IE "can't find server" after loading home page

[harryt]

I can load my home page, but when I try going to "my favorites", it reports "can't find server". I have run Spybot, Ad-Aware and Spy Doctor and they can't find anything. I have run hijack this and have a log. Help.

P.S. My computer takes forever to load at first now.

[harryt]

I can load my home page, but when I try going to "my favorites", it reports "can't find server". I have run Spybot, Ad-Aware and Spy Doctor and they can't find anything. I have run hijack this and have a log. Help.

P.S. My computer takes forever to load at first now.

Here is my log.

Logfile of HijackThis v1.99.0
Scan saved at 11:15:03 AM, on 2/6/2005
Platform: Windows XP SP2 (WinNT 5.01.2600)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v6.00 SP2 (6.00.2900.2180)

Running processes:
C:\WINDOWS\System32\smss.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\winlogon.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\services.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\lsass.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\Explorer.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\system32\LEXBCES.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\LEXPPS.EXE
C:\Program Files\Common Files\AOL\ACS\AOLAcsd.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\AOL\TopSpeed\2.0\aoltsmon.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\Ati2evxx.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\cisvc.exe
c:\PROGRA~1\mcafee.com\vso\mcvsrte.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\McAfee.com\PERSON~1\MPFSERVICE.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\wanmpsvc.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\WLTRYSVC.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\System32\bcmwltry.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\pctspk.exe
C:\Program Files\Apoint\Apoint.exe
C:\Program Files\ATI Technologies\ATI Control Panel\atiptaxx.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\DSentry.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\mcafee.com\agent\mcagent.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\mcafee.com\vso\mcvsshld.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Dell\EUSW\Support.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Real\Update_OB\realsched.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\McAfee.com\PERSON~1\MpfTray.exe
C:\Program Files\Lexmark X1100 Series\lxbkbmgr.exe
c:\progra~1\mcafee.com\vso\mcvsescn.exe
c:\PROGRA~1\mcafee.com\vso\mcshield.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\COMMON~1\aol\AOLSPY~1\AOLSP Scheduler.exe
C:\Program Files\Dell\Support\Alert\bin\NotifyAlert.exe
C:\Program Files\Lexmark X1100 Series\lxbkbmon.exe
C:\Program Files\Spyware Doctor\swdoctor.exe
C:\Program Files\Apoint\Apntex.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\McAfee.com\PERSON~1\MpfAgent.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\wbem\wmiapsrv.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\cidaemon.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\cidaemon.exe
C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
c:\progra~1\mcafee.com\vso\mcvsftsn.exe
C:\Program Files\America Online 9.0a\waol.exe
C:\Program Files\America Online 9.0a\shellmon.exe
C:\Program Files\Corel\WordPerfect Office 2002\Programs\wpwin10.exe
C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe
C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\WINZIP\winzip32.exe
C:\unzipped\hijackthis[1]\HijackThis.exe

