Vista - Internet stopped working; still connected to network

os:vista ultimate x64 w/ all updates.

my firefox & IE have suddenly stopped working (blank page; "website found; waiting for reply" on IE and "waiting for xxxxx.com" on firefox) . literally. one minute they were working, the next minute they weren't. i didn't do anything special in between. not even a reboot.

now, it's only IE and firefox; messenger still works and so does skype and some other internet apps.
i can even ping yahoo.com from cmd.

- i've tried rebooting, no help.
- I've tried reinstalling firefox, no help.
- i've tried switching from wired connection to wireless; no help
- i've tried disabling firewall; no help.
- i've run anti-virus (nod32) and anti-malware; no help
- It's not the router or ISP, because my laptop works fine.

and finally, this problem happened to me about 4 weeks ago; i was unable to find a solution, so i reformated and reinstalled vista! now, it's happened again. grrrrr...


more info. i tried a system restore back to when i know my pc was working fine. and the problem hasn't gone away.

also, new piece of info. i can connect to 192.168.0.1 (router's web-config) through firefox and IE. So that removes the possibility of something blocking port 80 on my PC.

tried to telnet google.co.uk 80. & that was no go.

well showing that it was working tells me software is on that machine and it's not the router so look for spyware and malware again and I don't care if you looked... there has been a big epedemic of malware going around and from daves world and for smitrem program and smitfraudfix are 2 programs that work well with removing the spyware and malware in safe mode only and then run spybot search and destroy for any other malware or spyware.....

check for a newer version for the network card drivers from the company site and there is def a bug some where thats blocking the IE and Firefox internet connection and that sounds like malware... Stay off the porn sites if you do go there cause that is the root to most malware and spyware and download some trial spyware removal sotware as well to run on it.

hope this helps....

I've run spybot already. Scanning w/ avg anti-spyware now...

also, this is my hijackThis log. i don't know how to interpret it but maybe someone here can:

Logfile of Trend Micro HijackThis v2.0.2
Scan saved at 7:42:45 AM, on 3/12/2008
Platform: Windows Vista SP1 (WinNT 6.00.1905)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v7.00 (7.00.6001.18000)
Boot mode: Normal

Running processes:
C:\Program Files (x86)\uTorrent\uTorrent.exe
C:\Program Files (x86)\Skype\Phone\Skype.exe
C:\Program Files (x86)\TomTom HOME 2\HOMERunner.exe
C:\Program Files (x86)\DAEMON Tools Lite\daemon.exe
C:\Program Files (x86)\allSnap\allSnap.exe
C:\Program Files (x86)\Last.fm\LastFMHelper.exe
C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Gmail Notifier\gnotify.exe
C:\Program Files (x86)\Java\jre1.6.0_03\bin\jusched.exe
C:\Program Files (x86)\Cobian Backup 8\cbInterface.exe
C:\Program Files (x86)\OpenOffice.org 2.3\program\soffice.exe
C:\Program Files (x86)\OpenOffice.org 2.3\program\soffice.BIN
C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Realtime Soft\RTSHookInterop\x32\RTSHookInterop.exe
C:\Program Files\Logitech\SetPoint\x86\SetPoint32.exe
C:\Program Files (x86)\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe
C:\Program Files (x86)\Skype\Plugin Manager\skypePM.exe
C:\Program Files (x86)\Pidgin\pidgin.exe
H:\HiJackThis.exe

