Author Topic: Website issue - Solved! (Read 38735 times)

jrjr · « **on:** June 22, 2015, 06:06:04 am »

Hi - first post

A few days ago a Microsoft tech ran the tweaking.com software on my Win 7 desktop.

With that result I have found that network discovery was turned off. I can only think it was done with this scan. Not a big deal, I turned it back on and that works ok....... but.....

As near as I can tell right after this tweaking.com scan I lost the connection to one and only one website. (weird) At least I have only found one. Initially I wrote it off to a website issue but after time, looked into it in more depth. That's why I am not 100% certain on the timing of the connectivity loss but it seems to have taken place in this time frame. The rest of the internet seems to work just fine. This website has been working and visited frequently for a long time. The site is www.theprofilebrotherhood.com

I cannot access this website from Firefox, Chrome, Opera, Safari or IE running on my desktop. I have checked the host file and it's clean. Checked Internet restricted sites and that has no entries. I have turned off all antivirus programs and turned off Windows firewall. Still no joy. Also have done a ipconfig /flushdns in cmd as admin with reboot.

I ran malwarebytes, Panda, Superantispyware, MS security essentials and cleaned whatever they found. Just standard cookie finds really. Also ran Malwarebytes rootkit program with no results.

I can successfully ping the website in question via IP and domain. If I enter their IP in the browser address bar it will time out the same as trying their domain name.

I can access this website from my laptop on the same network, AND if I run virtual box on my desktop in question using a Win 10 or Linux VM I can access the website without issue.

I have run out of things to check. Any suggestions?

Edit
I searched the registry and only found one instance. See attachment

jrjr · « **Reply #1 on:** June 23, 2015, 08:30:49 am »

Small update. I found 2 more websites that have the same exact issue. The rest of the internet seems to work ok. Anyone have an idea?

Julian · « **Reply #2 on:** June 23, 2015, 11:16:43 am »

Have you opened up internet options and go to connections to see if you have a proxy server set up?

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/Why-cant-I-view-some-websites

jrjr · « **Reply #3 on:** June 23, 2015, 11:30:36 am »

Yes checked that.... none set up in fact the button is grayed out

jrjr · « **Reply #4 on:** June 24, 2015, 03:51:33 am »

Another update

Tried a free proxy and I am able to open the websites in question.
Tried using Google DNS and also hard coding DNS with Roadrunner's DNS server address with no change- sites won't work.

So far the only solution is using a different proxy but I don't want to do that.

jrjr · « **Reply #5 on:** June 24, 2015, 07:18:43 am »

I just spoke with a supervisor at Microsoft support and their only answer is to reinstall the operating system. I really don't want to do that. He said that the tweaking.com software must have deleted part of the registry and the only way to get it back is to reinstall the OS. I did not see the tech back up the registry when he was doing his thing.

Julian · « **Reply #6 on:** June 24, 2015, 10:52:44 am »

you can restore the back up from the repair tool.

jrjr · « **Reply #7 on:** June 24, 2015, 10:58:32 am »

What repair tool?
I made a correction to the last post. The Supervisor said to reinstall the OS

Do you mean Tweaking.com has a repair tool or Windows repair tool?
The MS tech had me uninstall the Tweaking.com software.

I do see a folder in C drive called RegBackup and the date is right.
Was this created by Tweaking.com?
There is also a file in a sub folder called dos_restore.cmd
What will that do?

Please forgive the questions. This is my first experience with this software

Edit
I reinstalled the software. The log files are still there from last week but there are 2 different times a couple hours apart. Far as I know he only ran it once. Looking at the repair tab I see a checkbox to automatically do a registry backup. If I run the repair tool will it overwrite the backup that was previously made or make a new backup with a new date?

Julian · « **Reply #8 on:** June 25, 2015, 12:32:45 am »

Quote from: jrjr on June 24, 2015, 10:58:32 am

What repair tool?
I made a correction to the last post. The Supervisor said to reinstall the OS

Do you mean Tweaking.com has a repair tool or Windows repair tool?
The MS tech had me uninstall the Tweaking.com software.

I do see a folder in C drive called RegBackup and the date is right.
Was this created by Tweaking.com?
There is also a file in a sub folder called dos_restore.cmd
What will that do?

