can't search !!

Calvin Walley · Post by **Calvin Walley** » 21 Mar 2010 10:06 am

using ie-8 i can not search anything , it times out every time !!!

i can go to any site that is in my favorites but just can not search anything ...help!!!!!

John Cipriano · Post by **John Cipriano** » 21 Mar 2010 10:47 am

What happens when you run in safe mode?

http://www.killertechtips.com/2008/04/1 ... ut-addons/

* Go to Start > Run
* Type iexplore -extoff
* Press Enter

Calvin Walley · Post by **Calvin Walley** » 21 Mar 2010 11:08 am

if i open ie-8 without the add on's i can type in a web address and go to it . but i tried disabling the add on's but that doesn't help

Jon Moen · Post by **Jon Moen** » 21 Mar 2010 11:41 am

Have you tried clearing your Temporary Internet Files?

Tools/Internet Options/ General Tab/ Delete

Calvin Walley · Post by **Calvin Walley** » 21 Mar 2010 3:09 pm

think the problem is with my service provider
gonna call them tomorrow

thanks guys

Jon Moen · Post by **Jon Moen** » 21 Mar 2010 5:05 pm

At the top right of the window beside the magnifying glass is a down arrow that offers different search engines. See if those work. Possibly the URL is incorrect. You can add other search engines. If you can navigate to www.google.com by typing the url, but can't get to it via the search function, your default search needs tweaking.

Calvin Walley · Post by **Calvin Walley** » 21 Mar 2010 7:35 pm

tried that too... lol
had a freind that is pretty good at these kinda things look at it and said it was a problem with the "ping rate"
he said it was pinging and returning on some things but not on the searches

Wiz Feinberg · Post by **Wiz Feinberg** » 21 Mar 2010 7:59 pm

Calvin;
While you are waiting for a response from your ISP, why not download, install, update and scan for problems with Malwarebytes Anti-Malware?

Calvin Walley · Post by **Calvin Walley** » 21 Mar 2010 8:14 pm

Wiz

thanks to you i have been using that for over a year now ..it works great

Wiz Feinberg · Post by **Wiz Feinberg** » 21 Mar 2010 9:26 pm

Calvin;
Which search engine are you currently trying to use? IE 8 allows you to change search engines, via a button next to the search box input field. Try switching to another engine and report if it allows a search to succeed.

You can add search engines to IE 8 and they will appear in the flyout list next to the search box.

If you still can't conduct a search, try installing Firefox. It uses Google search by default.

If you can't search even with another browser, your HOSTS file or modem itself may have been poisoned. If that is the case this is moving into the area of professional consulting.

Calvin Walley · Post by **Calvin Walley** » 22 Mar 2010 6:44 am

wiz

i tried all the above , the only way i can use the web is if i type in the web address. i will be talking with my isp today

Wiz Feinberg · Post by **Wiz Feinberg** » 22 Mar 2010 8:01 am

Calvin Walley wrote:wiz

i tried all the above , the only way i can use the web is if i type in the web address. i will be talking with my isp today

Calvin;
You may need to take the PC to a troubleshooter. Ask them to check your HOSTS file for spurious entries that redirect searches to your local machine. Also, have them look for "LSP" hijackers.

The following assumes you are on a broadband ISP of some type, with an external modem and possibly a router, or a combo unit. If you are on a dial-up ISP skip the next section.

If you have broadband Internet access, with an external modem, I want you to turn off your computer and unplug your broadband modem and any routers. Leave them off for a few minutes, then look for a reset button on the back of the modem. They are usually inside a little hole in the rear chassis,into which you stick a pen tip or paperclip. Hold in the reset button for a minute, then release it. Power on the modem again, then the router (if exists), then turn on the computer. You should get connected to the Internet as usual, but this will flush out any bad codes that may have been inserted into the modem or the router.

If flushing the modem and router fixes the problem you should ask your ISP for help securing them from attack codes.

Calvin Walley · Post by **Calvin Walley** » 22 Mar 2010 3:28 pm

wiz

my isp said the problem has something to do with the dns ? anyway the computer is going in the shop tomorrow morning

Andy Sandoval · Post by **Andy Sandoval** » 22 Mar 2010 7:41 pm

Reformat the hard drive. Cheaper than takin it in and havin someone charge you $50 to tell you it's broke. What'ya got to lose?

John Cipriano · Post by **John Cipriano** » 23 Mar 2010 9:27 am

The thing is, DNS queries are sent every time you type in a web site address (rather than IP address, which is numerical). Searches are a different thing altogether. Usually if you can type in websites but not do web searches, it means your search page has been hijacked (which could be done via the hosts file, as someone mentioned).

If the ISP is willing to fix it, let them

In the meantime, see if it happens with Firefox or Chrome. If not, it's an IE hijack. If it does, it's most likely a bad hosts file.

If you like, open c:\windows\system32\drivers\etc\hosts in notepad and post the contents here.

Cal Sharp · Post by **Cal Sharp** » 23 Mar 2010 3:17 pm

I agree with John. Sounds like your search page has been hijacked. I've seen it happen. Yeah, try another browser. I've 7 browsers installed on the computer I'm using at the moment.

Wiz Feinberg · Post by **Wiz Feinberg** » 23 Mar 2010 3:34 pm

This is not the place to post a HOSTS file's contents, unless it is generic with only a few entries. If the OP uses Spybot S&D, or SpywareBlaster, there may be hundreds of lines of rerouted IPs and URLs.

John Cipriano · Post by **John Cipriano** » 23 Mar 2010 6:50 pm

Very true

I'm not a big fan of using the hosts file to block more than a couple of things, and I forget that people have long ones.

Best of luck, Calvin.

Calvin Walley · Post by **Calvin Walley** » 24 Mar 2010 8:29 am

my computer is now FIXED

the guy said it was a hyjacked host file
he also said it must be a new one because he had a hard time with it

thanks for all your help