R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://www.dellnet.com/
R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Local Page = C:\WINDOWS\about.htm
O2 - BHO: (no name) - {53707962-6F74-2D53-2644-206D7942484F} - C:\PROGRA~1\SPYBOT~1\SDHelper.dll
O2 - BHO: PCTools Site Guard - {5C8B2A36-3DB1-42A4-A3CB-D426709BBFEB} - C:\PROGRA~1\SPYWAR~1\tools\iesdsg.dll
O2 - BHO: PCTools Browser Monitor - {B56A7D7D-6927-48C8-A975-17DF180C71AC} - C:\PROGRA~1\SPYWAR~1\tools\iesdpb.dll
O3 - Toolbar: McAfee VirusScan - {BA52B914-B692-46c4-B683-905236F6F655} - c:\progra~1\mcafee.com\vso\mcvsshl.dll
O3 - Toolbar: AOL Toolbar - {4982D40A-C53B-4615-B15B-B5B5E98D167C} - C:\Program Files\AOL Toolbar\toolbar.dll
O3 - Toolbar: Viewpoint Toolbar - {F8AD5AA5-D966-4667-9DAF-2561D68B2012} - C:\Program Files\Viewpoint\Viewpoint Toolbar\ViewBar.dll
O3 - Toolbar: &Google - {2318C2B1-4965-11d4-9B18-009027A5CD4F} - c:\program files\google\googletoolbar2.dll
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [ATIModeChange] Ati2mdxx.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [PCTVOICE] pctspk.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Apoint] C:\Program Files\Apoint\Apoint.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [ATIPTA] C:\Program Files\ATI Technologies\ATI Control Panel\atiptaxx.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [DVDSentry] C:\WINDOWS\System32\DSentry.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [MCAgentExe] c:\PROGRA~1\mcafee.com\agent\mcagent.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [MCUpdateExe] C:\PROGRA~1\mcafee.com\agent\McUpdate.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [VirusScan Online] "c:\PROGRA~1\mcafee.com\vso\mcvsshld.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [DwlClient] C:\Program Files\Common Files\Dell\EUSW\Support.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [TkBellExe] "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Real\Update_OB\realsched.exe" -osboot
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [VSOCheckTask] "c:\PROGRA~1\mcafee.com\vso\mcmnhdlr.exe" /checktask
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [MPFExe] C:\PROGRA~1\McAfee.com\PERSON~1\MpfTray.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Lexmark X1100 Series] "C:\Program Files\Lexmark X1100 Series\lxbkbmgr.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [AOL Spyware Protection] C:\PROGRA~1\COMMON~1\aol\AOLSPY~1\AOLSP Scheduler.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [mmtask] C:\Program Files\MUSICMATCH\MUSICMATCH Jukebox\mmtask.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [MSMSGS] "C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe" /background
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [Spyware Doctor] "C:\Program Files\Spyware Doctor\swdoctor.exe" /Q
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [AOL Fast Start] "C:\Program Files\America Online 9.0a\AOL.EXE" -b
O8 - Extra context menu item: &AOL Toolbar search - res://C:\Program Files\AOL Toolbar\toolbar.dll/SEARCH.HTML
O8 - Extra context menu item: &Google Search - res://c:\program files\google\GoogleToolbar2.dll/cmsearch.html
O8 - Extra context menu item: &Viewpoint Search - res://C:\Program Files\Viewpoint\Viewpoint Toolbar\ViewBar.dll/CXTSEARCH.HTML
O8 - Extra context menu item: Backward Links - res://c:\program files\google\GoogleToolbar2.dll/cmbacklinks.html
O8 - Extra context menu item: Cached Snapshot of Page - res://c:\program files\google\GoogleToolbar2.dll/cmcache.html
O8 - Extra context menu item: Similar Pages - res://c:\program files\google\GoogleToolbar2.dll/cmsimilar.html
