Search Engine Problems

Bashdur K · Posted: Mon Oct 13, 2003 10:50 am Post subject: Search Engine Problems

Here's one that has me totally baffled. I have 3 computers on a router. Nothing has changed in the past week as far as configuration, software, anything.

On two of the machines, we are unable to get to Google, Lycos, Dogpile, or Altavista. All we get is the MS site not found message. The third computer has no problem getting to any of them. We have no problem surfing anywhere else, just seems that search engines have cut us off.

Of the two that cannot get access, one is XP Home, the other is ME. The one that can access them is Win98.

P.S. The only search engine I can get to is Yahoo.

Any Ideas?
_________________

Ratbart · Member Joined: 26 Sep 2003 Posts: 76

I seem to recall a friend of mine having that same problem. It turned out to be a virus. Not too nasty in what it does but very annoying for sure. The virus he had was called QHost.

Link to info on it: http://securityresponse.symantec.com/avcenter/venc/data/trojan.qhosts.html

He followed the steps and it did not clean it out. He ended up reinstalling a windows service pack and that took care of it.

For your sake I hope your problem is something else. Good luck.
_________________

Ratbart 66 Necro (Retired)
Yarclic 57 Cleric (Retired)
Yalton 52 Rogue (Retired)

Shiloch Veneficus · Posted: Mon Oct 13, 2003 4:48 pm Post subject:

Definately some type of virus.

Load up Start > Search (or however you get to it on XP) and search all Files and Folders for "hosts"

You should find "hosts.sam" or just "hosts" somewhere in C:\WINDOWS.

Make sure this file is completely empty with the exception of:

localhost 127.0.0.1

You'll also want to run a virus scan, a spybot search, and disbale third-party browser extentions in your Advanced Internet Explorer Options.
_________________
Sage Shiloch Venzolmes - Arch Convoker - Walkers
QUALITY, not quantity.

Bashdur K · Posted: Mon Oct 13, 2003 6:38 pm Post subject:

Man Shiloch, do you take money for this? You're 100x better than any tech support line I've ever had to call. Again I am in your debt.

I found Hosts.sam, it was as it should be.

I also found c:\windows\host and c:\windows\help\host (neither file had an extension). Inside these files was a list of about 100 search engines with an address 207.44.194.56 in front of each. I assume that this was redirecting everything, and the site has been shut down since it can't be found. The first few times we tried we were sent to some strange web site.

I deleted everything and left them with one line (127.127.127.127) and all is well now.

Thanks again Shiloch !!!
_________________

Shiloch Veneficus · Posted: Wed Oct 15, 2003 5:39 pm Post subject:

The only reason I happened to know that one was because I fell victim to the same thing myself. I spent a good three days wondering why my own machine couldn't get to Google and all the other ones on my LAN could. I'm pretty familiar with the hosts file and just never though to check it (like some assclown would write a virus that puts entries into it, hah!).
_________________
Sage Shiloch Venzolmes - Arch Convoker - Walkers
QUALITY, not quantity.

Talvarien · Member Joined: 04 Feb 2003 Posts: 609

Shiloch just wanted to say "assclown," yeah. /nod

Wink

tal
_________________

PH@T L3WTS