Computer help please Grometttttttttttt!!!!!

[Minxy]

@Gromett .... or anyone else!

I'm totally and utterly fed up!

For some unknown reason my laptop refuses to open some links, for example if I go onto the Complete Savings site (cashback site) and click to shop with one of their retailers, eg Argos I just get an error message:

I also can't get through to the advert links which appear on Google, eg:

I've tried all sort so fix it, rolled it back to an earlier date, defrag, cclean, regclean ... bios update, resetting the connections, ip address etc ... all to no avail. I've disabled virus etc protection ... still nothing. You name it and I've probably done it!

My hubby who uses a pc and is hard-linked to the router doesn't have a problem, also my old laptop doesn't have an issue (wifi connection) so its nothing to do with the router/internet.

It is driving me nuts ... I've spend hours on it and still got nowhere .... ARGHHH!!!!

 

[Minxy]

Forgot to say, it happens regardless of which browser I use.

 

[icantremember]

I've been getting the same problem recently which seems to have started since I changed my ISP from BT to Sky but could be a coincidence. Will follow this thread with interest.

 

[Gromett]

Three possible causes for this. The DNS server you are using has blocked (blackholed) advertisers. You have a custom hosts file which is blocking them, or you have an adblocker installed which is blocking them.

You haven't told us what computer/OS/Tablet/Phone you are using so can't advise further sorry.

 

[Minxy]

Sorry Grom .. just so fed up of it! I'm currently using my old laptop whilst my other one is reconfiguring itself as I've uninstalled some stuff I put on recently (adobe etc) but doubt its anything like that which has caused it but thought it worth yet another try!

I'm on the '3' network and have a HP Probook 455 G2 laptop running Windows 7 Professional (64 bit). I stopped Adblock Pro and uninstalled it to no avail, and am running Adblock having aready stopped it and then started it again as it made no difference; I also tried setting up a new IP address to see if it was a conflict causing a problem but that didn't work either.

I suspect DNS or a host file but don't know how to find out/resolve it. I did lose my finger print scanner but rolling back to a restore point of about 4 days ago fixed it.

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[Gromett]

ok. For the hosts file. Please bear with me as I haven't touched windows in years so am doing this from memory (don't have windows here).
In accessories look for notepad, right click on it and click run as administrator.
Then open c:\windows\system32\drivers\etc\hosts

Tell me how many lines there are in this file. If it is less than 10 then it is ok.

 

[zac]

sounds like a bit of spyware may have got in, download if you can malwarebytes and update (if you can) and run a full scan then reboot.

 

[DBK]

There are a lot of suggestions online if you Google. One simple one I found was to open up a command prompt and enter "ipconfig /flushdns" without the "" of course. This might work but there are other fixes.

 

[Minxy]

Thanks guys, tried the various web solutions ... loads of them, including flushing the dns, resetting this, that, and the other, ran Malwarebytes etc, even found and checked the host files but nothing nasty in them ... even tried removing the host files completely ... still no joy so hubby has reluctantly agreed to have a play with it for me (he HATES laptops with a vengeance .. give him a normal PC and he's a happy bunny!) and is currently trying to reset it to factory settings and if that doesn't work he'll do a completely new install of Windows ... trying to avoid this as it takes a long time to put all the drivers etc back but I've wasted hours and hours trying to sort it so it's his turn now!

I'll let you know how it turns out ... good job I haven't sold my old laptop yet otherwise I'd be totally stuffed!!!

 

[tofo]

Windows fixer upper

Any use

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[tofo]

Thanks guys, tried the various web solutions ... loads of them, including flushing the dns, resetting this, that, and the other, ran Malwarebytes etc, even found and checked the host files but nothing nasty in them ... even tried removing the host files completely ... still no joy so hubby has reluctantly agreed to have a play with it for me (he HATES laptops with a vengeance .. give him a normal PC and he's a happy bunny!) and is currently trying to reset it to factory settings and if that doesn't work he'll do a completely new install of Windows ... trying to avoid this as it takes a long time to put all the drivers etc back but I've wasted hours and hours trying to sort it so it's his turn now!

I'll let you know how it turns out ... good job I haven't sold my old laptop yet otherwise I'd be totally stuffed!!!

 

[Minxy]

Well, the factory reset/restore had done a runner ... gawd knows how/why, so no option but to do a fresh install of Windows 7, once done I had a quick check to see if I could access the ad links etc that I couldn't before and they loaded without a problem so it's working! Yay!!!!!!

