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General discussion

i try to enter a web site in address bar of IE6 and nothing!

Sep 3, 2005 1:39PM PDT

hi i have this problem on 2 of my 4 computers, and i'm afraid it will spread..

when i type a web site into the address bar of IE6.. say yahoo.com.. nothing happens for a minute or 2, sometimes longer, then it finally comes up

if i click on anything in the favorites folder.. even yahoo.com it comes up instantly

the only thing i've updated is a couple of hotfixes from microsoft, and webroot's spy sweeper.. i've uninstalled everything, ran virus scan (symantec) and ad aware, spy sweeper, panda online scan, and spybot search and destroy.. spy hunter is running now and has found back web.. i'll try deleting that and see what happens, but i'm not hopeful


1 computer is a p3 400 gateway laptop running win xp home.. ie version 6.02

2 computer is 1.2 g p4 gateway desktop running win xp home/ win 98 on dual boot.. 98 side is fine.. i e version 6.02

internet connection is belkin wireless pc card on laptop, gateway nic card on desktop, connected to a netgear 802.11 g wireless router and motorola cable modem

my other pc is a home built amd athlon 2.3g (i thnk), but it runs fine w/ win 98 and ie 6

any ideas?

thanks

rod

Discussion is locked

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Typical of spyware.
Sep 3, 2005 10:20PM PDT

My first suspect is spyware.

You don't want any. The short list is Adaware and Spybot. Delete what they find. And there is more than what they find, so if the problem persists, you find a HIJACKTHIS forum and follow their rules.

Bob

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RE:
Sep 4, 2005 12:13AM PDT

1. Iexplore.exe is basically a wrapper program for two browser ActiveX controls: Shdocvw.dll (also called the WebBrowser Control) and Mshtml.dll that provide all of the functionality of the browser.

Note: Embedded within Shdocvw.dll and certain other ?.dll files are several informational HTML pages. These pages are stored in this way to reduce the number of files actually included within an Internet Explorer package to prevent the need for IE to maintain HTML files and to provide certain error messages during its use. To access the HTML pages, the res:// (resource) command is used with an ?.dll file name and the name for the HTML page to be loaded. The res:// command will load an HTML resource from a specified ?.dll file. Messages of this sort either are specified in the following two registry keys as an example. Users may even edit the key information contained prior to the last period and following the last back-slash in these example to cause the displayed information to be anything they want:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\InternetExplorer\AboutURLs

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\InternetExplorer\Main


res://shdocvw.dll/navcancl.htm - an information page appears when the user gets a failed connection to a URL. The many types of connection errors include proxy server errors and invalid URLs (Action cancelled)

res://shdocvw.dll/offcancl.htm - an informational error appears when the user tries to view in offline mode a page that is not available in the cache (Action cancelled)

res://shdocvw.dll/dsnerror.htm - an informational error appears when a connection to the Web has been broken or URL address cannot be resolved (Cannot find server or DNS Error Internet Explorer)

URLs of this sort may be typed in the Run line, or Address bar to open the resource provided the same operating system is used. Also, these types of reported messages -- particularly if they are simply a notice in the Status Line of the browser are not indicative of finding a solution since it's nothing more than an IE page rendering, such as the "IE's friendly 404 error - The page cannot be found!" page (click to see a screen shot) that everybody is familiar with.

2. First, click Tools, Internet Options, Programs, and then click Reset Web settings (Q895339) and reset the default Internet Explorer settings for home and search pages and prompt to make IE the default browser, but only if another browser has been installed after IE and that browser has changed those settings.

Note: Be aware however that the article [Q325192] discusses and describes know issues that may occur after having installed certain Updates to IE, Outlook, OE, or Windows. Please review the entire content of this article to see whether an issue could be applicable.

3. Download and use "IEFix" - a general purpose fix for Internet Explorer (Win 98/ME/2000/XP), which performs certain actions explained at the Web site, among which it:

a. Registers Urlmon.dll, Mshtml.dll, Actxprxy.dll, Oleaut32.dll, Shell32.dll, Shdocvw.dll, [Q281679].

b. Refreshes Internet Explorer using IE.INF method. Note:

? "Unable to Install Internet Explorer 6 on Windows XP (Q304872)"

? "How to Reinstall or Repair Internet Explorer and Outlook Express in Windows XP (Q31837Cool"

c. Initiates "SFC /Scannow" (Win2K&XP), [Q310747].

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thanks for the help.. still have the same problem tho...
Sep 4, 2005 5:53AM PDT

thanks for the help guys...

ad aware, spy sweeper, spybot, spy hunter, and symantec all report nothing...

i've tried ie fix, and that sfc /scannow.. still broken, i don't get any errors such as 404 and dns not found... it takes over a minute from the pressing of the enter key before any web page loads.. if i click on anything in the favorites it comes up instantly

my only hope is to format and reinstall xp... the weird thing is that i installed another computer's xp disk as a trial to get the files i needed off this hard drive when i went to format win 98... somehow my other computer's xp disk installed fine and didn't ask to register and it hasn't cut off after the trial period, so i'm kind of afraid to reformat...

bdr

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404 and DNS errors are normal.
Sep 4, 2005 7:22AM PDT

For example, servers in some state should result in 404s and DNS errors. In closing, your story has changed a little now. Before I read you said nothing happened. 404 and DNS errors are not nothing.