Please forgive the questions. This is my first experience with this software

Edit
I reinstalled the software. The log files are still there from last week but there are 2 different times a couple hours apart. Far as I know he only ran it once. Looking at the repair tab I see a checkbox to automatically do a registry backup. If I run the repair tool will it overwrite the backup that was previously made or make a new backup with a new date?

it should make a new backup with a new date
go to the tab step 5: backup and click on restore button then click on restore registry and select restore from the drop down menu

Shane · « **Reply #9 on:** June 25, 2015, 03:22:28 am »

That is really odd. My program is about 95% registry related repairs. Registering files and such.

I never had any trouble accessing any sites after the repairs, the program doesn't target any sites and such.

Are you able to try a different internet connection as a test? What antivirus do you have installed and firewall software? I have a feeling something else is at play, as my repair program doesnt do anything to accessing sites such as dns other than simply doing a flush dns command.

Using a proxy makes the connection go though another server instead of your ISP, this is how some people can get around blocks their ISp setup, it also could be something as simple as the modem/router needing rebooted so that it can clear itself out. Pull the power cord from both your modem and router (If you have both) wait a full 60 sec and then plug them back in and see how it does.

The reason for this, is there have been a lot of problems I have seen where a node on the net was having trouble, so the router your connection takes goes through multiple nodes, if one is down or having trouble the connection doesnt complete. Using a proxy and such means you are taking a different route. So sometimes the problem isnt you or your ISP, but instead one of the nodes. They call it the information super highway, and guess what it has road construction as well lol

Shane

jrjr · « **Reply #10 on:** June 25, 2015, 03:48:46 am »

Quote from: Shane on June 25, 2015, 03:22:28 am

That is really odd. My program is about 95% registry related repairs. Registering files and such.

I never had any trouble accessing any sites after the repairs, the program doesn't target any sites and such.

Are you able to try a different internet connection as a test? What antivirus do you have installed and firewall software? I have a feeling something else is at play, as my repair program doesnt do anything to accessing sites such as dns other than simply doing a flush dns command.

Using a proxy makes the connection go though another server instead of your ISP, this is how some people can get around blocks their ISp setup, it also could be something as simple as the modem/router needing rebooted so that it can clear itself out. Pull the power cord from both your modem and router (If you have both) wait a full 60 sec and then plug them back in and see how it does.

The reason for this, is there have been a lot of problems I have seen where a node on the net was having trouble, so the router your connection takes goes through multiple nodes, if one is down or having trouble the connection doesnt complete. Using a proxy and such means you are taking a different route. So sometimes the problem isnt you or your ISP, but instead one of the nodes. They call it the information super highway, and guess what it has road construction as well lol

Shane

Thank you both for your time.
I agree it's very odd. I have rebooted the modem and router before, but just did it again for grins after waiting several minutes. No change. I don't have another internet connection available without lugging the desktop to someone's home. I took notes as I went along on things that I tried. Whats really odd is I can ping by IP or domain name successfully and all other computers on the same network are fine with these websites. Even the same desktop works using a VM with the same network interface. Not sure if all my efforts are listed above or not but here they are as complete so far -

Quote

I cannot access three (maybe more I haven’t run into yet) websites from Firefox, Chrome, Opera, Safari or IE running on my desktop. I have checked the host file and it's clean. Checked Internet restricted sites and that has no entries. I have turned off all antivirus programs and turned off Windows firewall. Still no joy. Also have done - ipconfig /flushdns in cmd as admin and reset winsock.

I ran malwarebytes, Panda, Superantispyware, MS security essentials and cleaned whatever they found. Just standard tracking cookie finds. Also ran Malwarebytes rootkit program with no results.

Created a new Windows user profile. Same results in that profile.

Ran msconfig – disable all in startup – reboot with same results

Have powered off the PC, unplugged and held power button to discharge with no results.

Rebooted router and modem

I can successfully ping the website in question via IP and domain. If I enter their IP in the browser address bar it will time out the same as trying their domain name.

tracert finds the unavailable domains without issue

traceroute works fine on the sites too

Tried Google DNS and also hard coding Road Runner DNS servers. Same issues.

