Browser not loading some websites

Island_Boy_77 · 11-02-2008, 04:22 PM

Hi All
I formatted and reloaded a friend's PC last week. I did a clean load of XP SP3 with WMP11 (I used nLite to make a slip-streamed XP install CD - worked a treat!

). The list of progs installed: Avast Home, FF 3.0.3, IE 6, Foxit Reader, Office 2007 Std Academic (my friend is a teacher), SpyBot, CCleaner, Advanced WindowsCare V2 Personal, JKDefrag, CD Burner XPPro, Picasa, Windows Messenger 2009, OE (just so he has access to all his old emails even tho he's swapped to Outlook), Google Earth. All are the latest versions, with Messenger & Picasa being BETAs. There were no glitches during install, and I did my usual array of tweaking and registry optimization using Registry Mechanic, TuneUp Utilities and Advanced WindowsCare (the same way I do on all my clean installs). The weird thing is that once the PC was up and finished, I can surf to some websites, not others. It is not dependent on country or type (e.g. some .orgs work, some don't), and has the same result in either IE or FF. I tried his new Vista PC off the same ADSL modem with the same settings using the same cable - no problems. Interestingly, restarting the PC yields EXACTLY the same results: that is, the same sites that wouldn't load before don't load now. The error message is one of 2: either the Google search page comes up showing similar sites (and the site in question is listed in the results: clicking on the result of the search on the desired / faulty site still yields no load or a loop back to the search page), or the website not found error page.

I have 3 theories:
1) It has something to do with Office 2007. I don't trust that app as far as I can spit it, esp on XP.
2) SpyBot or Advanced WindowsCare has messed up the blocked sites section of IE & FF.
3) One of the registry cleaning / optimization operations has crapped something out. Note that I use the default optimization settings for Registry Mechanics "recommended" Tune Up Your Services, TuneUp Utilities 2008 System Optimizer (both System and Internet), and Advanced WindowsCare "system optimization". These have never caused problems to date.

I don't really want to do a reformat and install, as I don't know what the problem is or if I will end up in the same place again. I've never come across this before, and am following the normal "procedure" I have developed over the last 5 years for clean installs without (known) variation. Has anyone got any ideas as to where I can start looking to figure this problem out? Clearly, my friend can still use his Vista PC to surf to get "around" the problem, but that's not the point. I've done a Google for the problem but have not found one that matches these symptoms exactly.

All suggestions very welcome!

Cheers
Peter

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**Gorganzola** · 11-02-2008, 04:31 PM

Re-install IE.

Welcome To Gur.in Your Complete Windows Troubleshooting Guide --> Windows Utilities --> Dial-a-fix

Island_Boy_77 · 11-03-2008, 06:14 PM

Okay - given that this is a clean install, how does that help, and what affect could IE be having on FF not being able to view sites? It's sounding like a reformat, which would be very inconvenient - esp since I don't know what's wrong or if the error will resurface.

**Gorganzola** · 11-04-2008, 08:10 PM

IE and FF are different rendering engines for webpages. At some point they do start sharing software. Re-installing IE will refresh some of those common elements. Re-installing your network card will refresh others.

If you are going to do a fresh install anyways, you can go through your same tuning process and at the completion of each stage test the system for the issue. Once you hit the one that screws things up, you have your culprit.

You can also do a repair install of the OS if you feel adventurous.

Either work backwards or forwards.

11-02-2008, 04:22 PM	#1
Island_Boy_77 Death to GW swindle! Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Napier, New Zealand Posts: 8	Browser not loading some websites Hi All I formatted and reloaded a friend's PC last week. I did a clean load of XP SP3 with WMP11 (I used nLite to make a slip-streamed XP install CD - worked a treat!). The list of progs installed: Avast Home, FF 3.0.3, IE 6, Foxit Reader, Office 2007 Std Academic (my friend is a teacher), SpyBot, CCleaner, Advanced WindowsCare V2 Personal, JKDefrag, CD Burner XPPro, Picasa, Windows Messenger 2009, OE (just so he has access to all his old emails even tho he's swapped to Outlook), Google Earth. All are the latest versions, with Messenger & Picasa being BETAs. There were no glitches during install, and I did my usual array of tweaking and registry optimization using Registry Mechanic, TuneUp Utilities and Advanced WindowsCare (the same way I do on all my clean installs). The weird thing is that once the PC was up and finished, I can surf to some websites, not others. It is not dependent on country or type (e.g. some .orgs work, some don't), and has the same result in either IE or FF. I tried his new Vista PC off the same ADSL modem with the same settings using the same cable - no problems. Interestingly, restarting the PC yields EXACTLY the same results: that is, the same sites that wouldn't load before don't load now. The error message is one of 2: either the Google search page comes up showing similar sites (and the site in question is listed in the results: clicking on the result of the search on the desired / faulty site still yields no load or a loop back to the search page), or the website not found error page. I have 3 theories: 1) It has something to do with Office 2007. I don't trust that app as far as I can spit it, esp on XP. 2) SpyBot or Advanced WindowsCare has messed up the blocked sites section of IE & FF. 3) One of the registry cleaning / optimization operations has crapped something out. Note that I use the default optimization settings for Registry Mechanics "recommended" Tune Up Your Services, TuneUp Utilities 2008 System Optimizer (both System and Internet), and Advanced WindowsCare "system optimization". These have never caused problems to date. I don't really want to do a reformat and install, as I don't know what the problem is or if I will end up in the same place again. I've never come across this before, and am following the normal "procedure" I have developed over the last 5 years for clean installs without (known) variation. Has anyone got any ideas as to where I can start looking to figure this problem out? Clearly, my friend can still use his Vista PC to surf to get "around" the problem, but that's not the point. I've done a Google for the problem but have not found one that matches these symptoms exactly. All suggestions very welcome! Cheers Peter
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11-02-2008, 04:31 PM	#2
Gorganzola ABXZone > Facebook Join Date: May 2001 Location: Hangin' with the fruits Posts: 9,510	Re: Browser not loading some websites Re-install IE. Welcome To Gur.in Your Complete Windows Troubleshooting Guide --> Windows Utilities --> Dial-a-fix __________________ TTFN. I wasn't asleep at the switch, I was drunk. -- Homer J. Simpson Q. How many dull people does it take to change a lightbulb? A. One. A very useful tool on these forums: You can Meebo in public.
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11-03-2008, 06:14 PM	#3
Island_Boy_77 Death to GW swindle! Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Napier, New Zealand Posts: 8	Ummm Okay - given that this is a clean install, how does that help, and what affect could IE be having on FF not being able to view sites? It's sounding like a reformat, which would be very inconvenient - esp since I don't know what's wrong or if the error will resurface.
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11-04-2008, 08:10 PM	#4
Gorganzola ABXZone > Facebook Join Date: May 2001 Location: Hangin' with the fruits Posts: 9,510	Re: Browser not loading some websites IE and FF are different rendering engines for webpages. At some point they do start sharing software. Re-installing IE will refresh some of those common elements. Re-installing your network card will refresh others. If you are going to do a fresh install anyways, you can go through your same tuning process and at the completion of each stage test the system for the issue. Once you hit the one that screws things up, you have your culprit. You can also do a repair install of the OS if you feel adventurous. Either work backwards or forwards. __________________ TTFN. I wasn't asleep at the switch, I was drunk. -- Homer J. Simpson Q. How many dull people does it take to change a lightbulb? A. One. A very useful tool on these forums: You can Meebo in public.
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