Just out of curiosity try changing the /?ui=1 part of the url to /?ui=http
Main Topics
Browse All TopicsI have a computer that I cannot get to gmail on. I have tried everything I can think of and nothing works.
I am using Windows XP. I have tried using IE, Firefox and Safari. I have tried using gmail.com, mail.google.com, https://gmail.google.com, and clicking the gmail link on Google's homepage. The exact error message varies with the browser, but all are much the same; here is the one from Safari.
Safari cant connect to the server.
Safari cant open the page https://www.google.com/ac
Everything else on google works.
Does anybody have any ideas? I have tried searching the internet, but have not found anything like this.
Thank you for any help.
This Question has been solved and asker verified All Experts Exchange premium technology solutions are available to subscription members.
Experts Exchange has been collecting answers to technology questions since 1996…3 million and counting! If you have a question, chances are we already have your answer.
If you can't find the exact answer you're looking for, ask our exclusive community of 50,000 experts. You’ll get a personalized answer from a trusted professional.
Thousands of free tech tips, tricks, how-to’s and tutorials are available in our peer reviewed articles section. See for yourself how smart our experts are, no login required.
Access the answers to your technology questions today.
30-day free trial. Register in 60 seconds.
Members of the expert community talk about why the experience at Experts Exchange is different than what you will find anywhere else.

Try it out and discover for yourself.
30-day free trial. Register in 60 seconds.
Join the community of experts here and help other tech pros by answering question in your area of expertise. You can earn FREE access to all Experts Exchange's premium features and resources.
This has gone on for a couple of weeks, so it's not the gmail server. IE and firefox were both installed and working fine with gmail when this started. I installed Safari last night to make sure that it was doing it on all browsers. I will try putting that list of URLs in as soon as I can. Thanks for the response.
I am running BitDefender for AV. The free version of Malwarebytes is installed on the machine. I have not tried it in safe mode. I will do so. I connect through a router on cable service. All the other machines on the router connect to gmail just fine. I will also try the IP address. I will try clearing the history and cache, though I don't think that will help since it's doing it on three different browsers. I will let you know when I get all this done. Thanks.
I have cleared the history and cache, I have tried in safe mode, and I have tried the IP address. It took me straight to google, so I guess it is the IP for google? I have tried logging in as a different user, I have uninstalled the AV to see if that was the problem. No matter what I try I get the same result.
Here is the error message from firefox
>>> "I have tried the IP address. It (208.69.36.231) took me straight to google, so I guess it is the IP for google?" <<<
Yes. The fact that you seem to be able to go directly to internet pages using the IP Address in your address bar (eg. http://208.69.36.231) but not the Domain Name (eg. http://www.google.com) suggests that your problem lies with translation of domain names to IP Addresses.
Here is an example of the problem for Firefox:
http://kb.mozillazine.org/
This is a very good page for diagnosing a range of issues for Windows XP:
http://support.microsoft.c
Try opening your original link to googlemail using the following IP Addresses instead of the www.google.com domain name and see if it goes straight to the google mail login page:
https://209.85.229.105/acc
https://209.85.229.103/acc
https://209.85.229.106/acc
https://209.85.229.147/acc
https://209.85.229.104/acc
https://209.85.229.99/acco
The following command executed in a Command Window will create a file named "dns-cache.txt" on your Desktop:
ipconfig /displaydns > "%USERPROFILE%\Desktop\dns
That file will show the IP Addresses and matching Domain Names that have been cached on your computer.
To flush them, use the following command, in response to which you should see the message "Successfully flushed the DNS Resolver Cache":
ipconfig /flushdns
if you now do:
ipconfig /displaydns
you should only see "localhost" with IP Address "127.0.0.1"
It's always interesting to see the results if you run the command:
ipconfig /registerdns
and then repeat the:
ipconfig /displaydns > "%USERPROFILE%\Desktop\dns
If everything now works normally, then the following page explains how the Windows XP "DNS Client" Service caches successful AND unsuccessful DNS query to its NS Resource Record. This is what the ipconfig /flushdns command deletes. The linked page is just for reading. I don't suggest disabling the Service.
http://support.microsoft.c
If the above steps DON'T work, then it could be your modem/router configuration.
that was my bad, yes that was the ip for Google.
