google problems

[suggy]

Hi guys, not really sure what the issue is so I hope this is the right forum. Basically, about 2 weeks ago I stopped being able to connect to google, or even to search on yahoo. All other internet connections/servers/websites work perfectly fine. I originally thought it was a google problem, as I had done nothing to change my system. As I rely on it quite a lot it's becoming very annoying, and I really am baffled as to how/why this could have happened. Unless I have blacklisted google with my firewall, but I definitely have not. Any ideas/suggestions would be much appreciated.

 

[smah]

Sounds like thread608-669691

 

[audiopimp]

Symantec Security Response has developed a removal tool to repair damage from infections of Trojan.Qhosts. Customers can find the tool at

http://www.symantec.com.

Removal Tool-->

http://securityresponse.symantec.com/avcenter/venc/data/trojan.qhosts.removal.tool.html

Microsoft has released a cumulative patch for this vulnerability, available here =

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/treeview/default.asp?url=/technet/security/bulletin/MS03-040.asp

Your comments are always appreciated

I learn, therefore I can
---------------------
Steve F
MCSE/CCNA HSE Tech

 

[suggy]

guys I ran that tool but it said I didnt have the qhosts virus. I can use all other search engines fine it's only google thats kaput. Could it have only deconfigured googles ip?

 

[manarth]

Windows uses a 'hosts' file to over-ride IP address lookups:
look in the file [tt]c:\windows\system32\drivers\etc\hosts.[/tt] for any references to google.

<marc> i wonder what will happen if i press this...[ul][li]please give feedback on what works / what doesn't[/li][li]need some help? how to get a better answer: faq581-3339[/li][/ul]

 

[suggy]

well I went into the etc folder but windows could not identify the hosts file so I could not open it. Could this be the problem? There was also lmhosts which was a SAM file. Also, the hosts file was only 1kb, is this right?

 

[crisc]

HOSTS files are often small. To open them, right click and select &quot;Open With...&quot; from the menu. Choose any text viewer from the list, (Word, Notepad, etc) and it should open up.

 

[suggy]

ok opened them up and no mention of google. In fact it said it was a sample file, if this means anything.

If I type the google address into the web bar it now tells me 'there is no website configured at this address'. Somehow its ip must have got mixed up with a random site. Would reinstalling IE be any good, or maybe putting the DNS servers in again?

 

[audiopimp]

Well try with another browser if you have.. like Netscape or Opera. If you still have the same error dont reinstall IE. Yes of course trying browsing to google with different dns or with a valid http proxy. If you get the site then you know its a dns issue...


Your comments are always appreciated

I learn, therefore I can
---------------------
Steve F
MCSE/CCNA HSE Tech

 

[suggy]

Im a little wary because my DNS servers are automatically configured from my ISP. Would it mess up my connection to input the ones I received with my Windows cd?

 

[JamieKitson]

If you type &quot;nslookup

http://www.google.com&quot;

at command prompt (run &quot;cmd&quot is the corresponding ip address along the lines of 216.239.59.99?

If not then it probably is your hosts file, search your whole windows directory for &quot;hosts&quot; (What happens if you type &quot;

http://216.239.59.99&quot;

in the address bar?)

If so then it's not your hosts file, but something completely different :/

I wouldn't bother reinstalling anything. Get a virus checker, and check your firewall is working

 

[JamieKitson]

ps, the cammands &quot;ipconfig /flushdns&quot; and &quot;ipconfig /displaydns&quot; will probably be useful to you

http://www.kitten-x.com

 

[suggy]

ok this is weird. If I type in googles ip address both in the command prompt and the address bar I get all the correct info. I can access google through using its ip address, and the cmd prompt told me that ip address should direct me to google . . .

What do those commands do JK?

 

[crisc]

Like JamieKitson said, if you are able to access the site via it's IP, then likely the problem is in your HOSTS file, which overrides anything DNS may be doing. Not the one called HOSTS.SAM, there should be another one. It may be marked as a hidden file, in which case you'd have to make sure your view options are set to show all files and folders.

 

[JamieKitson]

Yeah, what he said

In My Computer or something, go tools -> folder options -> view and check that &quot;view hidden files....&quot; is checked and maybe even that &quot;hide protected....&quot; is unchecked.

Search your whole house for &quot;hosts&quot; and delete every single one.

Type &quot;ipconfig /flushdns&quot; at command prompt. Now when you type &quot;ipconfig /displaydns&quot; I guess you shouldn't see anything.

http://www.google.com

should now work.

http://www.kitten-x.com

 

[veldto]

Howdy,

Ran the Symantec scrubber, but came out clean. However on my XP machine foud a host file the in C:\windows\help directory (shouldn't be there!), linking a large nr of websites (among which google) all to the same ip-address. Deleted it and needed a reboot but now it's solved.
Hope this helps.. cheers.

 

[triax]

Definately do a search for hosts. I found one in my winnt-help directory also that had a huge list of sites redirected to 207.44.194.56. Delete it and reboot...and no problem. Thanks veldto!!!