IE will not display any pages

check for teh file HOSTS in the C:\windows\help folder. and delete it.

The problem might be due to QHosts trojan.

Quetzal,
   Your IE Search settings may be incorrect.  With IE open, go to Tools > Options > Advanced. Scroll down to Search and check "Just go to mostly likely site"

Use QHosts removal tool:
http://software.brown.edu/dist/w-cleanqhosts.html

And reset TCP/IP settings.

Click Start | Run | cmd
type "netsh int ip reset c:\changes.log"

go to tools --> internet options --> connection and select "never dial a connection"

Also click on Lan settings there .See that you donot have anything enabled ...

Check for spywares using other softwares here

Spyware/Adware removal tools:
------------------------------

SpyBot-S&D : http://www.webattack.com/download/dlspybot.shtml 

Ad-aware : http://www.webattack.com/download/dladaware.shtml 

Trojan Remover :http://www.simplysup.com/

HijackThis : http://www.webattack.com/download/dlhijackthis.shtml 

KL-Detector  :http://www.webattack.com/download/dlkldetector.shtml

X-Cleaner Free  :http://www.webattack.com/download/dlxcleaner.shtml

..Also try repairing IE

***********


Description of the Internet Explorer Repair Tool
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=http://support.microsoft.com:80/support/kb/articles/Q194/1/77.asp&NoWebContent=1

How to Reinstall or Repair Internet Explorer and Outlook Express in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=318378

Repair Internet Explorer 6
http://www.theeldergeek.com/repair_ie6.htm

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=293907


**************************

Sunray

sramesh2k, thx, but no help.

war1, thx, but no help.

sunray, never dial already on, nothing enabled on LAN settings, already ran AdAware, already ran HijackThis.

I think we're on to "repair IE".  Will followup tomorrow when more news.

Greetings!

Although Ad-Aware is a very fine product, just like an AV program, it's only as good as the latest uppdate to its reference file.
And as good as Ad-Aware can be with the latest reference file downloaded and installed, not much gets better than Spybot Search & Destroy ...
http://www.lavasoftusa.com
http://www.lavasoft.de

Always update, then immunize and apply "block all bad pages silently" or "ask for blocking confirmation".
Next, Check for Problems.
Remove all tagged references.
These will get placed into a "Recovery" directory on the drive.

Spybot Search & Destroy will actually restore both a tampered-with Winsock file, and/or network drivers, which I haven;t heard of any other spyware-checkers being able to do to date.

Hope this helps in some way!
Ted

Sunray_2003,
I realize you had mentioned SBSD along with other options.
My post was intended merely to reinforce that SBSD is in fact as good as it gets, as well as ensuring that whatever tool is used, it's always necessary to update the reference file.
Ted

take help here

1. Ping yahoo by IP and FQDN
    Ping 66.218.71.83->If it pings means connection is fine,
    Ping www.yahoo.com->If it pings means browser is fine, If not, need to perform winsock fix

Here is how to perform winsock fix as Microsoft suggests
 
How to determine whether the Winsock2 key is corrupted:
==============================================

To determine if the symptoms are caused by a problem with the Winsock2 key:

Method 1: Use Netdiag

To use Netdiag the Support Tools must be installed
Use a retail XP CD and follow the following steps to install the Support Tools
 A) Insert the CD and browse to the Support\Tools folder
 B) Double-click on the setup file
 C) Go through the prompts until you get to the "Select An Installation Type"
screen
 D) Select Complete and click Next

Once setup completes or if the Support Tools are already installed:
A) Open a command prompt.
B) Type "netdiag /test:winsock" (without the quotes) and press Enter

It will return the test results for several network components including the
Winsock.
For more details on the test, use /v at the end of the command.

Method 2: Use Msinfo32

NOTE: This method should only be used if they do not have a retail XP CD and the
Support Tools are not installed.

Start Msinfo32 from the Run line
Expand Components, then Network and click on Protocol
You will have ten sections inside Protocol and the section headings will include
the following names if the Winsock2 key is clean:
1.)   MSAFD Tcpip [TCP/IP]
2.)   MSAFD Tcpip [UDP/IP]
3.)   RSVP UDP Service Provider
4.)   RSVP TCP Service Provider
5.)   MSAFD NetBIOS [\Device\NetBT_Tcpip...
6.)   MSAFD NetBIOS [\Device\NetBT_Tcpip...
7.)   MSAFD NetBIOS [\Device\NetBT_Tcpip...
8.)   MSAFD NetBIOS [\Device\NetBT_Tcpip...
9.)   MSAFD NetBIOS [\Device\NetBT_Tcpip...
10.) MSAFD NetBIOS [\Device\NetBT_Tcpip...

