Can't Access Specific Web Site

Discussion in 'Software' started by oasiss, Jan 11, 2006.

  1. oasiss

    oasiss Private E-2

    Hello All,

    I can no longer access any web site within nasa.gov (e.g.; http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/). I've regularly gone to NASA sites in the past. I have three computers on a small home network. Only one can no longer access nasa.com. The others are fine.

    Error message is: "The page cannot be displayed."

    I'm running Windows XP Home Ed., IE 6.0.28 SP2 (through DSL connection), McAfee Antivirus updated weekly, AdAware, and downloaded and ran Spybot with some spyware found, but nothing unusual. No sites are resticted in IE.

    I've tried the following: removed all temp files and cookies, reset both router (NetGear) and modem (Efficient Networks, Inc. Speed Stream modem) by unplugging/rebooting, and did an ipconfig renew (I think - I was pretty tired by this time).

    Hosts file has only one entry: localhost 127.0.0.1 (even tried renaming hosts file to see what happened - same problem)

    One other problem that seems to have started about the same time, or maybe a little before, that may or may not be related:

    Google results links too often redirect to some other web site. If I click on the Google link again, yet another web site pops up. If I click on the link a third time, I often get to the correct page. Cutting and pasting the link from Google results into the address bar always goes to the correct page.

    I've attached a Hijackthis file.

    Any ideas?

    Thanks for your help.
     

    Attached Files:

  2. Gecks

    Gecks Specialist

    What happens if you type "ping www.nasa.gov" (for example, no quotes) from a command line?

    Same thing in safe mode with networking (assuming it isn't a wireless setup)?

    You might also try ipconfig /flushdns.

    Any firewalls?

    Good luck!
     
  3. oasiss

    oasiss Private E-2

    Thanks for the suggestions, but unfortunately nothing's worked yet.

    In Safe Mode with Networking, pinging either nasa.gov or www.nasa.gov produced same results as before (... could not find host...).

    Also in normal and SMwN, ipconfig/flushdns both produced the same error message:

    "Could not flush the DNS resolver cache: function failed during execution."
     
  4. Gecks

    Gecks Specialist

    Only thing I can think of is to make sure the DNS client service is running in services.msc, and then stop andr estart the service, then try the flushdns again.

    Weird issue. :confused:
     
  5. oasiss

    oasiss Private E-2

    Thanks Gecks,

    Can you please give me a hint how I check to see if DNS client service is running in services.msc?

    Yes it is weird. Especially, that I found a thread in another forum (not Major Geeks) with the exact same problem that also came to no conclusion. If your suggestion does not work, I will contact that thread directlly (providing I can find it again) to see if they found out anything that wasn't posted there.

    Thanks for your help.
     
  6. Gecks

    Gecks Specialist

    Start->run: "services.msc" (no quotes), doubleclick on "dns client" in the list, and verify that "startup type" says automatic and service status says "started". If all is good, hit stop, wait a few seconds, hit start, try ipconfig /flushdns, the website, etc. after that.

    If the DNS client service won't start, is missing from the list, etc. let us know. :)

    When you powercycled the network, did you leave everything turned off for a good 5-7 minutes? Most stuff like this I've seen in the past was solved by a powercycle.

    Might be worth a winsock reset, as well- try typing "netsh winsock reset" into a command line, then rebooting. You should get a message saying "successfull reset the winsock catalogue" when you run the winsock reset, BTW- be sure to tell us if it returns a different message.

    Good luck! I'm very interested to see what solved this problem...
     
  7. oasiss

    oasiss Private E-2

    Hi, sorry it took this long to respond - I've been away from the computer for a few days.

    Well, tried the DNS client start/stop, ipconfig/flushdns etc. with no change.

    Tried the powercycle with all power completely removed from computer, router, modem for 20 minutes, no change.

    Tried netsh winsock reset, but got an error message "the following command was not found: winsock reset." I think this was because I only have SP1 installed.

    I did some research on the commands for netsh and came accross a freeware utility WInsock XP Fix ( see: http://www.snapfiles.com/get/winsockxpfix.html ) and it came with a very high user rating.

    In a snap I had run the fix, and LO AND BEHOLD - NASA site access restored!!!

    Thanks for all your help. It would have been hard to get to the winsock idea without you and the availability of the forum.

    PS: for those of you who would like to see a great source of amazing pictures of our heavens, I recommend you check out the Astronomy Picture of the Day at http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html

    Thanks again.

    Al
     
  8. Gecks

    Gecks Specialist

    Well, sorry for the bum steer with the netsh command, but glad the winsock fix did help you out! :)

    I've actually been checking the Astronomy Picture of the Day fairly often ever since you mentioned the site. I don't know much about science, but I sure like pretty pictures! :eek:
     
  9. oasiss

    oasiss Private E-2

    Thank you Gecks,

    I would like to make a last point or two, because someone else might benefit from hearing my approach to solving a problem.

    First, the information you gave me regarding netsh was not a bum steer. It actually provided the clue that solved the problem.

    It is probably a relatively obscure fact that the reset command in netsh only works with SP2 and not SP1. It is likely that most users have upgraded to SP2 anyway (Not me. I'm old, old school having started with computers in 1982 or 1983 with a VIC 20 - I do not like to upgrade stable configurations. Even though modern programs may be better at upgrading, long experience tells me something will likely start giving me trouble if I upgrade any of my software). After trying everything else with no success, netsh reset was about the last thing to try. When it initially didn't work, I wanted to know why. It was in seeking more answers that I discovered why it didn't work and the reference to Winsock XP Fix.

    I have learned, also through that long experience, that there is always a solution to a problem (sometimes drastic, but usually not), and there will probably be a few twists and turns alonmg the way. I have also learned to trust the process that I will get the right information eventually, but it may not come in the form I am expecting. So, for the tough problems - and this was one, leave no stone unturned. Seeking more information about netsh was just that.

    When I am stumped, probably the most valuable technique I know is to simply go to a general search engine and type in a few key words about the problem I am experiencing. Usually, with all the combined internet information, it doesn't take too long to find a reference to the exact problem I am dealing with. Then I follow each and every lead. Your suggesting netsh was one good tip in that process that turned out to be a crucial piece to the puzzle, and for that I thank you.

    I also thank you folks for sponsoring this forum and the help it provides.

    As for the Astronomy Picture of the Day website - I have learned a great deal about our universe by simply reading the explanation provided for each daily photograph.

    Best regards to all of you at MajorGeeks.com and also to all of you "out there" reading this message ;o)))
     

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