O8 - Extra context menu item: Translate into English - res://c:\program files\google\GoogleToolbar2.dll/cmtrans.html
O9 - Extra button: Spyware Doctor - {2D663D1A-8670-49D9-A1A5-4C56B4E14E84} - C:\PROGRA~1\SPYWAR~1\tools\iesdpb.dll
O9 - Extra button: AOL Toolbar - {4982D40A-C53B-4615-B15B-B5B5E98D167C} - C:\Program Files\AOL Toolbar\toolbar.dll
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: AOL Toolbar - {4982D40A-C53B-4615-B15B-B5B5E98D167C} - C:\Program Files\AOL Toolbar\toolbar.dll
O9 - Extra button: Real.com - {CD67F990-D8E9-11d2-98FE-00C0F0318AFE} - C:\WINDOWS\System32\Shdocvw.dll
O9 - Extra button: Messenger - {FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683} - C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Windows Messenger - {FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683} - C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
O16 - DPF: Yahoo! MLB StatTracker - http://aud11.sports.sc5.yahoo.com/java/y/mlbst8408_x.cab
O16 - DPF: {01113300-3E00-11D2-8470-0060089874ED} (Support.com Configuration Class) - http://support.charter.com/sdccommon/download/tgctlcm.cab
O16 - DPF: {0C568603-D79D-11D2-87A7-00C04FF158BB} (BrowseFolderPopup Class) - http://download.mcafee.com/molbin/Shared/MGBrwFld.cab
O16 - DPF: {11260943-421B-11D0-8EAC-0000C07D88CF} (iPIX ActiveX Control) - http://www.ipix.com/viewers/ipixx.cab
O16 - DPF: {4A3CF76B-EC7A-405D-A67D-8DC6B52AB35B} (QDiagAOLCCUpdateObj Class) - http://aolcc.aol.com/computercheckup/qdiagcc.cab
O16 - DPF: {4ED9DDF0-7479-4BBE-9335-5A1EDB1D8A21} (McAfee.com Operating System Class) - http://bin.mcafee.com/molbin/shared/mcinsctl/en-us/4,0,0,74/mcinsctl.cab
O16 - DPF: {74D05D43-3236-11D4-BDCD-00C04F9A3B61} (HouseCall Control) - http://a840.g.akamai.net/7/840/537/2004061001/housecall.trendmicro.com/housecall/xscan53.cab
O16 - DPF: {BCC0FF27-31D9-4614-A68E-C18E1ADA4389} (DwnldGroupMgr Class) - http://bin.mcafee.com/molbin/shared/mcgdmgr/en-us/1,0,0,16/mcgdmgr.cab
O16 - DPF: {D719897A-B07A-4C0C-AEA9-9B663A28DFCB} (iTunesDetector Class) - http://ax.phobos.apple.com.edgesuite.net/detection/ITDetector.cab
O17 - HKLM\System\CCS\Services\Tcpip\..\{60D5B355-BEB2-4F5B-9E8F-BB87FBA67F29}: NameServer = 205.188.146.145
O17 - HKLM\System\CS1\Services\Tcpip\..\{60D5B355-BEB2-4F5B-9E8F-BB87FBA67F29}: NameServer = 205.188.146.145
O17 - HKLM\System\CS2\Services\Tcpip\..\{60D5B355-BEB2-4F5B-9E8F-BB87FBA67F29}: NameServer = 205.188.146.145
O23 - Service: AOL Connectivity Service - America Online - C:\Program Files\Common Files\AOL\ACS\AOLAcsd.exe
O23 - Service: AOL TopSpeed Monitor - America Online, Inc - C:\Program Files\Common Files\AOL\TopSpeed\2.0\aoltsmon.exe
O23 - Service: AOL Spyware Protection Service - Unknown - C:\PROGRA~1\COMMON~1\aol\AOLSPY~1\\aolserv.exe
O23 - Service: Ati HotKey Poller - Unknown - C:\WINDOWS\System32\Ati2evxx.exe
O23 - Service: LexBce Server - Lexmark International, Inc. - C:\WINDOWS\system32\LEXBCES.EXE
O23 - Service: McAfee.com McShield - Unknown - c:\PROGRA~1\mcafee.com\vso\mcshield.exe
O23 - Service: McAfee SecurityCenter Update Manager - McAfee, Inc - C:\PROGRA~1\McAfee.com\Agent\mcupdmgr.exe
O23 - Service: McAfee.com VirusScan Online Realtime Engine - Networks Associates Technology, Inc - c:\PROGRA~1\mcafee.com\vso\mcvsrte.exe
O23 - Service: McAfee Personal Firewall Service - McAfee Corporation - C:\PROGRA~1\McAfee.com\PERSON~1\MPFSERVICE.exe
O23 - Service: WAN Miniport (ATW) Service - America Online, Inc. - C:\WINDOWS\wanmpsvc.exe
O23 - Service: WLTRYSVC - Unknown - C:\WINDOWS\System32\WLTRYSVC.EXE C:\WINDOWS\System32\bcmwltry.exe (file missing)

