Links won't open

[PPRuNe Pop]

I cannot open Google links, IE8 links and many others. The google problem is the latest. The usual webpage warning comes up.

[dubbleyew eight]

caused by a very slow internet.
your viewer is timing out before the info comes back.

happens to me all the time with my first world internet connection.
as for watching youtube stuff forget it.
a 1 minute video will typically take me 5 minutes to watch wait watch wait ...if I'm that patient.

[PPRuNe Pop]

No, its not that. I can open You Tube and such and my internet is around 5-6 Mbps all the time.

Just tried Google again and still no joy. My OE8 is following suit too. Could there be a connection of problems?

[Guest 112233]

PPRuNe Pop

Are you using a Proxy Service ? - Which Browser (maybe not as you say not one instance, IE 8 and later) -

Anti Malware Software causing Probs ? - A temp problem with your ISP.

I assume its a Windows based System - Perhaps an add-in that blocks Third party content in the browser (legitimate) is causing problems

Or !!!!! on the black side - your "Man in the Middle" has given himself away because the battery backup on his server has finally given up.

No doubt Mix or MB will help.

[PPRuNe Pop]

My email is OE6 - not 8 as I stated.

Everything was working OK yesterday and the day before.

Thanks for inputs anyway.

[Guest 112233]

Sorry to be glum.

PPRuNe Pop

Have you run an anti malware scan - Your Anti-virus software may be attempting to block a nasty.

It does happen to the most careful users occasionally.

PS One to look out for: Look at the blocked sites settings on your browser, has a legitimate site been added or blocked by accident.

Are you getting the "cannot find remote server 404" message ?

CAT III

[BOAC]

http://www.pprune.org/computer-inter...74-oe-6-a.html ??

[PPRuNe Pop]

CATIII-NDB

I was using Google this morning and it was playing up!! An orange box appeared at the beginning of items to start showing as AD in the orange box. I tried to open any item but it show 'cannot op[en web page.'

I tried malware / Avast / CCleaner etc., and all show clear. I am on the internet as per this post and others.

I have now downloaded and started Firefox and it works a treat. I am keeping IE8 on but when trying it out after Firefox it behaved in the same way as before. As I say Firefox is now up and running.

But............I would like to get back to IE8...........so the problem has be resolved. I also did a System Restore - NOTHING has changed.

[PPRuNe Pop]

BOAC - yes OE6. I know, but all my past emails are in there. But the links are still iffy in there! That AD I mention above is parculiar - at least to me.

PPP

[Guest 112233]

PPRuNe Pop

By OE6 do you mean Outlook Express Ver 6.

That may have confused us a bit. That's a bit elderly now but If you have EM's you want to keep ? - From memory I upgraded to outlook 7 and was able to keep my EM's.- The Malware detectors are not perfect.

It's a bit of a guess but do you have Malwarebytes on your System I use it personally on XP - Its free but you can buy the Pro Version.

You might have a Malware infection - Downloadable from here Malwarebytes : Free anti-malware download

The best way is to run it in Windows Safe mode. - But I suggest you try it initially as it comes installed. From memory I don't think it has any browser add ins but be cautious. It has never caused me problems but you can Un- install it from you Sys normally after you have used it.

It needs to have its definitions updated manually - Do this after install. The menu is simple

Also check you Add/Remove Programs for any surprise entries.

Its well worth a try. You may have a browser hijack pest on your Sys.

Goof Job FF is running OK.

CAT III

[BOAC]

PPP - post #7 was a link to a thread.

[PPRuNe Pop]

Thank you sir, missed it! After following the link and subsequent instructions I am now getting Google to open on link click. What geniuses there are on here.

Thanks all round.

PPP

[PPRuNe Pop]

Thanks to the advice I got some results and was (temporarily) most pleased. However, I am back to square one after doing a system restore going back 4 weeks. Things again improved but went downhill from there.

I tried Google again and again but the number of complaints about links not opening in Google is amazing. Not only Google but Firefox and Opera and also Mozilla with a great big anti Chrome. What is going on?