I can access these websites from my laptop on the same network, AND if I run virtual box on my desktop in question using a Win 10 or Linux VM I can access the websites without issue.

If I configure a proxy server I can access the sites.

Shane · « **Reply #11 on:** June 25, 2015, 03:54:12 am »

Lets see what happens if you do a trace route to it and we can see the nodes it is taking. here is the results of my trace route to the site.

Quote

Microsoft Windows [Version 6.1.7601]
Copyright (c) 2009 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

C:\Users\Shane>tracert http://www.theprofilebrotherhood.com
Unable to resolve target system name http://www.theprofilebrotherhood.com.

C:\Users\Shane>tracert www.theprofilebrotherhood.com

Tracing route to theprofilebrotherhood.com [174.36.75.246]
over a maximum of 30 hops:

1 <1 ms <1 ms <1 ms 192.168.1.1
2 * * * Request timed out.
3 16 ms 8 ms 9 ms dtr04mdfdor-tge-0-5-0-2.mdfd.or.charter.com [96.
34.105.245]
4 19 ms 15 ms 23 ms bbr01mdfdor-bue-2.mdfd.or.charter.com [96.34.105
.82]
5 29 ms 31 ms 23 ms bbr02sttlwa-bue-4.sttl.wa.charter.com [96.34.0.5
6]
6 30 ms 26 ms 32 ms prr01sttlwa-bue-2.sttl.wa.charter.com [96.34.3.3
9]
7 25 ms 18 ms 18 ms te1-5.bbr01.wb01.sea01.networklayer.com [206.81.
80.140]
8 62 ms 71 ms 68 ms ae0.bbr01.cs01.den01.networklayer.com [173.192.1
8.145]
9 63 ms 63 ms 66 ms ae12.bbr02.eq01.dal03.networklayer.com [173.192.
18.138]
10 64 ms 63 ms 63 ms ae1.dar01.sr01.dal01.networklayer.com [173.192.1
8.255]
11 70 ms 70 ms 63 ms po1.fcr02.sr04.dal01.networklayer.com [66.228.11
8.178]
12 68 ms 72 ms 67 ms www.theprofilebrotherhood.com [174.36.75.246]

Trace complete.

C:\Users\Shane>

Shane

jrjr · « **Reply #12 on:** June 25, 2015, 03:59:01 am »

Microsoft Windows [Version 6.1.7601]
Copyright (c) 2009 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

C:\Windows\system32>traceroute www.theprofilebrotherhood.com
'traceroute' is not recognized as an internal or external command,
operable program or batch file.

C:\Windows\system32>tracert www.theprofilebrotherhood.com

Tracing route to theprofilebrotherhood.com [174.36.75.246]
over a maximum of 30 hops:

1 4 ms <1 ms <1 ms 192.168.1.1
2 37 ms 44 ms 29 ms cpe-66-67-0-1.rochester.res.rr.com [66.67.0.1]
3 33 ms 28 ms 21 ms tge0-0-1.sodsny0302h.northeast.rr.com [24.93.8.1
10]
4 13 ms 12 ms 12 ms agg36.hnrtnyaf02r.northeast.rr.com [24.58.45.88]

5 21 ms 23 ms 19 ms be28.albynyyf01r.northeast.rr.com [24.58.32.70]

6 30 ms 32 ms 31 ms bu-ether16.nycmny837aw-bcr00.tbone.rr.com [66.10
9.6.74]
7 53 ms 29 ms 75 ms 0.ae1.pr1.nyc20.tbone.rr.com [107.14.17.218]
8 29 ms 28 ms 28 ms 66.109.11.126
9 39 ms 38 ms 38 ms ae1.bbr01.eq01.chi01.networklayer.com [173.192.1
8.132]
10 60 ms 59 ms 60 ms ae20.bbr01.eq01.dal03.networklayer.com [173.192.
18.136]
11 59 ms 57 ms 60 ms ae0.dar01.sr01.dal01.networklayer.com [173.192.1
8.211]
12 59 ms 57 ms 60 ms po1.fcr02.sr04.dal01.networklayer.com [66.228.11
8.178]
13 58 ms 60 ms 60 ms www.theprofilebrotherhood.com [174.36.75.246]

Trace complete.

