Cannot find server error..?

[oceaneer]

Hi Guys....

Some basic help required please. IE5 on my son's computer suddenly started reporting the cannot find server message. He can connect to the ISP fine, but no websites are displayed. He can ping sites and get replies. He then installed opera, and got the same error.

He was using Win 98, then upgraded to Win 98SE to resolve the problem, but still the same. The ISP says not their fault, reinstall IE5. Well, that seems easier said than done. How can he just reinstall the browser?

(Format and clean install would be the last resort.......any ideas first?)

Thanks

[az]

If Opera has the same problem, and even switching OSes didn't cure it, the problem most certainly does not lie with the browser. Do you use a router, internet connection sharing, firewall, etc.?

AZ

[Guru]

You can reinstall the browser from the "add remowe program"!

[The PIT]

Sounds like it's not resolving host names properly. One way check this is to ping a site by the web name and then by it's ip address. Both should work. If it doesn't try re-installing tcp/ip.
Also virus can cause this as can incorrectly set proxy servers plus incorrectly installed firewalls like zonealarm for example.

[Fat Tone]

Removing things like Webhancer can cause it too. There's a proggie out there somewhere for repairing the stack. Can't remember its name atm. Ask if you want me to dig.

[bsdgeek]

Ask the ISP for their DNS servers' IP addresses, then manually input them. It might help.

[noxium]

Had exactly the same problem here at work a long time ago (we even STILL use Windows 98) Can you type in a websites IP address in the search bar and see if that works? We assumed it was a DNS prob too, but it turned out to be the modem drivers. Try replacing them. I can't remember if the standard windows modem drivers worked or whether I needed to get the card specific ones from the manufacturers website, was too long ago I've never seen it since either.

Nox

[oceaneer]

Thanks for the input.

AZ No, straight dialup to ISP, nothing in the way.

GURU This installs IE from the its website, which is not accessable.

PIT Both pings were successful. Norton latest scan was clean. Not using any proxy servers or firewalls.

BSDGEEK Did that. No change.

NOXIUM Will try that tonight.

BTW, My machine is in the next room and uses same OS and dialup and ISP. It continues to work fine.

Oh, Browser repair gave no errors.

Should I try to uninstall/reinstall the DUN and TCP? MS has a procedure for this.


Thanks

[az]

What is the latest message in the Opera Progress Bar before the error message pops up, and what does the error message say?

AZ

[oceaneer]

AZ I am at work now, and do not recall exactly, but it refers to the server, or rather, the lack of. It is a short message something like,"no server"

Nick

[The PIT]

Re-install DUN and tcp/ip. Also check whats running in the background before launch IE or Opera and close anything that shouldn't be there.

[Kooldino]

Just for grins, try that distro of linux that runs off a CD ROM and see if you can browse w/ it.

[The PIT]

Originally posted by Kooldino
Just for grins, try that distro of linux that runs off a CD ROM and see if you can browse w/ it.

Probably wouldn't reconise the modem.

[Wulfman]

knoppix? would be worth a try. amazing hardware-detection.

mfg
wulfman

[az]

Yep. Booted into it and had ADSL running within 2 minutes. and I NEVER used Linux before.

AZ