R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Page = Live Search
R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page =
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Page_URL = MSN.com
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Search_URL = Live Search
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Page = Live Search
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = MSN.com
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search,SearchAssistant =
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search,CustomizeSearch =
R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Toolbar,LinksFolderName =
F2 - REG:system.ini: UserInit=userinit.exe
O1 - Hosts: ::1 localhost
O2 - BHO: Skype add-on (mastermind) - {22BF413B-C6D2-4d91-82A9-A0F997BA588C} - C:\Program Files (x86)\Skype\Toolbars\Internet Explorer\SkypeIEPlugin.dll
O2 - BHO: SSVHelper Class - {761497BB-D6F0-462C-B6EB-D4DAF1D92D43} - C:\Program Files (x86)\Java\jre1.6.0_03\bin\ssv.dll
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [{0228e555-4f9c-4e35-a3ec-b109a192b4c2}] "C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Gmail Notifier\gnotify.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SunJavaUpdateSched] "C:\Program Files (x86)\Java\jre1.6.0_03\bin\jusched.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Cobian Backup 8 interface] "C:\Program Files (x86)\Cobian Backup 8\cbInterface.exe" -service
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [UnlockerAssistant] "C:\Program Files (x86)\Unlocker\UnlockerAssistant.exe" -H
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [FileZilla Server Interface] "C:\Program Files (x86)\FileZilla Server\FileZilla Server Interface.exe"
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [Sidebar] C:\Program Files\Windows Sidebar\sidebar.exe /autoRun
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [uTorrent] "C:\Program Files (x86)\uTorrent\uTorrent.exe"
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [ehTray.exe] C:\Windows\ehome\ehTray.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [Skype] "C:\Program Files (x86)\Skype\Phone\Skype.exe" /nosplash /minimized
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [TomTomHOME.exe] "C:\Program Files (x86)\TomTom HOME 2\HOMERunner.exe"
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [WMPNSCFG] C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Media Player\WMPNSCFG.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [DAEMON Tools Lite] "C:\Program Files (x86)\DAEMON Tools Lite\daemon.exe" -autorun
O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-19\..\Run: [Sidebar] %ProgramFiles%\Windows Sidebar\Sidebar.exe /detectMem (User 'LOCAL SERVICE')
O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-19\..\Run: [WindowsWelcomeCenter] rundll32.exe oobefldr.dll,ShowWelcomeCenter (User 'LOCAL SERVICE')
O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-20\..\Run: [Sidebar] %ProgramFiles%\Windows Sidebar\Sidebar.exe /detectMem (User 'NETWORK SERVICE')
O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-21-2506606986-1426031053-1307709761-1001\..\Run: [Sidebar] %ProgramFiles%\Windows Sidebar\Sidebar.exe /detectMem (User 'postgres')
O4 - Startup: allSnap.lnk = C:\Program Files (x86)\allSnap\allSnap.exe
O4 - Startup: Last.fm Helper.lnk = C:\Program Files (x86)\Last.fm\LastFMHelper.exe
O4 - Startup: OpenOffice.org 2.3.lnk = C:\Program Files (x86)\OpenOffice.org 2.3\program\quickstart.exe
O4 - Global Startup: Logitech SetPoint.lnk = C:\Program Files\Logitech\SetPoint\SetPoint.exe
O9 - Extra button: (no name) - {08B0E5C0-4FCB-11CF-AAA5-00401C608501} - C:\Program Files (x86)\Java\jre1.6.0_03\bin\ssv.dll
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Sun Java Console - {08B0E5C0-4FCB-11CF-AAA5-00401C608501} - C:\Program Files (x86)\Java\jre1.6.0_03\bin\ssv.dll
O9 - Extra button: Skype - {77BF5300-1474-4EC7-9980-D32B190E9B07} - C:\Program Files (x86)\Skype\Toolbars\Internet Explorer\SkypeIEPlugin.dll
O9 - Extra button: PartyPoker.com - {B7FE5D70-9AA2-40F1-9C6B-12A255F085E1} - C:\Poker\PartyGaming\PartyPoker\RunApp.exe
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: PartyPoker.com - {B7FE5D70-9AA2-40F1-9C6B-12A255F085E1} - C:\Poker\PartyGaming\PartyPoker\RunApp.exe
O13 - Gopher Prefix:
O16 - DPF: {D27CDB6E-AE6D-11CF-96B8-444553540000} (Shockwave Flash Object) - http://fpdownload2.macromedia.com/ge...sh/swflash.cab
O18 - Protocol: skype4com - {FFC8B962-9B40-4DFF-9458-1830C7DD7F5D} - C:\PROGRA~2\COMMON~1\Skype\SKYPE4~1.DLL
O20 - AppInit_DLLs: C:\Windows\SysWOW64\guard32.dll
O23 - Service: @%SystemRoot%\system32\Alg.exe,-112 (ALG) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\System32\alg.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: COMODO Firewall Pro Helper Service (cmdAgent) - COMODO - C:\Program Files\Comodo\Firewall\cmdagent.exe
O23 - Service: Cobian Backup 8 service (CobBMService) - Luis Cobian - C:\Program Files (x86)\Cobian Backup 8\cbService.exe
O23 - Service: @dfsrres.dll,-101 (DFSR) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\DFSR.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: Eset HTTP Server (EhttpSrv) - ESET - C:\Program Files\ESET\ESET NOD32 Antivirus\EHttpSrv.exe
O23 - Service: Eset Service (ekrn) - ESET - C:\Program Files\ESET\ESET NOD32 Antivirus\x86\ekrn.exe
O23 - Service: @%systemroot%\system32\fxsresm.dll,-118 (Fax) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\fxssvc.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: FileZilla Server FTP server (FileZilla Server) - FileZilla Project - C:\Program Files (x86)\FileZilla Server\FileZilla Server.exe
O23 - Service: @keyiso.dll,-100 (KeyIso) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\lsass.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: Logitech Bluetooth Service (LBTServ) - Logitech, Inc. - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Logishrd\Bluetooth\LBTServ.exe
O23 - Service: @comres.dll,-2797 (MSDTC) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\System32\msdtc.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @%SystemRoot%\System32\netlogon.dll,-102 (Netlogon) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\lsass.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: PostgreSQL Database Server 8.2 (pgsql-8.2) - PostgreSQL Global Development Group - C:\Program Files (x86)\PostgreSQL\8.2\bin\pg_ctl.exe
O23 - Service: @%systemroot%\system32\psbase.dll,-300 (ProtectedStorage) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\lsass.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @%systemroot%\system32\Locator.exe,-2 (RpcLocator) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\locator.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @%SystemRoot%\system32\samsrv.dll,-1 (SamSs) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\lsass.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @%SystemRoot%\system32\SLsvc.exe,-101 (slsvc) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\SLsvc.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @%SystemRoot%\system32\snmptrap.exe,-3 (SNMPTRAP) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\System32\snmptrap.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @%systemroot%\system32\spoolsv.exe,-1 (Spooler) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\System32\spoolsv.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @%SystemRoot%\system32\ui0detect.exe,-101 (UI0Detect) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\UI0Detect.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @%SystemRoot%\system32\vds.exe,-100 (vds) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\System32\vds.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @%systemroot%\system32\vssvc.exe,-102 (VSS) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\vssvc.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @%systemroot%\system32\wbengine.exe,-104 (wbengine) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\wbengine.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @%Systemroot%\system32\wbem\wmiapsrv.exe,-110 (wmiApSrv) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\wbem\WmiApSrv.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @%ProgramFiles%\Windows Media Player\wmpnetwk.exe,-101 (WMPNetworkSvc) - Unknown owner - C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Media Player\wmpnetwk.exe (file missing)