[DMR]

I can load my home page, but when I try going to "my favorites", it reports "can't find server". I have run Spybot, Ad-Aware and Spy Doctor and they can't find anything. I have run hijack this and have a log.

Your HJT log doesn't indicate that anything malicious is responsible for the "broken" Internet connectivity.

1. Can you surf to any websites at all, or do you get the server error regardless of where you try to go?

2. Can you reach websites by typing their actual IP address into your browser's location/address bar? Try getting to Google using the following address:

http://66.102.7.147

P.S. My computer takes forever to load at first now.

You do have a lot of program components set to run automatically when Windows starts up, but not all of them are necessary; they'll just slow down your startup and use up system resources. Unfortunately, the anti-virus/Internet Security package from McAfee can put quite a load on your startup time, but obviously you don't want to disable that one. These other startup items are "User's Choice" though, and can be safely disabled:

O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [PCTVOICE] pctspk.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [ATIPTA] C:\Program Files\ATI Technologies\ATI Control Panel\atiptaxx.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [DVDSentry] C:\WINDOWS\System32\DSentry.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [TkBellExe] "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Real\Update_OB\realsched.exe" -osboot
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [mmtask] C:\Program Files\MUSICMATCH\MUSICMATCH Jukebox\mmtask.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [MSMSGS] "C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe" /background

Most of the above programs should have an option in their preferences where you can choose to have them run at startup or not; disable them that way.

[harryt]

Thanks. I have discovered an interesting fact. I can get to googl. Whenever I type a search, it brings up the result, but when I try and link to the site, "can't find the server." I downloaded Firefox and tried starting running it, and I am getting the same result.

[DMR]

A few things to try:

1. Disable any firewall software you might have running.

2. Reboot into safe mode (you get to the safe mode boot option by hitting the F8 key as your computer is starting up)

- Open Windows Explorer, and in the Folder Options->View settings under the Tools menu, select "show hidden files and folders", and uncheck "Hide protected operating system files".

- For every user account listed under C:\Documents and Settings, delete the entire contents of these folders:

1. Local Settings\Temp
2. Cookies
3. History
4. Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5

- Delete the entire content of your C:\Windows\Temp folder.

Note- If you get any messages concerning the deletion of system files such as desktop.ini or index.dat, just choose to delete those files; they'll be automatically regenerated by Windows if needed. Windows will allow you to delete the versions of those files which exist in sub-folders within the main Temp/Temorary folders, but might not let you delete the versions of those files that exist in the main Temp folders themselves; this is normal and OK.

- Empty your Recycle Bin.

- Reboot normally.

3. Go to Start Menu->Programs->Accessories and click on Command Prompt to open a DOS window. At the DOS prompt, type the following command and then hit Enter:

ipconfig /flushdns

4. The 017/NameServer entries in your log indicate that you are only using a single DNS server, which could be experiencing intermittent problems. Check with your ISP to see if they are aware of any known issues on their end.

5. Obviously, check your entire network chain and verify that everything (modem, router, cabling, etc.) is in good working order.

[harryt]

When I go to C:\Document Settings, I can't find the Temp files?

[harryt]

I have a laptop with a wireless card at home. My laptop finds the connection fine. It will load my homepage. I then go to Google and do a research. Fine. I then try and connect to a link and the computer reports, "can't find server". Sometimes it will link to a page if I have never been to it before. I tried loading Firefox to see if I could correct the problem that way. It does the same thing. If I connect through my AOL account (still wireless), I have no problem browsing the Internet.

Now something weird that I discovered. I brought my laptop to the office and plugged it into my LAN connection and both browsers (IE and Firefox) worked without any problems. I have not tried to see if the same would hold true if I just plugged it in to the router at my home. Is it some type of virus or a driver that has gone bad? Incidently all my problems began happening not too long after I loaded AOL 9.0 SE. Could AOL have some block on my IE when I am not AOL on-line?

[DMR]

Each user's Temp folder is under the Local Settings sub-folder of the user's account:

C:\Documents and Settings\username\Local Settings\Temp

If you can't see some of the folders/files I listed, please make sure you set Explorer's View options as I indicated in my last post; some of the folders are normally hidden:

Open Windows Explorer, and in the Folder Options->View settings under the Tools menu, select "show hidden files and folders", and uncheck "Hide protected operating system files".

[harryt]

Thanks. I think that I have discovered that it is a wireless connection problem. I found that when my laptop is connected to a LAN line, it works fine.

[DMR]

Ah, OK. Look in to that and let us know what you find.

[DMR]

harryt,

Please do not start multiple threads on a topic/question/problem; doing so goes against our Posting Guidelines. In light of that, I've merged your most recent thread on your problem into this one.

I brought my laptop to the office and plugged it into my LAN connection and both browsers (IE and Firefox) worked without any problems. I have not tried to see if the same would hold true if I just plugged it in to the router at my home.

You should definitely try wiring directly into your home router; that will help us determine exactly where the problem lies. The fact that things operate correctly at work, however, does tell us that the problem lies somewhere in your home network's setup/configuration