laptop refusing to open email, banking, etc

[G_STRING]

Looking for help or explanation...this is driving me nuts...anybody? (Mr Mixture, etc)...

My laptop, (or browser), has decided it will not let me open various (perfectly legal), sites I visit on the internet, such as my banking and email accounts. This has only just recently happened, I have had no problems previously.

I just get a message unable to display website, have you typed it correctly, etc. Programs on hard drive, such as Excell, are working normally.

It's quite an oldish laptop, (Acer, about 4 years), running Windows 7. I use internet explorer 6 as a browser. I have scanned it with AVG to see if it has picked up a virus or two, but scan showed no infection.

I am not brilliant at fault finding on computers, so please be gentle...!

[Capetonian]

First questions have to be :

Have you changed any settings, downloaded anything, or clicked on any unusual links between when your machine last worked properly, and when you detected the problem?

Have you changed ISP or router?

Has anyone else used the computer?

[G_STRING]

Hi Capetonian

The answer to all your questions is no. I'm typing this on the laptop right now, so obviously it will access some internet sites, but not the ones I really need.

The scan with AVG was done with the up-to-date version as well.

The sites themselves are not the problem, as I can access them through iphone and android tablet, but, (especially with the banking), full accessibility of the site has to be done through visiting the full website on a computer.

[Capetonian]

I'm sure one of the experts will be along to help you. My knowledge is limited to the basics.

[Guest 112233]

Are you using IE 6 ?

I've a feeling that IE 6 out of date Active X controls, may now be blocked; by some sites or the browser its self is now being blocked - You urgently need to upgrade your Browser. ASAP - There are security issues associated with IE6 - Windows 7 will support later versions of Internet Explorer

CAT III

[mixture]

(Mr Mixture, etc)...

You rang ? :cool:

I would start with the simple side and concur with CATIII-NDB that you should try either a newer version of Internet Exploder, otherwise download the latest version of Firefox and try that.

The second question is ... does this only occur with "secure" websites (finance, ecommerce, email etc.), or is this fast becoming par for the course during your "normal" internet browsing (e.g. news websites, PPRune etc.) ?

Are you able to access the sites themselves and just not sections of them (e.g. able to see homepage, but not login), or are you not able to browse to your bank's website full-stop ?

[mabmac]

Hi Capetonian


I suspect the problem is that you are using IE6 which was released in 2001! Without going into a long history, the latest version supported in Windows XP is IE8. As you are using Windows 7, you should use at least IE9, which was supported from Vista on, and included support for HTML5 and other features which are used by most sites and especially banking (which you mention). At some point these sites will or have withdrawn support for IE8 or earlier.


In order to ensure that you are protected as much as possible by the latest security fixes, I suggest that you download the latest version which is IE11 and then ensure that you install all the updates to take advantage of the important security fixes. You should then find that all the sites you mention work properly. It is available from microsoft.com; click on "Software & apps" and then "Other software & services" followed by "Internet explorer". My advice is not to be tempted to download it from anywhere else.


Alternatively try another browser!

[G_STRING]

Thanks for all the replies so far, the general consensus seems to be that it could be an IE6 problem. The problem is, I don't know which one to try & install, mabmac mentions both IE9 and IE11.

As a not too technical user, I've never actually upgraded my browser before, so should be interesting....

Mixture, the banking site lets me into the main website as you say, but then displays the can't display page message when I try to log in. My main email site, (hotmail), won't even let me access the main page - it displays message as soon as I type the address in the browser & hit the enter key. Confusingly, it has no problems letting me in to my gmail account (only used as secondary email).

Must admit, it's hit and miss which sites it will let me on, & I'm completely baffled as to why it is acting as it is!

[BARKINGMAD]

My bank, RBS, encouraged me to download and install "Trusteer Rapport" for extra security, from within their secure site.

Internet worked normally until after I'd logged off.

Thereafter I was unable to logon, much bafflement, the only change was this bank recommended "security" program.

Accessing the 'net via other computer and putting "Trusteer Rapport problems" into search engine brought up the usual masses of other users complaining of similar difficulties.

Uninstalled T R and normal service resumed post the usual cleanup of T R traces.

FWIW? :)

[mixture]

Mixture, the banking site lets me into the main website as you say, but then displays the can't display page message when I try to log in. My main email site, (hotmail), won't even let me access the main page - it displays message as soon as I type the address in the browser & hit the enter key. Confusingly, it has no problems letting me in to my gmail account (only used as secondary email).

Assuming its the browser displaying the page (i.e. the message is the same, not a message thrown up by the site), I suspect what you might be seeing is your present browser has a cryptographic library incompatibility that means it cannot talk the specific ciphers that the website is willing to talk. So the browser throws its proverbial arms up in the air and gives up.

As a not too technical user, I've never actually upgraded my browser before, so should be interesting....


I hope you've at least been running SOME software updates on your machines ? :eek:

[G_STRING]

Yes, I let the laptop do its updates whenever it decides it needs to do them, (takes ages sometimes, when it finds about 10 since the last update).

I'm also quite good updating OS on my tablets when they inform me it's available, but usually wait a week or so to see if there are any reported problems.