C:\Windows\system32>

Shane · « **Reply #13 on:** June 25, 2015, 04:03:14 am »

Ok so ping and tracert can hit the site just fine, which also shows it is getting the right IP from the dns servers. Yet your browsers are not able to hit it, can you a screen shot of the actual message of when it fails?

Ping and tracert hit a different port than the normal port 80 when accessing a site or port 443 for https, so thats something to consider as well, have you tried disabling all AV and firewall software?

Reason why I ask is the fact that ping and tracert can hit it means that it is up, isnt being blocked and the connection to it is fine, dns is working, so it seems like the browsers are being blocked.

All I use is firefox and I do know it keeps its own dns cache, wonder if we just need to make sure the dns cache is clear for the browsers.

Shane

jrjr · « **Reply #14 on:** June 25, 2015, 04:07:54 am »

Yea sure. It takes several minutes to time out. 2 of the sites are server connection reset or something similar. 3rd is a financial site and says something like - secure connection failed. Will get them for you.

Shane · « **Reply #15 on:** June 25, 2015, 04:11:18 am »

It is 4 am for me and I am almost done catching up on all 60 threads I needed to answer, so I may have to reply tomorrow.

Connection reset means the connection was killed for an unknown reason, the server didnt do it and the browser didnt, something in the middle did, some times this is a faulty node, sometimes it is an antivirus or firewall program.

The fact that you can access from your laptop means it isnt your isp, modem or router, and if the tracert on the laptop is the exact same as the on on your troubled system then we know it isnt a bad node, that only leaves something running on the system that has the ability to kill a connection.

Shane

jrjr · « **Reply #16 on:** June 25, 2015, 04:14:49 am »

It's a little after 7am here in NY.... Here's the financial site
Unrelated-
As a work around for now I installed an add on called toggle proxy in FF and the sites in question work with the click of a button to switch proxy from none to whatever they supply. When using that proxy to visit this site (your site) It tells me that I am a robot trying to spam the internet! lol

Shane · « **Reply #17 on:** June 25, 2015, 04:18:50 am »

For that one it looks like it is a https cert problem
https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1058856
and
https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1012765

See if the first one does the trick

Shane

jrjr · « **Reply #18 on:** June 25, 2015, 04:21:31 am »

I will check it out. Brief review makes me think that would be a fix for FF only? None of my browsers work
That would be better than I have now though. Other 2 sites are still trying to connect!

Shane · « **Reply #19 on:** June 25, 2015, 04:25:47 am »

I still think something is on the system messing with the connection, if you havent done a proper power drain to the system yet I would do that as well, just to cover all the bases.

Shutdown system, pull power cord and battery if it has it, then hit power button a few times to drain all the power out, then plug power back in and boot up.

Only 6 more threads to answer then i am off to bed

Shane

jrjr · « **Reply #20 on:** June 25, 2015, 04:27:27 am »

Yea I did that already
I am going to try uninstalling all anti virus software and see what that does.

Shane · « **Reply #21 on:** June 25, 2015, 04:31:25 am »

Good idea, basically it is a process of elimination.

Thanks to having another system to try with we have been able to remove a lot of things off that list, isp, modem, router, nodes and such.

So av and firewall software would be next, and disabling them doesnt do it, I have found over and over again, when you disable them they are never, ever truly disabled. uninstalling them is the only way to be sure. Even then I have had left over firewall drivers from av programs still block things even with the program uninstalled, avast has done this to me before lol

Shane

jrjr · « **Reply #22 on:** June 25, 2015, 04:34:17 am »

Here's what the other 2 sites look like - they finally timed out!

jrjr · « **Reply #23 on:** June 25, 2015, 04:37:12 am »

Quick question. Not sure what 'Enable protected mode' does but it's checked

Shane · « **Reply #24 on:** June 25, 2015, 04:38:06 am »

So https site fails with a authenticity error (Something messing with the secure data and so it fails) and the on the normal http site they take forever to timeout, which means that the browser is getting a small amount of data as every time it gets some data it resets it timeout count down.

Something is missing with the connection, I am starting to feel very firm on that. And 4:30 am is it for me, I still have a busy day tomorrow lol

but thankfully I got back to getting all these caught up.

Shane