You already mentioned you could get to Google, but the actual Logon doesn't work for you.
jhy99,
What security programs do you currently have installed and what security programs HAVE you had installed in the past?
We may also need to see a HijackThis Log so we can see what is on in your machine.
Grab a copy of it here
http://download.cnet.com/T
download, and run it and post a logfile for us here.
Did safemode with networking work for you or not?
BillDL
None of the links with IP addresses worked
When I did flushdns I got "Successfully flushed the DNS Resolver Cache":
When I then typed displaydns I got a list instead of "localhost" with IP Address "127.0.0.1"
Here is the list
google.co.ls
------------------------------------ ----
Record Name . . . . . : google.co.ls
Record Type . . . . . : 1
Time To Live . . . . : 511501
Data Length . . . . . : 4
Section . . . . . . . : Answer
A (Host) Record . . . : 64.86.17.56
google.co.ck
------------------------------------ ----
Record Name . . . . . : google.co.ck
Record Type . . . . . : 1
Time To Live . . . . : 511501
Data Length . . . . . : 4
Section . . . . . . . : Answer
A (Host) Record . . . : 64.86.17.56
www.google.com.sg
------------------------------------ ----
Record Name . . . . . : www.google.com.sg
Record Type . . . . . : 1
Time To Live . . . . : 511501
Data Length . . . . . : 4
Section . . . . . . . : Answer
A (Host) Record . . . : 64.86.17.56
www.google.com.tj
------------------------------------ ----
Record Name . . . . . : www.google.com.tj
Record Type . . . . . : 1
Time To Live . . . . : 511501
Data Length . . . . . : 4
Section . . . . . . . : Answer
A (Host) Record . . . : 64.86.17.56
www.google.com.qa
------------------------------------ ----
Record Name . . . . . : www.google.com.qa
Record Type . . . . . : 1
Time To Live . . . . : 511501
Data Length . . . . . : 4
Section . . . . . . . : Answer
A (Host) Record . . . : 64.86.17.56
google.co.tz
------------------------------------ ----
Record Name . . . . . : google.co.tz
Record Type . . . . . : 1
Time To Live . . . . : 511501
Data Length . . . . . : 4
Section . . . . . . . : Answer
A (Host) Record . . . : 64.86.17.56
google.co.za
------------------------------------ ----
1)Go to run->cmd-> Ping www.google.com
2)Go to run->cmd-> Tracert www.google.com
3)Check the host file location of host filer (c:\WINDOWS\system32\drive
And for security reason use these tools for spware and malwares
Malwarebytes
http://www.malwarebytes.or
or
spybot
http://www.safer-networkin
or
superantispyware
http://www.superantispywar
And the last step to run combofix
http://www.bleepingcompute
It's possible that I have found the problem.
This is my hosts file:
# Copyright (c) 1993-1999 Microsoft Corp.
#
# This is a sample HOSTS file used by Microsoft TCP/IP for Windows.
#
# This file contains the mappings of IP addresses to host names. Each
# entry should be kept on an individual line. The IP address should
# be placed in the first column followed by the corresponding host name.
# The IP address and the host name should be separated by at least one
# space.
#
# Additionally, comments (such as these) may be inserted on individual
# lines or following the machine name denoted by a '#' symbol.
#
# For example:
#
# 102.54.94.97 rhino.acme.com # source server
# 38.25.63.10 x.acme.com # x client host
127.0.0.1 localhost
74.125.45.100 4-open-davinci.com
74.125.4
74.125.4
74.125.45.
74.
74.
74
74.125.45
74.125.4
74.125
74.125.45.