If the names are anything different from above, we either have corruption or a
third-party add-on such as proxy software. If it is a third-party add-on, it will
be named in the first two sections in replacement of the letters: MSAFD.

If there are more than ten sections, then there are third-party additions, if there
are less then ten sections, we have information missing.  

NOTE: The above entries represent an installation with only the TCP/IP protocol
installed.  You can have a working winsock and see additional entries if another
protocol is installed.  For example, if you install NWLink IPX/SPX, you will see 7
additional sections, for a total of 17.  Below is an example heading of one of the
new sections:
  MSAFD nwlnkipx [IPX]
Also note that each of the new sections created by installing NWLink IPX/SPX start
with MSAFD, so there are still just two sections that do not begin with those
letters.

If the Netdiag test fails or it is determined there is winsock corruption by
looking at Msinfo32, we should repair the winsock2 key by following the steps
below.


How to Recover from Winsock2 corruption:
==================================

Reinstall of the TCP/IP protocol to restore Winsock functionality

Step 1: Delete registry keys

A) Open Regedit from the Run line
B) Go to both of the following keys, export each of them, and then delete them:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Winsock  and
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Winsock2
C) Restart the computer

NOTE: It is important to restart the computer after deleting the Winsock keys.  
Doing so causes the XP operating system to recreate shell entries for those two
keys.  If this is not done, the next step does not work correctly.


Step 2: Install TCP/IP on top of itself

A) Open the properties window of the network connection
B) Click Install
C) Click Protocol, then Add
D) Click Have Disk
E) Type the path to the nettcpip.inf file, for example: c:\windows\inf, and click
OK (if you try to click Browse, then browse to the \inf folder, it may not show up
in the list).
F) You should now see "Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)" in the list of available
protocols.  Select it and click OK.
G) Restart the computer

When the computer reboots you will have functional Winsock keys.

NOTE: If the network connection properties contained more than the following three
items: Client for Microsoft Networks, File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft
Networks, and TCP/IP, then the additional items may need to be removed in order to
restore browsing.  If those items are needed they can be reinstalled.  The reason
for removing them is due to those items placing entries into the Winsock keys and
those entries will no longer be there.

Side effects and possible problems:

This method will restore basic functionality to the Winsock keys, but is not a
complete rebuild. On a default install of Windows XP the registry key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Winsock2\ParametersProtocol_Cat
alog9\Catalog_Entries - will have 11 sub-keys. When applying this method, the
Catalog_Entries will only have three sub-keys.  However, it works and there does
not appear to be any side effects.  The missing entries relate back to the:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Tcpip\Parameters\Interfaces
key.
Also, third-party proxy software or firewalls may need to be reinstalled.


<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

If U can ping www.yahoo.com

1. Check Add/Remove programs and uninstall these, if exists:

   New.net domain
   Norton Internet Security
   Norton personal Firewall
   Mcafee Firewall or any other AntiVirus firewall
   Zone Alarm Pro  
   Save now
   media loads
   enhanced media loads
   BonziBuddy
   BargainBuddy
   GatorEWallet
   Any kind of third party toolbars, easy search bar, MySearch bar etc...
Reboot after uninstalling  

just a correction..

Ping www.yahoo.com->If it pings means browser has a problem. Might need repair or reinstall, If doesn't ping, need to perform winsock fix (U will be getting error Destination Host unreachable)

tedsky, very good point to remind people about updated ref files for AdAware, but I've already done that.  And while I think the SBSD vs AdAware plugs are in the same league as NAV vs McAfee, I will be peeling that onion if  IE repair does not work.

alexj, can ping both ip addr and fqdn.  With AdAware and HijackThis I've already covered malware, bho's, etc  There is no firewall enabled.

Hello again Quetzal,

Actually, I use both (unlike AV SW, AS SW will work on the same PC).
So, have at it with the IE redo, then (if no joy) let SBSD 1.2 fix your network drivers (and/or WINSOCK) for you.

Ted

This problem suddenly went away.  I'm not sure why.  Unless there are objections, I'm going to close this thread as unresolved in 72 hr.