The only thing I haven't attempted is a browser update......:ok:

[OFSO]

The only thing I haven't attempted is a browser update.

Not difficult:

1) download chrome
2) "make this my preferred browser"
3) if it works you've located the problem
4) if it doesn't, uninstall it, or "do not make this my preferred browser"

[G_STRING]

It's working!! :D

Downloaded Google Chrome, and used it, as suggested by Ofso. Thanks for your help all - didn't realise it was so simple to change your browser.

I really now must get more computer savvy :O:O

[Blues&twos]

"I really now must get more computer savvy :O:O"


You've already started....!

[G_STRING]

Found incompatibility problems with Chrome, with some programs I use, so downloaded and installed internet explorer 11.

Things seemed ok at first, then started getting 'you have been infected.... ' messages. Ran scan - no problems detected.

Now, a lot of the sites I try to get into give a certificate error, (on a screen with a pink background), and no option to continue to website anyway. I know that these errors are mostly not justified, (doing it on internet banking, sites I've used for ages, etc). Looking at explorer help, you can apparently not turn off the certificates flag up. It just tells you to press 'continue' to get to the website, (which I cannot do, because as stated above, there is no continue option.....

Another thing happening is I am being diverted to advertising/gaming websites from a legitamate click or menu option on a known site.

I have tried system restore, but that just brings back the original problem.

All this has happened since the explorer upgrade, which was from the legitimate site.

I'm running Windows 7 with 64k, and am at a loss to know what to do:{

[jimtherev]

OK. The diversion to unwanted sites is maybe a clue.
Try downloading Malwarebytes, installing it, and then running in safe mode (Restart computer, keep hitting F8 after the boot screen and select safe mode; run MwBytes) and see what happens.
Could be interesting...

[jimjim1]

@G_String

I am not brilliant at fault finding on computers

the banking! site lets me

Found incompatibility problems with Chrome, with some programs I use,

a lot of the sites I try to get into give a certificate error

Another thing happening is I am being diverted to advertising/gaming websites from a legitimate click or menu option on a known site.


You need professional level help - - - with the computer.

I would not be doing any banking with it until it was sorted.

There are forums where you can get the help you need. It will be a long haul. You will have to follow precise instructions and submit various logs but you will likely get it sorted out in the end. Make sure you have backups of your data before you start.

I do not have a personal recommendation but these look like somewhere to start. Pick one and stick with it.

1. https://forums.malwarebytes.org/index.php?/forum/7-malware-removal-help/

2. Virus, Trojan, Spyware, and Malware Removal Logs Forum - BleepingComputer.com (http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/f/22/virus-trojan-spyware-and-malware-removal-logs/)

Have a look at this thread to see what you are letting yourself in for.
https://forums.malwarebytes.org/index.php?/topic/163621-mbam-crashes-with-data-execution-protection-error-in-vista/

You may well need a second computer to access the forums while you work on the problem one, or you might be lucky and not need that facility.

[Avtrician]

Some how, you have installed a "Helper" add on for your browser- Had to fix the same sort of thing for my brother inlaw. Have a look at the add ons/ extensions for your browser, and remove any that are suspect.

Have a look in you installed programs, sometimes there is a "Serarch assistant" of some kind in there.

[Biggles78]

G_STRING, also have a look at a program called Spybot which is quite useful at not only removing unwanted nasties but also stopping them once it is installed. Download | Spybot © ? ? Search & Destroy (http://www.safer-networking.org/dl/)


My other favourite is call Hitman Pro. It gives you 30 days free before a fee is required. Downloads - SurfRight (http://www.surfright.nl/en/downloads/) This also has a nice utility called Kickstart (works brilliantly with Ransomware) that allows you to make a bootable USB flash drive so you can boot into your operating system and bypass some of the nasties. You can then scan your hard drive and hopefully clean all the rubbish off.


However before you do any of that, go into Programs and Features and remove/uninstall any Toolbar programs, Gambling programs that can be surreptitiously installed and anything else that may be malware. Surprisingly some of these things do actually allow you to uninstall them. If you are unsure what can be removed, make a screenshot of the Programs and Features list and post it here (using a site to hold your photo/image) and we can advise which items can be removed with extreme prejudice.

[OFSO]

Talking of browser troubles - suddenly yesterday Chrome crashed, and persistently. ("Chrome has encountered a problem and will have to close".)

I have no new h/ware or s/ware and no updates (checked).

Checked for malware, cache/cookies, IDM version 6.03, conflicting software, browser user profile - the lot. Updated a couple of plug-ins that looked like they needed it. Then disabled them all.

Chrome still crashing.

Changed to Firefox. So far so good.

Went back and checked, Chrome still crashing.

Wiped Chrome.

[G_STRING]

Thanks again for all your input. I checked, (and removed), some programs that were booting at startup. Because, by now, computer wouldn't let me into ANY website to upload malwarebytes, started a windows 'update' session. (Hadn't done this for a while).

Computer now 'seems' ok, but I don't trust it, so am going to upload and run malware bytes, plus carry out a few of the other suggestions made by some of the posters on this thread

Thanks again