cannot open Microsoft home page or Windowsupdate

  • Thread starter Thread starter Mark Alsop
  • Start date Start date
M

Mark Alsop

Since New Years day I have not been able to open the Microsoft home page
(www.microsoft.com) or
the Windows update page (http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/). The site
seems to be 'found' but times out even if I wait
several minutes for a reply.

The http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/ link actually redirects to:
http://v5windowsupdate.microsoft.com/ and that is the one that does not
open.

Most sites I have links to work perfectly, including non-US sites.

Did something happen I don't know about or did some nefarious application
begin blocking access to any Microsoft site?

I live in Merced, CA and use DSL provided by SBC.

TIA
 
Mark Alsop said:
Since New Years day I have not been able to open the Microsoft home
page (www.microsoft.com) or
the Windows update page (http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/). The
site seems to be 'found' but times out even if I wait
several minutes for a reply.

The http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/ link actually redirects to:
http://v5windowsupdate.microsoft.com/ and that is the one that does
not open.

Most sites I have links to work perfectly, including non-US sites.

Did something happen I don't know about or did some nefarious
application begin blocking access to any Microsoft site?

I live in Merced, CA and use DSL provided by SBC.

TIA
Click to expand...

I get to both www.microsoft.com and http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/
without a problem. The latter redirects to
http://v5.windowsupdate.microsoft.com/ (note the extra dot) which is the
newest version of Windows Update.

You might want to make sure your Hosts file
(c:\Windows\System32\Drivers\etc) does not redirect those sites. (Open
Hosts with Notepad.)

--
Frank Saunders, MS-MVP, IE/OE
Please respond in Newsgroup only. Do not send email
http://www.fjsmjs.com
Protect your PC
http://www.microsoft.com./athome/security/protect/default.aspx
 
Thanks for the response but that was not the problem...

I did upgrade the firmware on my Syslink router & firewall just prior to
this problem but that is not it because I disabled the firewall in the
router after enabling the firewall in XP for a test but the symptoms are the
same.

It is not IE because Opera does the same thing.

In fact I cannot get to either Microsoft.com or Opera.com!

Regarding http://v5.windowsupdate.microsoft.com/ the missing dot was just a
typo.

I have checked 20-30 other sites which all work correctly. Even the
Microsoft Office update works correctly.

I am worried about not getting the security updates and any further help
anyone could give would be greatly appreciated.

TIA

Mark Alsop
 
Mark Alsop said:
Thanks for the response but that was not the problem...

I did upgrade the firmware on my Syslink router & firewall just prior
to this problem but that is not it because I disabled the firewall in
the router after enabling the firewall in XP for a test but the
symptoms are the same.

It is not IE because Opera does the same thing.

In fact I cannot get to either Microsoft.com or Opera.com!

Regarding http://v5.windowsupdate.microsoft.com/ the missing dot was
just a typo.

I have checked 20-30 other sites which all work correctly. Even the
Microsoft Office update works correctly.

I am worried about not getting the security updates and any further
help anyone could give would be greatly appreciated.

TIA

Mark Alsop
Click to expand...

I thought that was probably just a typo, but thought I'd make sure.

You may have some spyware that is interfering.
What You Should Know About Spyware
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/spyware/devioussoftware.mspx

CAUTION!!!!! Before you try to remove spyware using any of these programs ,
download a copy of LSPFIX from any of the following sites:
http://www.cexx.org/lspfix.htm
http://www.spychecker.com/program/winsockxpfix.html
(if your OS is Win2k or XP) The process of removing certain malware may kill
your internet connection. If this should occur, this program, LSPFIX, will
enable you to regain your connection.

