Troubleshooting Internet Explorer: Secure Web Pages Not Loading - Help Needed!

[Kazza_765]

I've tried posting this on computer forums but no one seems to be able to help, so I figured I would try my luck here and see if anyone else has come across the same problem.

For no reason, internet explorer has stopped loading secure web pages, it says Cannot Find Server. I have done nothing new, haven't installed any programs or visited any unusual web sites. I have run virus scanners and anti-adware/spyware programs. I have tried at least a dozen suggestions I have picked up from searching the net, adjusting security settings and user privileges and so on, and installed a security update that the microsoft website suggested but nothing fixes it. This is the third time this has happened, the previous two times I eventually had to format the hard drive and re-install windows. It has been three months since I did that last and now its happening again. I'm about ready to throw the whole damn thing out the window. Argh.

 

[TenaliRaman]

Try another browser, check out Opera and Firefox. This should help you out, if not, check up with your ISP. If your ISP has no problems whatsoever, then some damn dll in windows has gone wrong. Try and run sfc on your windows and let it check up the files, if any dll has gone wrong, it will show you and let you fix it if you have setup disk.

-- AI

 

[Kazza_765]

Thanks for the reply. I tried using other browsers the last time this happened but they didn't work either. Excuse my ignorance but what is sfc and how do I run it?

 

[saltydog]

Hello Kazza. Perhaps you have a browser hijacker (malware) on your machine and may be "reinitializing" it by your web surfing habits. Are you familiar with "hijackthis" sofware? This software can be downloaded from the net and allows you to analyze your machine for such malware.

 

[Anttech]

some sites use java for ssl AFAIK, download the lastest java engine from sun

http://www.java.com/en/download/windows_automatic.jsp

 

[TenaliRaman]

Excuse my ignorance but what is sfc and how do I run it?

SFC = System File Checker
To run sfc,
Click Start > Run > Type in sfc > press Enter

It will show up a window, it should have :
1. Two radio buttons
Scan for altered files (default selected)
Extract one file from installation disk
2. Three buttons
Start, Close, Settings

Select "Scan for altered files" if its not selected by default
and click Start.

Whenever it finds any altered files, it should ask you to enter the installation CD to get the correct file.

-- AI

 

[Kazza_765]

Thanks for the advice. I tried hijackthis and found one suspicious looking file which I deleted, and that solved the problem.
This problem occurred about 3 days ago, and I have been using my roommates computer to do my banking. Today, his computer started doing the same thing, even though the only common sites we have been to have been the bank and we have transferred nothing between the computers. Strange, but at least it is fixed now. Thanks again.

 

[saltydog]

Thanks for the advice. I tried hijackthis and found one suspicious looking file which I deleted, and that solved the problem.
This problem occurred about 3 days ago, and I have been using my roommates computer to do my banking. Today, his computer started doing the same thing, even though the only common sites we have been to have been the bank and we have transferred nothing between the computers. Strange, but at least it is fixed now. Thanks again.

Well get down Kazza! You know, it takes some balls to start deleting system files and messin' with the registry via hijackthis. You might be a hacker

 

[saltydog]

Well get down Kazza! You know, it takes some balls to start deleting system files and messin' with the registry via hijackthis. You might be a hacker

You know Kazza, I can't help feeling a little suspicious when it comes to accessing secure sites. Let me give you a scenario I envision:

Suppose your bank has detected something unsafe on your computer which would compromise your access to secure sites and thus the BANK installed the file you deleted to protect you. I'm just cautious that's all. Be careful. Let me give you an example:

I once made an on-line check for my gas bill which was $23.37
You guessed it: I missed the decimal place and they sent one out for $2337.00 even though I didn't have the money in my account to cover it. With a lot of effort, I was able to correct it.

I no longer use on-line banking.

 

[Kazza_765]

Hmm, that's a good point sd, but I would have thought the bank would give me at least some kind of notification. In any case, I'm a uni student living in a share house, being supported by the government; my bank balance is generally quite low ($6.27 right now), so if someone were to hack my account it wouldn't be a great loss.