Laptop can't find certain websites

sprokit

Hi - hubby and I thoroughly confused with this fault.
Trying to get into a website on my laptop and keep getting error message saying it can't be found......try same address on hubbys desktop and it goes straight to it.
Hubby has set the laptop up the same as the desktop - Internet explorer, XP, using AOL as our broadband connector though laptop doesn't use it for browsing. All security settings on both machines match. The laptop also has Mozilla as a browser and this particular web site can't be found by Mozilla either!
It has to be the laptop at fault but we can't find anything thats different to the other machine so where are we going wrong? As far as I know its just this one website that won't work for me (though now I do wonder if others have previously not worked and I just gave up looking cos I thought they were too slow loading!).
The web site in question is http://find.galegroup.com/bncn/start.do?prodId=BNCN&userGroupName=cumbria
can anyone suggest something we could try please??

Reluctant_spender

I don't think this is malware related but to be sure try this free programme;

Malware Bytes

Please download Malwarebytes Anti-Malware and save it to your desktop.

• Make sure you are connected to the Internet.
• Double-click on mbam-setup.exe to install the application.
• When the installation begins, follow the prompts and do not make any changes to default settings.
• When installation has finished, make sure you leave both of these checked:
  • Update Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware
  • Launch Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware
• Then click Finish.
• MBAM will automatically start and you will be asked to update the program before performing a scan. If an update is found, the program will automatically update itself. Press the OK button to close that box and continue. If you encounter any problems while downloading the updates, manually download them from here and just double-click on mbam-rules.exe to install.
• On the Scanner tab:
  • Make sure the "Perform Quick Scan" option is selected.
  • Then click on the Scan button.
• If asked to select the drives to scan, leave all the drives selected and click on the Start Scan button.
• The scan will begin and "Scan in progress" will show at the top. It may take some time to complete so please be patient.
• When the scan is finished, a message box will say "The scan completed successfully. Click 'Show Results' to display all objects found".
• Click OK to close the message box and continue with the removal process.
• Back at the main Scanner screen, click on the Show Results button to see a list of any malware that was found.
• Make sure that everything is checked, and click Remove Selected.
• When removal is completed, a log report will open in Notepad.
• The log is automatically saved and can be viewed by clicking the Logs tab in MBAM.
• Copy and paste the contents of that report in your next reply and exit MBAM.

Note: If MBAM encounters a file that is difficult to remove, you may be asked to reboot your computer so it can proceed with the disinfection process. Regardless if prompted to restart the computer or not, please do so immediately. Failure to reboot normally (not into safe mode) will prevent MBAM from removing all the malware. MBAM may make changes to your registry as part of its disinfection routine. If you're using other security programs that detect registry changes, they may alert you after scanning with MBAM. Please permit the program to allow the changes.

b33r

Try this: On the laptop with the problem goto "start" and "run", type "cmd", a command window should appear and type "ipconfig /flushdns", close all instances if IE/firefox and try again.

sprokit

thanks for that - followed the instructions and it hasn't made any difference at all - but thanks for trying to help.

kiwifruit_2

I had this problem once and it was something to do with settings in my Norton security or something.....Im sorry Im not much help but it was something as silly as having to unclick a box that was blocking certain types of sites.....

Reluctant_spender

Try the advice here - http://support.microsoft.com/kb/q299357/

sprokit

Reluctant_spender wrote: »

Try the advice here - http://support.microsoft.com/kb/q299357/

thanks for that - will have a good read through it and see what we can do....will let you know what happens.

sprokit

kiwifruit wrote: »

I had this problem once and it was something to do with settings in my Norton security or something.....Im sorry Im not much help but it was something as silly as having to unclick a box that was blocking certain types of sites.....

thats the sort of thin we thought it was but can't find anything different between the 2 machines as they are set up the same.....its bound to be something so simple.......but its taking ages to try and sort......and all cos I want to be able to get on with my family history searching!

netdumdum

Is the laptop connected directly to the internet or via a router?

sprokit

netdumdum wrote: »

Is the laptop connected directly to the internet or via a router?

via a router - our computers are networked