64.86.17.5
64.86.17.56 google.as
64.86.17.56 google.at
64.86.17.56 google.az
64.86.17.56 google.ba
64.86.17.56 google.be
64.86.17.56 google.bg
64.86.17.56 google.bs
64.86.17.56 google.ca
64.86.17.56 google.cd
64.86.17.56 google.com.gh
64.86.17.56 google.com.hk
64.86.17.56 google.com.jm
64.86.17.56 google.com.mx
64.86.17.56 google.com.my
64.86.17.56 google.com.na
64.86.17.56 google.com.nf
64.86.17.56 google.com.ng
64.86.17.56 google.ch
64.86.17.56 google.com.np
64.86.17.56 google.com.pr
64.86.17.56 google.com.qa
64.86.17.56 google.com.sg
64.86.17.56 google.com.tj
64.86.17.56 google.com.tw
64.86.17.56 google.dj
64.86.17.56 google.de
64.86.17.56 google.dk
64.86.17.56 google.dm
64.86.17.56 google.ee
64.86.17.56 google.fi
64.86.17.56 google.fm
64.86.17.56 google.fr
64.86.17.56 google.ge
64.86.17.56 google.gg
64.86.17.56 google.gm
64.86.17.56 google.gr
64.86.17.56 google.ht
64.86.17.56 google.ie
64.86.17.56 google.im
64.86.17.56 google.in
64.86.17.56 google.it
64.86.17.56 google.ki
64.86.17.56 google.la
64.86.17.56 google.li
64.86.17.56 google.lv
64.86.17.56 google.ma
64.86.17.56 google.ms
64.86.17.56 google.mu
64.86.17.56 google.mw
64.86.17.56 google.nl
64.86.17.56 google.no
64.86.17.56 google.nr
64.86.17.56 google.nu
64.86.17.56 google.pl
64.86.17.56 google.pn
64.86.17.56 google.pt
64.86.17.56 google.ro
64.86.17.56 google.ru
64.86.17.56 google.rw
64.86.17.56 google.sc
64.86.17.56 google.se
64.86.17.56 google.sh
64.86.17.56 google.si
64.86.17.56 google.sm
64.86.17.56 google.sn
64.86.17.56 google.st
64.86.17.56 google.tl
64.86.17.56 google.tm
64.86.17.56 google.tt
64.86.17.56 google.us
64.86.17.56 google.vu
64.86.17.56 google.ws
64.86.17.56 google.co.ck
64.86.17.56 google.co.id
64.86.17.56 google.co.il
64.86.17.56 google.co.in
64.86.17.56 google.co.jp
64.86.17.56 google.co.kr
64.86.17.56 google.co.ls
64.86.17.56 google.co.ma
64.86.17.56 google.co.nz
64.86.17.56 google.co.tz
64.86.17.56 google.co.ug
64.86.17.56 google.co.uk
64.86.17.56 google.co.za
64.86.17.56 google.co.zm
64.86.17.56 google.com
64.86.17.56 google.com.af
64.86.17.56 google.com.ag
64.86.17.56 google.com.ar
64.86.17.56 google.com.au
64.86.17.56 google.com.bn
64.86.17.56 google.com.br
64.86.17.56 google.com.by
64.86.17.56 google.com.bz
64.86.17.56 google.com.cu
64.86.17.56 google.com.ec
64.86.17.56 google.com.fj
64.86.17.56 www.google.ae
64.86.17.56 www.google.as
64.86.17.56 www.google.at
64.86.17.56 www.google.az
64.86.17.56 www.google.ba
64.86.17.56 www.google.be
64.86.17.56 www.google.bg
64.86.17.56 www.google.bs
64.86.17.56 www.google.ca
64.86.17.56 www.google.cd
64.86.17.56 www.google.com.gh
64.86.17.
64.86.17.
64.86.17.
64.86.17.
64.86.17.
64.86.17.
64.86.17.
64.86.17.
64.86.17.56 www.google.com.np
64.86.17.
64.86.17.
64.86.17.
64.86.17.
64.86.17.
64.86.17.