Still no idea of what the problem was but the fresh install has 'kicked its butt'!

Now just the boring and long-winded task of downloading and installing all the drivers and putting all my files etc back on which I'd backed up before the re-install.

 

[Gromett]

To be honest. a fresh install of windows once a year is absolutely essential in my experience for any windows computer that is used for anything vaguely serious.
The best way to do this is to take an image of the partition straight after a clean install with your required software.

I used to use clonezilla. Honestly you may want to have a look?

 

[sonny]

What In English please

 

[Pausim]

I think it is appalling that we have to jump through so many hoops just to keep our computers running. How on earth did Microsoft get to dominate the market with such a cobbled together and unstable operating system.

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[Clarky]

Should have bought a Mac..............

Richard.

 

[Minxy]

To be honest. a fresh install of windows once a year is absolutely essential in my experience for any windows computer that is used for anything vaguely serious.
The best way to do this is to take an image of the partition straight after a clean install with your required software.

I used to use clonezilla. Honestly you may want to have a look?

Thanks Grom, will do, once all the drivers etc are back as they should be and everything is hunky dory I'll do a new image and keep it safe.

 

[Gellyneck]

Thanks Grom, will do, once all the drivers etc are back as they should be and everything is hunky dory I'll do a new image and keep it safe.

Surprised @Grommit didn't say -
"To be honest, a fresh install of Linux is absolutely essential in my experience"!
But do agree that an image of the clean install (after drivers and software installed) is imperative. I use Macrium Reflect Free.

 

[hilldweller]

trying to avoid this as it takes a long time to put all the drivers etc back

If it's just an old hack laptop you could go mad and download Linux Mint, install that and all your problems are gone.

I've been using all year now and the Windows Angst has left me. Nearly.

I must update wife, all the time "it's going slow again, it's doing an update again".

You will find it loads Chrome and Firefox and once in there you can't tell it from windows.

 

[Gellyneck]

I must update wife,

??????????

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[DigglyDog]

If it's really old and only ever used for simple stuff, is almost always connected to the internet and you are happy to use cloud storage, then try converting to a chromebook.
My old Acer, God knows how old, works a dream when away, and I won't worry if it ever goes missing when wild camping.
https://www.neverware.com/freedownload

 

[Minxy]

Its my newish laptop so I'd rather keep it using Microsoft stuff as hubby and me share stuff between our machines.

The Windows 7 install decided to crash out on him this morning whilst he was putting some drivers etc back on whilst I was out at my Mum's etc, so he decided to upgrade it to Windows 10 (already had the disc anyway) so I'm now reluctantly having to get used to that instead!

Might suggest hubby put Linux on my old laptop when we get back off holiday and see what we think of it, certainly not a massive fan of Windows so if there's something that will do the job just as well and be compatible with our existing files etc, I'm willing to give it a go ... can't be any worse than trying to get used to 10 ... or even a Mac!!!!!

 

[clanjones]

The link below is worth a view, it doesn't include disto's based on Unbuntu of which there are many - Linux Mint being one, which is very popular.

I am not in the same league as some folks on this forum re. Linux, but use it all the time when we are away on an old netbook. It just works!



PS I also used Windows 10 at home so not a Bill Gates basher!

 

[hilldweller]

Linux Mint being one, which is very popular.

As suggested to me by Grommet and I'm very grateful, it's been a revelation. For web browsing and email it's hard to tell it's not windows apart from not waiting for it to update every day.

The only thing that I have not got sussed under Linux is video editing, which I do rarely and revert to Windows 7 to use the bought copy of Filmova. And I booted windows yesterday to use a C compiler that runs under windows for a 10 year old project, the alarm in the garage.

 

[Minxy]

Have you got a dual boot system then Hilda?

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[Deleted member 29692]

I think it is appalling that we have to jump through so many hoops just to keep our computers running.

You don't have to. Nobody is forcing you to use Windows.

Use a proper OS that works and you won't have the issues.

 

[Pausim]

You don't have to. Nobody is forcing you to use Windows.

Use a proper OS that works and you won't have the issues.

Most of the time I don't but I have some software that I need to use occassionallly that only runs on Windows. Doesn't stop me thinking that Windows is a dog's breakfast.

 

[clanjones]

Most of the time I don't but I have some software that I need to use occasionally that only runs on Windows

I know what you mean! I have some success using WINE but not always but worth a try if you haven't tried it.