Bob

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thanks
Sep 4, 2005 12:32PM PDT

maybe i'm confused... in my original post i didn't mention anything about 404 or dns... i can surf the net just fine.. what happens is when i type anything into the address bar and press enter... nothing happens for over a minute and then the correct page comes up

if i click on the same address that i typed in manually(lets use yahoo.com)that's stored in "favorites" it comes up instantly...

i'm using the afflicted computer right now..

i'll run hjt and see what's up.. hopefully it will find something all the others missed

rod

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Exactly the issue.
Sep 4, 2005 9:55PM PDT

In your first post you wrote it did nothing. Later you mention 404 and DNS errors. This is not the same thing.

With the effects of a disaster, I ask that you consider 2 things.

1. It may be normal to find offline web sites or DNS failures.

2. Try to make consistent and upfront postings so replies are about your issue and don't miss the mark due to lacking information.

An all too common cause of this is still spyware. If you don't find it all and remove it, your issues will continue even after the disaster.

Bob

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not exactly
Sep 5, 2005 2:30AM PDT

bob, i don't mean to be argumentitive, but in my second post i mentioned that i do not get 404 and dns errors, because to me that indicates that something is wrong with the network, but i don't know a whole lot about this stuff.. i'm hardware

i understand about spyware.. i have:
spy sweeper
spybot search and destroy
ad aware
spy hunter
i've used panda online scan
microsoft anti spyware beta
aol anti spyware

all come up clean every time.. except for when spy hunter found backweb, but that's gone and i still have the same problem

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Just for kicks . .
Sep 4, 2005 10:08PM PDT

? type the URL host name www.google.com in the address bar, and then press Enter to get a feel of the browser response. Close the browser and then through the CP, clear the cache.

? open the browser again, type the TCP/IP address 216.239.57.99, and then press Enter. Any difference in the browser response?

Check the settings of the DNS in the TCP/IP-properties for the Internet settings. They should be what the helpdesk of your provider recommends, ''How to Troubleshoot Basic TCP/IP Problems (Q169790).''

* * *

1. Domain Name System (DNS), a locator service in Windows, is an industry-standard protocol that locates computers on an IP-based network. IP networks, such as the Internet and Windows networks, rely on number-based addresses to process data. Users however, can more easily remember name addresses, so it is necessary to translate user-friendly names (www.microsoft.com) into addresses that the network can recognize (207.46.131.137). Before DNS, a Hosts file was used -- a manually created file residing on a host computer that associates host names with IP addresses -- still used today in fact.

Note: For instance, Host name addresses such as www.yahoo.com are addresses you see and may use every day and are what we recognize as intellectual information. IP addresses are numbers such as 204.71.200.67 that mean the same thing and which the computers uses to actually find the sites. Even though a user may use either the ''Host'' or ''IP address'' as a site address using Internet Explorer, the computer must first look up and translate the ''Host name'' to an ''IP address'' before a connection is made.

2. DNS Servers map IP addresses to computer names and computer names to IP addresses. By doing so, they provide the mechanism to locate network resources. The DNS WMI Provider allows applications to interact with DNS Servers through the unified management framework of Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI). A DNS Server is a computer that completes the process of name resolution in DNS and contains zone files that enable them to resolve names to IP addresses and IP addresses to names. When queried, a DNS Server will respond in one of three ways:

? The server returns the requested name-resolution or IP-resolution data.

? The server returns a pointer to another DNS Server that can service the request.

? The server indicates that it does not have the requested data.

3. A DNS zone is a set of files or records (more precisely, a database of resource record entries) that corresponds to part of the DNS hierarchical name space. DNS zones are used to delineate which DNS Servers are responsible (authoritative) for resolving name-resolution queries for a given section of the DNS hierarchy. DNS zones differ from the domain structure in the following fashion: zones can be composed of one or more DNS domains. One zone in the gadgets.widgets.microsoft.com domain tree might be authoritative for the gadgets and widgets domains.

4. DNS WMI Provider Overview

a. A provider is an architectural element of Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI). WMI defines a unified architecture for describing, accessing, and instrumenting objects. Part of this architecture is a large database of WMI classes used to carry out remote management tasks on specific objects.

b. WMI providers act as intermediaries between WMI and one or more managed objects. When WMI receives a request from a management application for data that is not available from the CIM repository or for notifications of events that WMI does not support, it forwards the request to a provider. Providers supply data and event notifications for managed objects that are specific to their particular domain. A provider extends the WMI schema of classes to allow WMI to work with new types of objects. The DNS WMI Provider defines classes for querying and configuring a DNS Server, along with its associated DNS zones and DNS records.

c. The DNS WMI provider exposes a number of DNS objects to clients, including DNS Server, DNS domain, and DNS RR objects. Through those objects, clients are able to perform DNS management activities.

