Cannot find www.google.com

[Mark_88]

That shouldn't be a problem. They don't (or haven't yet) prevent you from reinstalling the OS after their support ends. That just means they don't offer any more upgrades or fixes.

Did you try bookmarking the page after you ran Google from the IP address?

 

[JoshT]

Did you try running your AV and MBAM while in safe mode? Might want to give that a try. Some malicious software is capable of preventing them from detecting it in regular mode, but they find it in safe mode.

Last thing I can think of if changing the DNS didn't work is that your hosts file might be corrupted. The hosts file holds hostnames (web addresses) and their corresponding IP addresses static on the computer rather than requesting them from the DNS each time you try to open the page. It's particularly useful for businesses hosting their own internal sites, but can also be used for blocking sites or redirecting. It is possible for malware and viruses to add entries to the hosts file, and it also possible to add one yourself.

You can find how to access your hosts file here: http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/...sts-file/828b55b2-352f-43ed-b8a3-a77b25c58d6d

I would check it for any entries concerning Google and remove them. Personally I would not use the Microsoft "fix it wizard" linked to in the article above, but if you need to reset the hosts file they have the manual method on that same page. The only link you have to have is the one for "local host".

If there are no entries for Google in there you may want to add one with the IP address you know works. That will bypass all DNS searching and go straight to that IP address.

 

[4x4junkie]

The hosts file was actually among the first things I checked (guess I should've mentioned it).

Anyway, finally success after running the AV in Safe Mode. Avast hit on some file (which I should've wrote down what it was but didn't ) and Google appears to be loading now (and the Google map on a real-estate website that wasn't working which led to this discovery is now also working). MBAM never hit on anything at all when I ran it.

F'ing computers... What a PITA lol.

Thanks guys! Appreciate your time helping me sort this one out.

 

[Mark_88]

Avast has probably quarantined the file so you can look for it if you really want to know what it was. Even if it removed it there should be some record of it in the software.

Safe mode scanning is probably the best way if it is a toughie to find otherwise...either that or use a different software because some of them can actually bypass known AV software...they are getting trickier every day too...lol

 

[JoshT]

Glad you were able to fix it without resorting to a clean reinstall of Windows.

The hosts file was actually among the first things I checked (guess I should've mentioned it).

Good deal. Most people don't even know about the hosts file. It had slipped my mind until late yesterday, then I had to remember what it was called.

 

[97RangerXLT]

My first thought was why don't you google it

Glad you got it figured out. usually it is an antivirus program or firewall that will cause problems like that if it isn't malware.

AJ

 

[4x4junkie]

My first thought was why don't you google it

lol, I was waiting for a comment like that.

No doubt, I was NOT looking forward to a reinstall (especially with it's disc being a SP1 disc, I recall those updates being quite time consuming)

Yeah I became familiar with the hosts file after using a program called Kazaa-Lite many years ago. You can use it to block all kinds of ad-servers and tracking sites (this was before the existence of Ad-Block for Firefox).

Thanks again guys.

 

[JoshT]

lol, I was waiting for a comment like that.

Actually, I figured you had already tried that since you have other computers that would work.

Yeah I became familiar with the hosts file after using a program called Kazaa-Lite many years ago. You can use it to block all kinds of ad-servers and tracking sites (this was before the existence of Ad-Block for Firefox).

Yeah I'm familiar with that one too, never got into P2P enough to bother with adjusting things to make them work better.