See
Dealing with Unwanted Malware, Parasites, Toolbars and Search Engines
http://mvps.org/winhelp2002/unwanted.htm

Note that AdAware and SpyBot S & D will each catch some things the other
won't. Also, each needs to be updated with the program's update function
before every use, even when just downloaded. There's also a lot more to do
than just those two programs. CWShredder is also available here:
http://www.intermute.com/products/cwshredder
**Post your HijackThis log to
http://www.spywareinfo.com/forums/
http://forums.tomcoyote.org/
http://www.wilderssecurity.com/ or the Spyware forum at
http://forum.aumha.org/viewforum.php?f=30 for expert analysis, not here.**
Alternative download pages for Ad-Aware, Spybot, HijackThis and CWShredder
may be found on this page:
http://aumha.org/a/parasite.htm.

See also:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...a2-6a57-4c57-a8bd-dbf62eda9671&DisplayLang=en
for the new Microsoft program which was previously released by Giant
Software.

See this link for information about malware:
http://arstechnica.com/articles/paedia/malware.ars

If nothing there helps, please post back to this thread.

--
Frank Saunders, MS-MVP, IE/OE
Please respond in Newsgroup only. Do not send email
http://www.fjsmjs.com
Protect your PC
http://www.microsoft.com./athome/security/protect/default.aspx
 
Mark Alsop said:
I did upgrade the firmware on my Syslink router & firewall just prior to
this problem but that is not it because I disabled the firewall in the
router after enabling the firewall in XP for a test but the symptoms are the
same.
Click to expand...

Why did you upgrade the firmware? Were you having problems? Do you have
any way of knowing for sure that the upgrade is good?

Have you tried bypassing the router by connecting your machine directly to
the modem? If that works, the problem lies with your router. If it still
fails, the router probably is the problem.
 
Gary,

Yes, I was having trouble: the gigabit NIC in my notebook connected at 10
mbps to the 10/100 Linksys router

Fixed now: I enabled the XP firewall and...
Replaced the Linksys BFSX41 with a Linksys EG005W Gigabit router, no
firewall (this evening)
The notebook NIC communicates with the EG005W at 1 Gigabit

A New Problem: It takes forever to boot because the connection is "limited
or no connectivity" whatever that means.

I have an older Linksys printer server and the DSL modem connected to the
EG005W, both of which are 10/100 devices, maybe that is what it means.

Thanks for responding

Mark
 
Frank,

I doubt I have spyware because I update and run AdAware at least once a week
but I did download the new MS program you noted and that did not find
anything on my system. I ran AdAware after the MS app ran and AdAware found
a few data trackers in my cookies (always does) but nothing else.

In any case the system now connects to all Microsoft web pages and Opera. I
deleted the DSL internet connection, swapped the Linksys BFSX41 with a
Linksys EG005W Gigabit router after first enabling the XP firewall since the
EG005W does not have a firmware firewall. The notebook's gigabit NIC
connects to the EG005W at 1 gigabit whereas it connected to the 10/100
router at only 10 mbps.

I have both a DSL modem (10/100 device) and a Linksys printer server (also a
10/100 device, handles 2 old but great serial port printers).

A new problem has come up...

It takes forever to log onto my account which is probably related to the
fact that the Local Area Connection complains that the connection is
"limited or no connectivity" whatever that means.

Thanks for all your feedback, if you have any ideas on the new problem I'd
like to here them.

Mark
 
Last problem was solved by specifying the IP and DNS addresses in the Local
Area Network, Internet Protocol properties.

Thanks again for the responses...

Mark
 
Last problem was solved by specifying the IP and DNS addresses in the Local
Area Network, Internet Protocol properties.

Thanks again for the responses...

Mark

Mark Alsop said:
Gary,

Yes, I was having trouble: the gigabit NIC in my notebook connected at 10
mbps to the 10/100 Linksys router

Fixed now: I enabled the XP firewall and...
Replaced the Linksys BFSX41 with a Linksys EG005W Gigabit router, no
firewall (this evening)
The notebook NIC communicates with the EG005W at 1 Gigabit

A New Problem: It takes forever to boot because the connection is "limited
or no connectivity" whatever that means.

I have an older Linksys printer server and the DSL modem connected to the
EG005W, both of which are 10/100 devices, maybe that is what it means.

Thanks for responding

Mark
Click to expand...
 
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