--
End of file - 8542 bytes

try using IE and going to windows update and see if it gives an error and let me have the error number and btw thanx for the hijack info and the only thing I seen that was suspisious was this

HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search,SearchAssistant

try uninstalling this program and see if that helps....

try opening msconfig and go to the startup tab and uncheck everything and apply the seetings and restart the computer and if that works then there is somthing running that is blocking the IE and FFX k.....

keep up the good work and if nither SBot or the other stuff could not find any then your safe but I would still try smitfraudfix and smitrem to uninstall andy spyware and malware that you may have...

try windows internet connection wizzard somewhere in there if you know where that is?

try the msconfig and get back with me k... thnx again...

Thanks for your help mate. I haven't tried your suggestions yet. but I just have come across some new info that might be very helpful: Everything works when i reboot in "Safe Mode with Network". What does that mean? Driver conflict?

i figured it out. It was NOD32 clashing with utorrent. Fix can be found here: forum.utorrent.com / HTTP 400 error with NOD32? Look here! Thanks for helping.

I don't know what NOD32 is, so I don't think I have the same problem.
But this week suddenly IE7 started randomly being unable to connect,
even though all my other internet applications continued to work
(outlook; wireless netwok connected, etc.)

It will start up fine. I will be working in another window. I will come
back to it and IE has stopped working. This has happened 3 times in the
last 3 days, and restarting makes it work again (as evidenced by the
fact that here I am posting).

I will try the various other suggestions mentioned in the post.


--
explorerdog
Posted via http://www.vistaheads.com

I have the exact same problem.. but I have a third browser Safari and it
works. I have done everything that has been suggested also but IE and
Firefox refuse to work.. If I launch Safari I am able to browse without
issue.
Wierd!
Anyone have any ideas?


--
cosnet
Posted via http://www.vistaheads.com