64.86.17.56 www.google.de
64.86.17.56 www.google.dk
64.86.17.56 www.google.dm
64.86.17.56 www.google.ee
64.86.17.56 www.google.fi
64.86.17.56 www.google.fm
64.86.17.56 www.google.fr
64.86.17.56 www.google.ge
64.86.17.56 www.google.gg
64.86.17.56 www.google.gm
64.86.17.56 www.google.gr
64.86.17.56 www.google.ht
64.86.17.56 www.google.ie
64.86.17.56 www.google.im
64.86.17.56 www.google.in
64.86.17.56 www.google.it
64.86.17.56 www.google.ki
64.86.17.56 www.google.la
64.86.17.56 www.google.li
64.86.17.56 www.google.lv
64.86.17.56 www.google.ma
64.86.17.56 www.google.ms
64.86.17.56 www.google.mu
64.86.17.56 www.google.mw
64.86.17.56 www.google.nl
64.86.17.56 www.google.no
64.86.17.56 www.google.nr
64.86.17.56 www.google.nu
64.86.17.56 www.google.pl
64.86.17.56 www.google.pn
64.86.17.56 www.google.pt
64.86.17.56 www.google.ro
64.86.17.56 www.google.ru
64.86.17.56 www.google.rw
64.86.17.56 www.google.sc
64.86.17.56 www.google.se
64.86.17.56 www.google.sh
64.86.17.56 www.google.si
64.86.17.56 www.google.sm
64.86.17.56 www.google.sn
64.86.17.56 www.google.st
64.86.17.56 www.google.tl
64.86.17.56 www.google.tm
64.86.17.56 www.google.tt
64.86.17.56 www.google.us
64.86.17.56 www.google.vu
64.86.17.56 www.google.ws
64.86.17.56 www.google.co.ck
64.86.17.5
64.86.17.5
64.86.17.5
64.86.17.5
64.86.17.5
64.86.17.5
64.86.17.5
64.86.17.5
64.86.17.5
64.86.17.5
64.86.17.5
64.86.17.5
64.86.17.5
64.86.17.5
64.86.17.56 www.google.com.af
64.86.17.
64.86.17.
64.86.17.
64.86.17.
64.86.17.
64.86.17.
64.86.17.
64.86.17.
64.86.17.
64.86.17.
64.86.17.
64.86.17.56 www.google.com
64.86.17.56 bing.com
64.86.17.56 www.bing.com
64.86.17.56 search.yahoo.com
64.86.17.5
64.86.
64.86.17.56
64.86.17.56 googleads.g.doubleclick.ne
64.86.17.
64.86
64
64.86.17
64.86.17
64.8
I tried deleting all the entries, but it won't let me save it. If I try to save it I get this error:
Cannot create the c:\windows\system32\drivers\etc\host s file.
Make sure that the path and filename are correct.If I try save as I get this:
This file exists with Read Only attributes.
Please use a different file name.
Any Suggestions? Does it look like I'm on the right path?
I see you have been anxiously waiting for suggestions.
>>> "Does it look like I'm on the right path?" <<<
It certainly does, and good suggestion by pankusareen to check the HOSTS file.
You did Right-Click on HOSTS, choose Properies, uncheck the Read-Only box, and click the Apply button before trying to Open, edit, and Save it?
If not, then try that approach.
If that doesn't work, then rename it to something like "HOSTS.BAD", or use the Microsoft "FixIt" from this page to reset the file to default:
http://support.microsoft.c
http://go.microsoft.com/?l
Your computer does not actually NEED the HOSTS file, so you can delete it without any ill effect if you wish.
For an explanation of what the HOSTS file is and does, read these pages:
http://www.accs-net.com/ho
http://en.wikipedia.org/wi
Basically it redirects the domain addresses listed in the HOSTS file to the IP Address given for it. For effective use, this IP Address is the "Localhost" IP Address (127.0.0.1) which is your own computer, so areas on the page that would be populated by content served up from those named addresses are unable to load because they are not found, and you see a page not found" where the content should have loaded.
Obviously it's supposed to be used for the web addresses of servers known to supply advertising content, but your HOSTS file is effectively blocking all those Google domains and a few others by telling your browser to fetch them from your own PC. It stinks of a Malware infection, so it is imperative that you follow the advice given earlier and scan your system thoroughly, preferably in Safe Mode.
