Several users have reported an issue in which various Web browsers (Internet Explorer, Firefox, Google Chrome) cannot connect to websites despite the presence of an otherwise valid, working Internet connection.
Many users find that, when this problem occurs, they can ping the network, access email and perform other network functions, but browsers are dead in the water.
Fixes
Disable link scanning in antivirus/malware software The number one cause of this issue is problematic link scanning functions in various antivirus/malware software packages. Try disabling any link scanning components, then restart and check for Internet access.
For example, you can disable AVG’s link scanner by clicking on the AVG icon in the task bar (lower-right hand corner) then selecting “Link Scanner” and unchecking the “Enable AVG Search-Shield” box.
Look for a similar Web “link scanner” or “web shield” component in your antivirus/malware package and temporarily disable it, then restart your computer and check to see if the problem still exists.
Remove conflicting antivirus/malware software Conflicts created by the presence of two antivirus or malware packages that duplicate each other’s functionality can cause this problem. Install one, and only one strong anti-malware package. The presence of multiple packages can create conflicts that decrease system stability and can actually make your system more vulnerable.
First, uninstall all antivirus and malware programs from your system, then reinstall one, solid package and check for persistence of the issue.
Filed under Internet Explorer 8, Viruses/Malware, Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP by on Apr 16th, 2009. 2 Comments. 
The Start button and Taskbar in various version of Windows may suddenly become unresponsive or frozen, failing to respond to clicks or other user input.
Fixes
Try the hotfix Microsoft has provided a hotfix for this issue as it occurs under Windows Vista. Unfortunately, a number of users report that the hotfix only temporarily cures the issue.
Remove problematic startup items/services Follow these steps:
- Startup in safe mode (tap the F8 key on your keyboard repeatedly as the computer is starting up)
- Select a method of safe booting from the menu (first try with networking; if the crash still occurs, try without networking)
- Once the system has booted, click the Start button and type MSCONFIG then press enter in Windows Vista (in Windows XP, click the Start button, then click “Run” and type MSCONFIG then press enter)
- Go to the startup tab
- Uncheck any third-party and nonessential startup items–on most systems, this would include all items on the list. Apply the changes and press OK, then restart the system if it does not happen automatically. Startup normally (i.e. not in safe mode)
- If the problem not occur, go back to MSCONFIG and start re-enabling items in groups. Enable a few items, then restart and check to see if the problem. If it does, boot into safe mode again and disable some of those items then re-attempt a normal startup. Keep enabling items until you find the culprit, then leave that service turned off permanently or uninstall it.
Filed under Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP by on Apr 15th, 2009. Comment.
Some users have reported an issue in which they are suddenly unable to play streaming Windows Media files from various websites. These include the Sirius and XM streaming sites as well as other outlets.
Fix
This issue can usually be resolved by simply setting Windows Media Player as the default playback program. This can be accomplished as follows:
- Click the Start button
- Go to Default Programs>Set Default Programs in Windows Vista (or All Programs>Program Access and Defaults in Windows XP)
- Set Windows Media Player as the default media player.
If the above process does not work, you may need to rename the folder “Windows Media” in %appdata%\local\microsoft then re-try streaming.
Feedback? info@windowsfixup.com.
Filed under Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP, windows media player by on Apr 14th, 2009. Comment.
Perhaps one of the most frustrating times to experience a full system crash, accompanied by the blue screen of death (BSOD), is at startup. This issue typically occurs after a major system update or the introduction of some new third-party software or hardware to the system, and may display the error message “0x0000008E.” Fortunately, there’s a relatively straightforward process you can use to solve this problem in the majority of cases.
Follow these steps:
- Startup in safe mode (tap the F8 key on your keyboard repeatedly as the computer is starting up)
- Select a method of safe booting from the menu (first try with networking; if the crash still occurs, try without networking)
- Once the system has booted, click the Start button and type MSCONFIG then press enter in Windows Vista (in Windows XP, click the Start button, then click “Run” and type MSCONFIG then press enter)
- Go to the startup tab
- Uncheck any third-party and nonessential startup items–on most systems, this would include all items on the list. Apply the changes and press OK, then restart the system if it does not happen automatically. Startup normally (i.e. not in safe mode)
- If the blue screen does not occur, go back to MSCONFIG and start re-enabling items in groups. Enable a few items, then restart and check to see if the blue screen occurs. If it does, boot into safe mode again and disable some of those items then re-attempt a normal startup. Keep enabling items until you find the culprit, then leave that service turned off permanently or uninstall it.
Feedback? info@windowsfixup.com.
Filed under Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP by on Apr 13th, 2009. Comment.
Several users have reported an issue in which Windows displays the message “Windows cannot connect to the printer. Access is denied” when attempting to add a new printer through the printer wizard, or suddenly after a system update or restart.
Fix
This issue can sometimes be fixed via the following process:
- Open the control panel and choose the printer section
- Choose “Add printer” then “Add a local printer”
- Click on “Create a new port” and choose “Local port”
- Click next, and you will be prompted for a port name. Type the following: \\computername\printername and apply the changes.
(where computername is the name of your computer and printername is the name of your printer.)
If you don’t know your computer’s name, click the start button then right-click on “computer” in Windows Vista and select properties (or right-click on “my computer” in Windows XP and select properties). The computer name will be displayed among the data.
