Cannot access microsoft.com using Ffox 3.6.13 with xp

Carlow52

using firefox and xp on a sony vaio laptop and cant access www.microsoft.com
can do from my other computers but need to download silverlight on this one.

Thanks


get this

Server not found
Firefox can't find the server at www.microsoft.com.
Check the address for typing errors such as
ww.example.com instead of
www.example.com

* If you are unable to load any pages, check your computer's network
connection.

* If your computer or network is protected by a firewall or proxy, make sure
that Firefox is permitted to access the Web.

bhickey

Sounds virus-related. Can you access the following :

http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/
http://www.windowsupdate.com/
http://safety.live.com/
http://www.live.com/

Capt'n Midnight

if you are sure there isn't malware on the system try connecting with IE, because some stuff on Microsoft's site uses things like Active X which isn't supported by other browser engines.


also usual stuff of emptying cache

Carlow52

Thank you both

Looks like an IE issue as when I try the links suggested by bhickey on the pc with ffox 3.6 the first 2 dont open with message as in my first post.

however when I try them with Ffox3.0 on an other pc the following message appears

[Thank you for your interest in obtaining updates from our site.

To use this site, you must be running Microsoft Internet Explorer 5 or later.

To upgrade to the latest version of the browser, go to the Internet Explorer Downloads website.

If you prefer to use a different web browser, you can obtain updates from the Microsoft Download Center or you can stay up to date with the latest critical and security updates by using Automatic Updates. To turn on Automatic Updates: ]




And since IE is not on the first pc and its needed but cant be accessed....from Ffox I need another browser

SickBoy

bhickey is correct. It's a virus or malware.
I'm not sure if you have an antivirus client installed but if you do it's not cutting it or it's well out of date.
My advise would be to downlaod Microsoft Security Essentials and Malwarebytes Anti-Malware and do a full scan with both(MSE 1st).

bhickey

Carlow52 wrote: »

Looks like an IE issue as when I try the links suggested by bhickey on the pc with ffox 3.6 the first 2 dont open with message as in my first post.

Never mind the 2nd PC for now. The windows update website is just a test as many viruses prevent you from accessing it and so it's just a symptom of an infection. On the first PC, no matter what browser you try, you won't be able to access many sites. It's the fact that you can't access certain sites that's important.

On the 2nd PC, the Windows Update website message can be ignored as it's just telling you that if you did want to update, you'd need to be using Internet Explorer to do so.

Carlow52

Thanks.
The security essentials requires a file from microsoft as the vaio cant handle SP3 so I cannot run it.
Did load and run the malware stuff as suggested, nothing found.

As bhickey has said no browser will let me get to the microsoft site so what next?

Kristopherus

I have a similar problem. Running Linux Mint 9 on a lappy. Firefox has started giving me the message "Firefox cannot find the server at ...." It worked fine up to about 10 days ago. I was wondering is Firefox conflicting with the OS. I also was under the impression that the Linux family of OS's were virus & malware protected. Any help appreciated.

bhickey

Carlow52 wrote: »

.......the vaio cant handle SP3 so I cannot run it.

What do you mean? You really need to sort that out.

Meanwhile, try booting into 'Safe mode with Networking' to see if that makes a difference with the Internet access.

Carlow52

bhickey wrote: »

What do you mean? You really need to sort that out.

Meanwhile, try booting into 'Safe mode with Networking' to see if that makes a difference with the Internet access.

Thank you very much for your input

SP3 disables the sound card, ext vga port and restricts screen resolution to 640 by 480.

It seems is a problem with a particular batch of the 2004/2005 vaios and there was no driver update/patch made available

The same issues arose when I tried to go from XP home to xp professional as I needed remote access.

Safe mode with n-working allows access to microsoft.com

In addition when in safe mode laptop runs much quieter

Downloading microsoft essentials update that is part of initial setup now while in safe mode, could not be done in normal mode.
[00:44 the first scan found a worm call Conficker.B threat level severe: looks like a bad boy and does what was happening to my system:)
00:59 problem sorted: all websites available ]
Thanks again
link to note on the worm for info
http://www.microsoft.com/security/portal/Threat/Encyclopedia/Entry.aspx?name=Worm:Win32/Conficker.B&threatid=2147618124
ps any suggestions on a registry clean up tool: when I start it up in normal mode I get 4 popups re some issue with 4 lines in registry beginning with a string of little square boxes

bhickey

Carlow52 wrote: »

ps any suggestions on a registry clean up tool: when I start it up in normal mode I get 4 popups re some issue with 4 lines in registry beginning with a string of little square boxes

Start > Run > msconfig

In the startup tab disable whatever doesn't look right.

Ccleaner is a an excellent tool for keepiong everythig clean.

What antivirus software had you been running and was it up-to-date? I assume that you've removed it now and are only running MSE?

Carlow52

bhickey wrote: »

Start > Run > msconfig

In the startup tab disable whatever doesn't look right.

Ccleaner is a an excellent tool for keepiong everythig clean.

What antivirus software had you been running and was it up-to-date? I assume that you've removed it now and are only running MSE?

The AV was Bitdefender which expired in October it seems, the laptop is used for teenage home work and I was roped in when they couldn't access Microsoft silverlight for some 'homework'

For what its worth I hooked up all the external USB and network drives to the laptop and let the scanner rip. 9 hours and 1.3 million items later: 13 occurrences of the worm.

Again thanks for your guidance

Capt'n Midnight

out of date anti virus is nearly worse than having none in that it gives you a false sense of security

Carlow52

Slightly different problem than before.
Have run safety.live.com
am using MS Security Essentials as well as Malwarebytes AntiMalware as well as skybot.
Nothing shows up

I cannot update MS Security Essentials either error code 80070424 also

When I go to the MS update site it gives me 2 error codes
80070424 and 80070020

I have carried out all the steps suggested in both associated knowledge base files.
When I run the file to update the Windows Updater file it says its already there so no update is done.
However the Windows update file is NOT listed under services and it is not on any of my other 3 XP machines either:)

As always, thanks in advance

Capt'n Midnight

just a reminder that microsoft updates should be done in IE not FF

you can use extensions like ie tab so that when you go to microsoft it opens up in IE

Carlow52

Capt'n Midnight wrote: »

just a reminder that microsoft updates should be done in IE not FF

you can use extensions like ie tab so that when you go to microsoft it opens up in IE

Am doing that and MS Sec essentials wont update either

Carlow52

Thanks to the steps outlined here
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555989
I am back in business.

All MS products are now updating