Can't browse Internet

Thought this should go here, since I think it's related to a setting in IE or Windows, not so much a network thing.

Dell Inspiron 5100 Laptop, XP home

Removed a virus, some spyware, ran CCleaner...all of the usual stuff.

Anyway, now when attempting to access the Internet, IE always presents the "Connect - Work Offline?" box. If you choose "Connect" it says "Page Cannot be Displayed"

Laptop has a Cingular wireless card, which connects to the Internet using the Cingular network. The card works fine, just as it always did, and gets plenty of signal. The card was never a problem, and I have no reason to suspect it now. Also when attempting to browse using a dial-up account, the same thing occurs- IE acts as if it isn't connected to the net, when the PC clearly is.

So...I'm thinking it must be a setting in IE, or in Windows under "Connections". I'm guessing something got reset to a default.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.


-Steve

 

Try this

Log on to the computer by using the account of a user who does not experience the problem, and then open a command prompt.

Change the directory to the following path:
drive:\Documents and Settings\username\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5

Type del index.dat, and then press ENTER.

Exit the command prompt and then restart the computer.

The Index.dat file is re-created the next time that you log on to the computer.

 

That sounds very similar to issues I had in the past.....

You can try what Shadow_Puter_Dude suggests and/or you can try:

Winsockxpfix
http://www.majorgeeks.com/download.php?det=4372

 

theefool, good point. If deleting the index.dat doesn't fix it then it is either an entry in the hosts file causing the problem or a winsock issue.