Cannot access Google.com!

[~Dad]

For the last week or so, I've not been able to access Google directly or indirectly with the little search bar. The same thing happens in FF and IE. I can get to their maps because the site is Maps by Google, but I cannot go to Google Maps! I can go to Forums/Google, but not to any of their Google.* sites. I can use the primary search bar in IE and FF that is powered by Google.

There's a ton of this on the net and I've tried a dozen things: Off with the firewall, off with the anti-virus/addware, flushed my DNS, DNC, DN whatever the hell it is, reset winsock, gone through to make sure it's not on my "Do not go there" list etc. I've done the ipconfig "ping" test and the "find the right bloody ip address" tests and I get full prompt return on all packets. Whien I try to go direct, however, "FF cannot find the server at Google.Com."

One other thing, don't know if it's related but it started at the same time, I cannot connect with any of the paid sites up at the top of the search pages. I can go down below and click on the exact same address and no prob, but will not work up in the commercial section.

Baffling, irritating, PIA. It's making me crazy!

[kwiksilver]

You're infected with something. It's probably re-routing your DNS. Or you set custom DNS in your router? Or maybe your ISP is using weird DNS.

[~Dad]

The web says this often happens after removing an infection and it leaves something corrupted on winsock. I reset it . I've used my standard arsenel of MSE, SAS, MWB, SpywareBlaster, and CCleaner but I'll do it again tonight. Thanks.

[Mr.Scott]

Do it in safe mode, with the rig physically disconnected from the internet, and with system restore turned off.
Run this first. http://download.bleepingcomputer.com/grinler/rkill.exe

[digitaldd]

Open up your hosts file in notepad [elevated to admin notepad if you have Vista/Win7] and look for entries for google.com addresses if there are any delete them on most computers the only entries that should be there are the localhost one(s).

[Tomek]

^^ I think he's already checked that, plus ping responds.

Seems the browsers are jacked...

[~Dad]

In Internet Options there is a exclusion list that has Google.com (FRAUD) on it. Google has dozens of addresses and my assumption is that this would only block a particular fake one. Could that stop all my attempts to reach Google?

[BigE4u]

As MrScott mentioned, in safe mode.... i've done all my scannings there first, when done, back to windows and do a second scan with internet cable/wlan disconnected from computer. update all scanners 1st before use of course

[digitaldd]

Originally Posted by Tomek

^^ I think he's already checked that, plus ping responds.

Seems the browsers are jacked...

FWIW: actually if the hosts file has an IP for google.com that is active ping would respond and that IP could be hosting a site that hosts/spreads malware.

We are all on the same malware page.

[~Dad]

Originally Posted by BigE4u

As MrScott mentioned, in safe mode.... i've done all my scannings there first, when done, back to windows and do a second scan with internet cable/wlan disconnected from computer. update all scanners 1st before use of course

Originally Posted by digitaldd

FWIW: actually if the hosts file has an IP for google.com that is active ping would respond and that IP could be hosting a site that hosts/spreads malware.

We are all on the same malware page.

That is my standard procedure when looking for nasties.... Update, physically disconnect from the net/router/modem, open in safe mode, do all the scans, clean all the history and cookies, take out the trash and do it all again w/o safe mode before reattaching to the net. I've been clean so far this time.

That's an interesting idea about the ping. Im just learning about networking and the like. If I can ping Google's legit address then I s/b able to connect to them. If not, it all points to DNS. Can I ping a numerical address rather than *.*?

[Nagoshi]

Originally Posted by ~Dad

That's an interesting idea about the ping. Im just learning about networking and the like. If I can ping Google's legit address then I s/b able to connect to them. If not, it all points to DNS. Can I ping a numerical address rather than *.*?

Yes; when you type "ping www.google.com", or even "www.google.com" in a browser, it first checks the hosts file for an entry about said address, then it asks the DNS what the IP addy is, then pings/access said IP.

If Google is listed in the hosts file and redirected to a different IP, that might be why you cannot access it. For example if it is redirected to 127.0.0.1 every time you try to access www.Google.com it redirects the site to your own computer, creating a loopback and giving you a 404.

Here's the IP I get at work when I ping www.google.com. Try it: http://74.125.228.16/

[~Dad]

Nagoshi, I clicked on the address link you sent and it took me to the Google Search page. Cool! I then typed Google.com into the search bar and I went to the same place. Even cooler.! Now I can get to Google Maps and the whole thing.

Would going there directly using the numerical address have provided a new address to the DNS? I need to read more about it.

Guys, Thank you once again for helping and teaching. That's why we live at EOC.C!