Should you find sites that allow you to download a new HOSTS file that is already populated with known Ad-Server addresses, then be warned that there is a detrimental side effect in Windows 2000 and XP whereby it slows everything down badly if you use a HOSTS file exceeds 135KB in size. So the following page that allows you to download a batch file that keeps your computer updated with a pre-populated HOSTS file containing a huge number of known Ad-Servers is not relevant in Windows XP, because their HOSTS file is currently 600KB and I have confirmed that it does slow your system down.
Bill
Whoops, that last page with the 600KB Ad-Blocking HOSTS file is:
http://www.mvps.org/winhel
Incidentally, the LMHOSTS.SAM file you may see alongside the HOSTS file is the standard template for an LMHOSTS file that is only employed specifically for configuring some Microsoft networks. The only content it should have, unless your computer has ever been part of a network and the file has been edited by you to configure things, are lines that are remarked out with # characters. There should be nothing below that.
The other files with no extensions that you should see in that folder: networks, protocol, quotes, and services, have their own uses and should not have been affected by malware. You may wish to open them and look for anything that looks suspicious, or just for curiosity, but don't edit them.
At looking at the host file of @jhy99 it looks like that some malware or spyware or virus modified the hosts file and block not only gmail, google but also other search engine like bing,yahoo etc.
Note:so check my previous post ID:25352557 and ID:25352567
just right click on the hosts file and uncheck read only and press ok. And then open the file in wordpad and remove the entries.
Well, I have run malwarebytes, spybot, and superantispyware. They have removed a few things, but nothing big. The hosts file is locked completely. I cannot see it in explorer. I can open it by running "notepad c:\windows\system32\driver
1)Go to my computer->tools->Folder options->view->check show hidden files and folder and uncheck Hide extensions for known file types and also unckeck Hide protected operating system files(Recommended)
Now u will able to see the file
c:\windows\system32\driver
Note: No it is not completed locked i think some process is using it so u need a software unlocker
http://ccollomb.free.fr/un
Business Accounts
Answer for Membership
by: BillDLPosted on 2009-09-14 at 10:17:24ID: 25327440
What happens when you paste this into the browser's address bar and click Go, or press Enter?:
ounts/Serv iceLogin?s ervice=mai l
ounts/Serv iceLogin?s ervice=mai l& passive= true
ounts/Serv iceLogin?s ervice=mai l& passive= true&rm=fa lse
ounts/Serv iceLogin?s ervice=mai l& passive= true&rm=fa lse&contin ue=http:// mail.googl e.com/mail /
ounts/Serv iceLogin?s ervice=mai l& passive= true&rm=fa lse&contin ue=http:// mail.googl e.com/mail /? ui=1
ounts/Serv iceLogin?s ervice=mai l& passive= true&rm=fa lse&contin ue=http:// mail.googl e.com/mail /? ui=1&bsv =zpwhtygjn trz
ounts/Serv iceLogin?s ervice=mai l& passive= true&rm=fa lse&contin ue=http:// mail.googl e.com/mail /? ui=1&bsv =zpwhtygjn trz&scc=1
ounts/Serv iceLogin?s ervice=mai l& passive= true&rm=fa lse&contin ue=http:// mail.googl e.com/mail /? ui=1&bsv =zpwhtygjn trz&scc=1& ltmpl=defa ult
ounts/Serv iceLogin?s ervice=mai l& passive= true&rm=fa lse&contin ue=http:// mail.googl e.com/mail /? ui=1&bsv =zpwhtygjn trz&scc=1& ltmpl=defa ult<mplc ache=2
https://www.google.com/acc
Add to the url a bit at a time and see where it fails, that is if it doesn't fail right off:
https://www.google.com/acc
https://www.google.com/acc
https://www.google.com/acc
https://www.google.com/acc
https://www.google.com/acc
https://www.google.com/acc
https://www.google.com/acc
https://www.google.com/acc
Is it possible that the google mail server has been down, or have you been trying for a while now? It seems odd that all your browsers are affected by this error, although if you installed the other browsers AFTER your first failures in Internet Explorer, then it is possible that bad settings were imported to them.
Let us know what happens.