HTTP 404 Error

Nance · 05-01-2009 11:28am #1

Hi there,

Am new to this so hopefully am posting in the right section.
Since last Wednesday I have been unable to access any page on the internet. Every website I try to connect to I get the same, HTTP 404 error.
While I understand that this is a common error reported when a webpage has moved, I cannot even open google. When I attempt to open in firefox, I simply get a blank page.
My internet connection is fine, have spent an hour on the phone with the ISP trying to see if that's the problem, have done everything from rebooting modem, router and pc.
I ran a "diagnose connection problem on IE and it says I can't connect using HTTP, HTTPS or FTP.
It said it was a firewall issue so I switched off the firewall (Norton) and tried but to no avail. I uninstalled Norton, tried again, nothing. Have now reinstalled, but still cannot open any web pages on either IE7 or firefox.
The guy on the phone said this must be to do with some setting on my pc.. Last wednesday I was able to connect one minute and the next nothing.
I found the following: http://www.diagnoseyourpc.com/?t202id=22411&t202kw=http%20404&gclid=CI7atPaY95cCFU4e3godsh5pCg
but it's no use to me as I am at work and can't connect at home to download it.

Is there anyone who can help and point me in the right direction?
The only thing I might add that may provide clarity is on the wednesday I deleted a program called Cold Fusion. I was doing a clean up of programs and it said it was rarely used, so I clicked remove.. that was it, didn't delete anything else, and possibly just a conincidence, but I really don't know.

Is there anyone who's had this problem before, or knows how to fix it?
BTW operating system is Windows XP, anti - v is Norton 08 / 09 (internet protection), installed 21/12/08..
everything was working fine up to 31/12.

Thanks!!!

biko · 05-01-2009 11:32am

Can you do a system restore?
Cold fusion is web pages programming stuff and should not affect this.

At home try to ping a website, if that works download another web browser at work and bring home on a usb stick.

Sam Vimes · 05-01-2009 11:46am

what happens if you type the following ip into the address bar:

89.234.66.107

try to ping it too

and might IE be set to work offline?
edit:if you click file on IE7, just above exit it should say "Work offline" and either be ticked or not. I'm not sure if it's in the same place on IE6

Nance · 05-01-2009 12:20pm

Thanks, will try that at home.
I don't think it's IE being set to work offline as it's the same problem with firefox.
probably stupid question.. how do i do a system restore?

Nance · 05-01-2009 12:23pm

just ignore my previous question, realised you had made the text a hyperlink.
thanks a million!

Sam Vimes · 05-01-2009 2:36pm

Nance wrote: »

I don't think it's IE being set to work offline as it's the same problem with firefox.

didn't spot that part

Nance · 05-01-2009 3:09pm

I tried the system restore but that hasn't worked.
Pinged that IP address and got a reply and also typed into the url bar and it opened boards.ie albeit without images etc..

however am still getting the HTTP 404 when I type the web address..

Any other suggestions?

Thanks!!

An Fear Aniar · 05-01-2009 3:33pm

Perhaps try it with a different browser e.g. Firefox. If it works in Firefox then it's the browser settings. If it doesn't work in Firefox then it's the network settings.

.

biko · 05-01-2009 3:36pm

Open Internet Explorer and go to Tools/Internet Options.
Click tab Advanced and choose Default Settings.
Click tab Privacy and choose Default. If this is grey it's ok.
Click tab Security and Default Level.
Click Apply.
Click OK.

Or download a new browser, Opera http://195.189.143.135/download/get.pl?id=31936&location=52&nothanks=yes&sub=marine

Nance · 05-01-2009 3:38pm

Thanks!
Am not able to view anything with firefox either, just returning blank screen, but no error message.
the attached doc shows the results of the IE connection diagnosis..
if it is network related, any ideas how I fix?!
Thanks again, appreciate the help!

biko · 05-01-2009 3:58pm

Try turning firewall off
Disable any antivirus programs temporarily.

This sounds like some sort of DNS issue.

Nance · 05-01-2009 4:04pm

Have done all of that

have one last resort to try. I checked out this website: http://www.diagnoseyourpc.com/?t202id=22411&t202kw=http%20404&gclid=CI7atPaY95cCFU4e3godsh5pCg

and there is a free tool that helps repair these errors, so I'm hoping that this will work...

will try the new browser, but having probs with firefox as well.

biko · 05-01-2009 4:40pm

That site seems to plug that program only, whatever the issue is it says "download this nifty exe that will fix everything" - not very trustworthy, even thought it seems to be legit.

Nance · 05-01-2009 4:41pm

do you think I should use it or stay clear?

FruitLover · 05-01-2009 4:50pm

Sounds like a DNS problem. Try using 208.67.222.222 (OpenDNS) as your DNS server.

Sam Vimes · 05-01-2009 8:03pm

FruitLover wrote: »

Sounds like a DNS problem. Try using 208.67.222.222 (OpenDNS) as your DNS server.

which is why i asked him to ping using the ip

if you can get to websites directly through the ip but not by using the web address it's almost certainly a DNS issue

do you know how to change your dns server? who is your broadband provider and what modem do you have?

edit:also, what happens if you try to ping www.boards.ie instead of the ip?

Gadgetman496 · 06-01-2009 1:43am

Could your windows Host file be blocking you?

C:\WINDOWS\system32\drivers\etc

If a HOSTS file exists, right click it & choose "OPEN" then open it using Notepad.

The last entry should be

127.0.0.1 localhost

If they're any other entries at the end delete them & save the file.

-

Nance · 06-01-2009 3:42pm

Thanks everyone for all your help! I got the problem sorted.
Not sure how to describe what the exact problem was, but basically, I was able to fix it by changing the TCP / IP properties and setting the IP address and default gateway rather than dynamically get it all the time.
I then entered the DNS IP, which is the same as the default gateway.
NOrton was also changing a setting on my internet options to automatically detect settings so I switched that off and problem was solved. (Didn't figure out all of that myself, had a friend help me out over the phone).

Thanks a million for all the replies.. it was very helpful !!!!

HTTP 404 Error

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