place
> they should be is in the dllcache folder, in addition to the only ones needed
> are the two "winsock" files.
>
> Bottom line, I have had various hopeful possible solutions but always have
> ended up at the same place, browsers that will not browse, but other programs
> not dependent on using a browser connecting fine and downloading what had to
> be downloaded.
>
> I have played with each browsers settings and still no improvement.
>
> I have sat with my laptop, which has XP Pro, next to the computer with the
> browser surfing problem and compared the various settings and the services
> running to make sure there were no significant settings that differed or
> services not running on the computer with the problem, and found all to be
> pretty much the same.
>
> I have tried the various user accounts on the computer and none of them
> allow the browsers to browse. I even created a new administrator account and
> for a short while thought I had a work around. The MS update got as far as
> checking to ensure the computer had a valid copy of XP installed (which it
> does) but once past that page it then displayed the "page cannot be
> displayed" notice. It would also seem this behavior with MS update would not
> explain the inability of the other browsers from browsing.
>
> One last thing, when MS IE does display the "page cannot be displayed"
> notice at its usual point, which is before even displaying the screen
> informing me that it is checking for a valid version of XP, the "page cannot
> be displayed" notice, over a period of time, will be displayed 3-4 times
> within the same open IE window along with scroll bars for each notice. At
> the bottom of the notice it also states "Cannot find server or DNS error".
> However, I am able to ping the local computers on our home network plus ping
> Web sites. I also ran some of the net tools Windows has to check various
> things, and the results appears to be fine, though most of the output report
> does not mean much to me.
>
> One of the possible solutions could be to re-install XP Home after
> re-formatting the hard drive, but I am holding that thought until I believe
> there is no other possible solution since it will involve a rather long
> process and could cause problems with NAV 05 3-user license in an inevitable
> SNAFU resulting in losing the third of the 3 licenses which I am holding for
> another of the computers.
>
> Is there any common program, file, etc. that all browsers use? Or a common
> setting other than within the browsers themselves? Any suggestions?
>
> I first have to thank you for reading to the end of this message. But
> hopefully someone will know what the problem is and will be able to help me
> with this very frustrating problem.
>
> Thanks
>
> --
> Have a good day.
>
> MI Mike
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