Hijackware infected Windows, not IE itself though IE is very much part and
parcel of Windows. It's not unusual for another browser to work in such
instances.
--
~PA Bear

Andy wrote:
> I'll give this a go! Interestingly, I discovered that someone had
> installed Firefox on the server (the same server in question) and this
> works fine!
>
> So Internet Explorer doesn't work, yet Firefox does! And yet they both
> have the same connection settings!
>
> "PA Bear" wrote:
>
> > I'd run a thorough check for hijackware on all machines.
> >
> > Checking for/Help with Hijackware
> > http://aumha.org/a/parasite.htm
> > http://aumha.org/a/quickfix.htm
> > http://aumha.net/viewtopic.php?t=5878
> > http://mvps.org/winhelp2002/unwanted.htm
> > http://inetexplorer.mvps.org/data/prevention.htm
> > http://inetexplorer.mvps.org/archive/tshoot.html
> > http://www.mvps.org/sramesh2k/Malware_Defence.htm
> > http://defendingyourmachine.blogspot.com/
> >
> > When all else fails, HijackThis v1.99.1
> > (http://aumha.net/downloads/hijackthis.zip) is the preferred tool to
> > use. It will help you to both identify and remove any
> > hijackware/spyware. **Post your log to http://forums.spywareinfo.com/,
> > http://castlecops.com/forum67.html or
> > http://aumha.net/viewforum.php?f=30 for expert analysis, not here.**
> >
> > When this is all resolved, check in again at Windows Updates. That
> > list is missing several recent Critical patches.
> > --
> > ~PA Bear
> >
> > Andy wrote:
> > > Hi Robear,
> > >
> > > Here's a list of the Hotfixesthat were installed, all 'automatically'
> > > via the windows update website.
> > >
> > > 2000 admin tools
> > > KB822831
> > > 823182
> > > 823559
> > > 824105
> > > 824141
> > > 824146
> > > 825119
> > > 826232
> > > 828028
> > > 828035
> > > 828749
> > > 842773
> > > 905495
> > >
> > > Only one machine connects to the web through this server, but I will
> > > check on that client to see if any viruses are there.
> > >
> > > I haven't tried removing the hotfixes yet to see if that remedies the
> > > problem. Win 2000 automatically requires a restart after each one is
> > > removed and so this would take an age to perform!
> > >
> > > Again, thanks for your help.
> > >
> > > Andy
> > >
> > > "PA Bear" wrote:
> > >
> > > > And this happens on both Win2K machines?
> > > >
> > > > What "relevant Hotfixes from the Windows Update website" did you
> > > > install (e.g., Win2K SP4, Win2K SP4 Rollup 1) and when? Does
> > > > uninstalling them resolve the problem? Were they installed via
> > > > http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com or did you download the Hotfixes
> > > > from the Windows Update (or Windows) Catalog and install them
> > > > manually?
> > > >
> > > > How many users browse the internet with the Win2K machines? Is
> > > > their use of the browser restricted in any way? (Pondering whether
> > > > hijackware/Trojanware is the cause.)
> > > > --
> > > > ~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
> > > > MS MVP-Windows (IE/OE, Shell/User, Security), AH-VSOP
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > Andy wrote:
> > > > > Hi Pa Bear,
> > > > >
> > > > > Thanks for the response.
> > > > >
> > > > > Internet Explorer will open, but instead of immediately opening
> > > > > the home page as one would expect it simply displays a white
> > > > > screen as it trys to load the page. After about 30 seconds it
> > > > > says 'Page Cannot be Displayed.'
> > > > >
> > > > > One thing I notice is that the progress bar of Explorer (bottom
> > > > > left of the browser) where it would ordinarily tell you 'opening
> > > > > page www.google.co.uk' now says says seems to display the IP
> > > > > address of the homepage.
> > > > >
> > > > > I haven't touched the connection settings from before I installed
> > > > > the updates so it can't be that!
> > > > >
> > > > > "PA Bear" wrote:
> > > > > > Care to expand on "Internet Explorer stopped working" (e.g., IE
> > > > > > doesn't load, IE loads but doesn't connect, IE loads & connects
> > > > > > but generate errors)?
> > > > > > --
> > > > > > Andy wrote:
> > > > > > > I have two servers, both running Windows 2000 Small Business
> > > > > > > Server.
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > After routinely downloading the relavent Hotfixes from the
> > > > > > > Windows Update website, I restarted to find that Internet
> > > > > > > Explorer stopped working from the server computer.
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > All the client machines work, but I can no longer check the
> > > > > > > internet from the server.