5. Supplemental:

a. ''HOW TO: Configure Windows XP TCP/IP to Use DNS (Q305553).''

b. ''Logging WMI Activity.''

c. ''Reinstalling WMI.''

d. ''Secrets of Windows Management Instrumentation.''

6. The article [Q175722] describes the following errors you may receive when starting Internet Explorer, suggests troubleshooting procedures, and discusses the reasons for the anomaly below:

? The page cannot be displayed

? The page you are looking for is currently unavailable. The Web site might be experiencing technical difficulties, or you may need to adjust your browser settings.

? Cannot find server or DNS Error

a. Multiple copies of the Wsock32.dll file are installed on your computer.

b. An incorrect version of the Wsock32.dll file is installed on your computer.

c. If you try to view a file (file://) you do not have permissions to view.

d. Intermittent connection problems, low system resources, and dropped connections while attempting to load the Web page.

e. You are using America Online as your Internet service provider, and there is not a Dial-Up Adapter installed, but there is an AOL Adapter.

f. Unable to resolve the DNS name, or the DNS server returned an error.

g. Corrupted cookies can also cause this issue with Internet Explorer 5.

h. The Internet Explorer connection settings for the dial-up connection are configured to use a proxy server.

7. Suggestions:

a. ''WinSock XP Fix'' (Image) offers a last resort if your Internet connectivity has been corrupted due to invalid or removed registry entries. It can often cure the problem of lost connections after the removal of Adware components or improper uninstall of firewall applications or other tools that modify the XP network and Winsock settings. If you encounter connection problems after removing network related software, Adware or after registry clean-up; and all other ways fail, then ''download'' and give WinSock XP Fix a try, a 1,412kb file. It can create a registry backup of your current settings, so it is fairly safe to use.

b. ''LSP-Fix'' is a free utility that may be downloaded to repair certain problems associated with Internet software when you can no longer access Web sites due to bugs in the LSP software or deletion of software. LSP-Fix repairs the Winsock LSP chain by removing the entries left behind when LSP software is removed by hand (or when errors in the software itself break the LSP chain), and removing any gaps in the chain.

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thanks cursor cowboy
Sep 5, 2005 2:35AM PDT

wow you sem to really know your stuff.. i know nothing (spoken like sgt shultz from hogan's heros)

in the address bar if i type anything, be it an ip address or google.com.. it takes over 1 minute before the page displays.. this applies to any website i type in

if i add google.com to my favorites.. i can click on it and the page will display instantly (cable modem)

i may have thrown a monkey in the works by mentioning 404 and dns, but being as those are the 2 most common errors i figured that i would eliminate that as a potential problem

it looks like i'm going to have to format the drive and start over, as i have a battery charging problem that might be software related too

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There's a new clue.
Sep 5, 2005 4:00AM PDT

Now that you mention battery charging, this could be a LAPTOP in which loading the retail versions of Windows can mean nothing but trouble to owners as Microsoft will not fetch all the needed drivers for us.

With every post you make there are some words in read that ask you note the system's model number and more. Due to the recent large number of posts that seem to be missing that forum note I'll duplicate it here to be sure you see it:

Note: If you're asking for technical help, please be sure to include all your system info, including operating system, model number, and any other specifics related to the problem.

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2 things to try.
Sep 4, 2005 7:24AM PDT

1. Make sure the Netgear firmware is the latest.

2. Email me your hijackthis log from the misbehaving machine.

Bob

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Got it.
Sep 5, 2005 12:51AM PDT

What I see if the Internet Explorer version is out of date. This can cause oddities as malware can take advantage of the out of date browser.

Your Version is: 6.00.2600.0000 Newest Version is: 6.00.2800.1106!
Check Windowsupdate to update the Internet Explorer.

If you can't update this OS, please tell why.

Please use http://www.hijackthis.de/index.php and see what is noted as nasty or possibly nasty. After that, look up and use WINSOCKXPFIX.

Bob

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old ie version
Sep 5, 2005 2:38AM PDT

ok thanks, i'll try updating

the reason why it's an old version is that i recent;y updated to all the newest patches through microsoft, and also updated spy sweeper.. then everything hit the fan

so i tried to uninstall every microsoft update, plus spy sweeper to see if that was the problem

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thanks to all that helped, problem fixed
Sep 11, 2005 10:45AM PDT

just wanted to touch base...

my problem is fixed... after all that.. it turns out i just ahd to reset the router

my internet ddidn't connect at all on either of the 2 laptops so i unplugged the cable modem and router, as soon as they came back up, i can type any address in the address bar and it pops up instantly

bdr