If anything the problem is worse now than it was. I took up an offer to check out my DNS addresses but that didn't work either.

It was only two weeks ago that I could open any link in Google.

????? Please.

[mixture]

However, I am back to square one after doing a system restore going back 4 weeks.

Oh dear. Number one rule if you've got a suspected virus. Delete all your system restores, they are no longer trustworthy.

Can you get us a screenshot (or at least a copy/paste of the exact error message) of what the various browsers you are trying show when you try to access links ?

Do any websites work (e.g. BBC ?).

Do you have any secondary systems you can test your broadband on to rule that out ?

[PPRuNe Pop]

The message is the same one that everyone gets. IE 'cannot open the webpage.' The reason being that instead of Google opening the first tab it opens a second. IE is opening a new tab on each click. It has never done that before but.................dated history in Google shows that the problem has been around since 2009.........its just that it is worse now.

All my virus checks prove negative. Anyway, I think this is a Google problem.

I can open any number of websites, BBC, newpapers, and not one of my favourite web sites ever causes a problem.

Something serious is going on I believe.

PPP

[BOAC]

PPP - can you clarify what you mean by a 'Google link'? Do you mean a G search result link or some other? If so, have you tried another search engine?

[PPRuNe Pop]

The result link.

I loaded Firefox last evening and have been working on it this morn. It seems to work fine. Funny thing is that I put a question into the Firefox 'Google' and up comes Google and one click on the link and its done. Going well so far. What baffles me is one click on the result link opens a new tab on the IE Google. One click and another and so on. Have a look. The complaints are well into despair it seems. I was thinking that it is IE8 that is causing the problem but what do I know. The clue might be in IE8's invitation to 'restore previous session' or 'go to home page' but although new tabs open on each click, the question stays with the first tab - if you see what I mean.

I'll stay with Firefox and get it sorted and see what happens.

Ta muchly.

PPP

[Guest 112233]

PPRuNe Pop a Question:

I do not mean this in any untoward way; but are the affected Sits those that may be affected by "parental controls" e.g "History of Boxing - Bear Baiting through the Centuries" etc.

The sort of site that may be blocked by "Strict Parental Control settings"

The reason I ask is that there appears to be no decipherable pattern in the sites being blocked so far. Is there a common connection or association linking the blocked sites.

I'm thinking of the occurrence of a potentially unwanted program on your system. Aka a PUP.

Do you have a corrupted "Parental Guidance" block affecting web site access.

Access to a secondary system not operating Windows would be a help. Is there anyone in your house using a different computer / browser experiencing the same problem.

CAT III

[PPRuNe Pop]

Thanks CAT.

No nothing like you query. I am the only one who uses the computer. As you will have seen from my comments the problem seems vast and is causing no end of problems to very many people.

As I have said I am investigating the persistent opening of the tabs. Why are they opening? What causes them to by-pass the opening tab? Very annoying.

In the meantime I have a normal Firefox.

PPP

[Guest 112233]

Thanks PPRuNe Pop

Thinking along another pattern of thought entirely.

This time assuming that the problem is widespread - and it happened to me along time ago (ten years or so) and only briefly - Has your external router address been associated with (a block of addresses associated) with a bot net attack, as part of an old virus infection.

Some servers maintain blocked IP address lists.

I know that your Internet service provider allocates an external Web facing IP address for your router.

I know that these external router addresses do change through time; but BT have kept mine for over twelve months. (The router is always on )

Just to help its not the 192.168.1.85 internal DHCP address, you might see in your Network connection settings, but instead something like 31.64.208.101 i.e an externally rout able IP address.

You can ask your ISP to change this address if the problem persists.

"As I have said I am investigating the persistent opening of the tabs. Why are they opening? What causes them to by-pass the opening tab? Very annoying."

This does seem like Malware.

Edit: [? could the problem be associated with the creation of so-called session cookies Have you got Java enabled in IE its used for graphics/animations on certain sites.]

CAT III