Can't Log Into Hotmail / GMail

Hi All,

Got a strange problem which seems to be getting worse. If I try to log into Hotmail through IE, it keeps cycling back to the log-in screen. Opening GMail just crashes the browser session. This has been going on for about a month now.

I have been using Opera to check my Hotmail and Gmail accounts, but last weekend, the same started happening with Hotmail in Opera. GMail is still OK through Opera though.

All other sites I access through either browser seem fine, and no other issues with the PC or any of my programs. I use AVG and spybot / ad-aware and try to keep it pretty clean. Usually only brings up a few cookies whenever I run a scan.

Anybody any ideas on why this is happening, or should I take this to the malware forum ?

Thanks for any suggestions.

 

Which version of AdAware? If you have the Pro version try disabling AdWatch and see if that helps.

Steve

 

Nope, just the freeware version.

 

You might try enabling third-party cookies, I know some users had problems with hotmail looping.

Steve

 

Cheers Steve, I'll give that a go and report back...

Edit, just checked and it's already set to prompt. Also, checked my managed sites and Hotmail doesn't appear.

 

Have you tried temporarily disabling your anti-virus/firewall and trying it? It would at least rule that out.

Steve

 

Right then, I hope you like getting your teeth into strange problems

1. Disable firewall - Not the problem as it's a commercial hardware firewall and I haven't changed the config for about 5 years.
Proof - can log into hotmail on another PC on my network no problem.

2. Disable AVG free (the only AV I have running) - Interesting, as the PC I use to log into hotmail is running AVG 7.4 with sigs updated (not upgraded it yet) but the problem PC is running 7.5x with sigs updated.
Action - shut down AVG and stop all AVG related processes (although I was loath to do this, as I'm paranoid about safety, but hey.) Problem still the same.

Thinks I'll try Mrs Alaskapro's PC. Newest PC on the network, and I never use it. It's as clean as a whistle and I have the admin account on there, Mrs AP has standard restricted user account. Only time I log on is when she has a problem. This PC is running latest AVG + sigs.

Logs on with my Windws account and guess what, same issue So I log on using HER windows account, and HER hotmail user/pass and no problem (she has previously not reported any issues with Hotmail).

So...Situation is...

My main PC - Problem

My Second PC - No problem

Mrs AP's PC - She can, Me problem


Interesting things to note are Opera access to hotmail was OK on my main PC up until this weekend. Opera is not installed (and will not be on Mrs AP's PC). Also, never logged onto hotmail on this PC before !!

Thought you might like that ;-)

Thanks for your help so far Steve.

 

Oh goody, a easy one.

I have no idea what could be causing this. Try logging in Mrs. AP's hotmail account using your PC.

Steve

 

Also, the problem is using XP Home on problem PC. Booted to XP Pro on same PC and no problem found. Thought of running a Knoppix CD boot but that would be pretty useless to check anything except my Hotmail account, which is working.

Sorry for two posts, but I had to drop my session to boot to XP Pro.

FYI, Mrs AP is running XP Home and my second box is running XP PRo. Could this be an XP Home problem I'm wondering ?

Bests
AP.

 

OOps, sorry Steve, you jumped in under me. ;-) Now why didn't I think of that

 

Guess what, same problem !

 

Start > Run > and type: CMD
when the command prompt is open type: ipconfig /flushdns

Try it now.

Steve

 

OK, tried that and couldn't flush.

Tried displaydns and no cache.

P.S. Not using DHCP. All static 192.168.XXX.XXX adresses internally. Default gateway is my firewall and using static DNS server addresses on my cable-providers network.

Just get's worse doesn't it

 

I hope you get some other thoughts/ideas on this, it's weird.

I will keep trying.

Steve