To find your printer’s name, open the control panel then go to Printers and other
hardware>View Installed printers.
Filed under Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP by on Apr 9th, 2009. Comment.
A number of users have experienced problems updating to the newly released iTunes 8.1.1. Generally, when this issue occurs, installation appears to proceed normally but then delivers the error message “The installer encounted errors before iTunes could be configured. Your system has not been modified. To retry these operations at a later time please return to the installer again. Click Finish to exit installer.”
Fix
This problem can often be fixed by reinstalling the latest version of QuickTime via the following steps:
- Download the latest edition of QuickTime for Windows (make sure to pick the option without iTunes)
- Choose to save the file to your disk, then double-click the .exe file and install QuickTime
- After QuickTime is successfully installed, download iTunes again, choosing to save the file. Double-click the iTunes installer .exe and proceed with installation.
Other potential fixes for this issue include:
Run a disk check Disk errors, particularly in Windows XP, can prevent proper iTunes installation. See this Microsoft Knowledge Base article for instructions on performing a disk check/repair.
Use Windows Installer Cleanup Use the Windows Installer Cleanup tool to remove any references to Apple-related installation files (QuickTime, iTunes, etc.), then re-try using the aforementioned two-step method to reinstall QuickTime and iTunes.
Feedback? info@windowsfixup.com.
Filed under News, Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP, iTunes by on Apr 8th, 2009. 6 Comments.
A number of Windows iTunes users have reported extremely poor performance from the application. Symptoms include long lags when clicking on items, delays before playback starts, slow launches and more.
Fixes
There are a few specific fixes that can provide a significant boost in iTunes for Windows speed.
Exclude iTunes library from antivirus software Launch your antivirus software package and exclude iTunes and the iTunes library (located in C:\Documents and Settings\yourusername\My Documents\My Music\iTunes) from the scanning routine. Because some iTunes library files are updated every several seconds, constant scanning by antivirus software can cause a massive slowdown.
Check for conflicts Use the instructions in this Apple Knowledge Base document to check for potential conflicts with iTunes. The suggested process involves using MSCONFIG to disable startup or system services that could be causing a slowdown, then re-enabling services one by one or in groups to check for recurrence of the conflict.
Add iTunes to firewall exceptions If you are experiencing particular slowness when accessing the iTunes store, try adding iTunes to the exception list in your Windows firewall. Instructions for doing so in Windows Vista are here, and instructions for Windows XP here.
You may also want to check any third-party firewall software and add iTunes to its exceptions list.
Turn off Genius It appears that that the iTunes Genius feature can cause slowness for some users. Try turning the feature off from the “Store” menu.
Update to the latest version Make sure you are using the latest version of iTunes, available from Apple’s Web site.
Filed under Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP, iTunes by on Apr 7th, 2009. Comment.
Several users have reported an inability to install Adobe Flash Player, generally accompanied by the error message “Unable to authenticate install.”
Fix This problem can usually be quickly fixed via the following steps:
- Uninstall the Flash Player by navigating to this Adobe page then downloading and running the appropriate uninstallation program
- Next, right-click your Web browser’s icon or listing in the Start menu and select “Run as Administrator.” Navigate to the Flash download page, then download and install the Flash Player.
Feedback? info@windowsfixup.com.
Filed under Internet Explorer 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP by on Apr 6th, 2009. Comment.
As we have noted, the presence of two overlapping antivirus or antimalware/spyware/firewall tools can cause various conflicts. Users should install one (and only one) strong anti-virus package and make sure it’s up-to-date.
One problem that can result from the presence of conflicting protection tools is an inability to connect to the Internet. This issue is typified by a persistent or sporadic inability to load web pages, generally accompanied by a never-ending “Connecting…” message in any given Web browser.
To resolve this issue, completely remove or disable all antivirus/spyware software (Norton 360, ZoneAlarm, AVG, etc.). In fact, you may need to uninstall the packages–simply disabling may not work.
Next, re-install one and only one competent antivirus/spyware tool and check for Internet connectivity.
Filed under Internet Explorer 8, Viruses/Malware, Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP by on Apr 6th, 2009. 1 Comment.
Chances are, you don’t have Conficker. Following a report on 60 Minutes and dire headlines across a broad swath of other media, fear set in, and some users started to blame any system issue on or after April 1 on the worm. According to IBM Internet Security Services, however, the total infection rate is somewhere around 4%, and probably much smaller in the United States.
Still, if you’re paranoid, or you’re experiencing symptoms typical of Conficker infection (disabling of automatic Microsoft updates and Windows Defender, abnormally high network congestion, etc.), you can easily and quickly determine whether or not you are infected with the virus by visiting the “Conficker Eye Chart” page created by the Conficker Working Group. As described on that page, the loading of all six images in the chart indicates that your system is likely not infected by Conficker. The test works because Conficker is known to block access to several antivirus websites, and the images contained in the chart load images from some of those sites.
If you are infected, or you want to take measures against infection, see our previous article “Protect Yourself Against Conficker in 3 Simple Steps” for removal instructions and protection mechanisms.
Feedback? info@windowsfixup.com.
Filed under Viruses/Malware, Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP by on Apr 3rd, 2009. Comment.