[pcbugz123]

I am not able to access www.google.com or www.bing.com on both IE8 and Firefox on a WinXP machine. Other sites load fine, and the problem is limited to these two search engines - avg search works fine. Pinging google.com or bing.com from a DOS terminal is unable to resolve their IP addresses. Pinging them by IP (obtained from another PC) works. Adding 74.125.224.50 for www.google.com in C:\WINDOWS\system32\drivers\etc\hosts lets me access google both by pinging in DOS window and in both browsers. I suspect malware, but have run out of ideas. I made the STUPID mistake of installing AVG search, which is really nasty, but I can't imagine grisoft being that evil - basically writing a virus! Any suggestions on where to start looking?

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Hi,

It could be a DNS problem, using ipconfig /all on the command line check if both machines are using the same DNS server, if they are connected to the same network the DNS should be the same.

[SleepyDude]

Hi,

It could be a DNS problem, using ipconfig /all on the command line check if both machines are using the same DNS server, if they are connected to the same network the DNS should be the same.

[pcbugz123]

Yes, clearly it is some sort of DNS problem. However, keep in mind that the issue is restricted only to the two domains I mentioned. Other sites' IP resolve just fine on this machine, so I am able to access DNS servers - just not able to resolve google.com and bing.com. Also, I'm using DHCP behind a NAT with 5 or 6 peer to peer machines and only 1 shows the problem. Others are able to get access to everything with no problem, and all are using the same DNS servers (assigned via DHCP). This leads me to believe the DNS query is being intercepted internal to the machine in question but don't know anything about Windows networking drivers to debug it.

[SleepyDude]

Hi,

Please download MiniToolBox and save the file to the Desktop.
Close the browser and run the tool, check the following options:

• Flush DNS
• Report IE Proxy Settings
• Reset IE Proxy Settings
• Report FF Proxy Settings
• Reset FF Proxy Settings
• List content of Hosts
• List IP configuration
• List Winsock Entries
• List last 10 Event Viewer log
• List Installed Programs

Click on Go.

Post the resulting log in your next reply.