Windows 11 update has broken the internet.

facade

Help!

Apologies for the long post below, but in a nutshell I have lost some internet access since updating and need help with what to try to get it working again.

This is the only website I can access where I might get help.

Recently I stupidly unlocked my Win 11 pro version from the ultra stable 23h2 and allowed 25h2 to install (huge, huge mistake…)

All seemed well, it even updated a couple of times with no problems.

Anyway, the last couple of days I've had the dreaded yellow circle warning me that it will install an update if I restart. (I know now, I should just keep all updates paused). On the grounds that it is bound to install by itself before long, right in the middle of an overnight transcode I restarted.

Imagine my relief when it eventually booted to the login screen, and then to the desktop.

This quickly turned to dismay when I realised that I had no internet. It would identify the router (a BT hub 2) and then flash to unknown, no internet connection.

The most obvious thing is to uninstall the updates. Although KB 5083769 went on, loads had to come off.

But it still doesn't work

So I did a network reset. And it still doesn't work

So I turned off the BT hub, and left the pc disconnected. Then turned the hub back on and let it restart before connecting the PC again

I can access everything from my 'phone (websites and the hub admin page)

I did ipconfig /flushdns and I can access some websites, like MSE, and youtube but most. like BT.com, google.com I get "can't connect errors" with firefox

Switching to edge, I can reach google but bt.com, bbc.co.uk give me an ERR_ADDRESS_UNREACHABLE error

I can't even access the router admin page on 192.168.1.254

I can't get to any webpage with help on it!

My mobile 'phone works perfectly from the wifi connection and will open these websites, so it can't be the hub (which I have reset - again)

Vitor

Try opening a command prompt with Admin privs then run

sfc /scannow

and then

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

and then reboot

facade

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81968991#Comment_81968991

Unfortunately, I use lots of programs that work on windows.

And it has taken literally years to get everything set up and working how I want, so I can't just wipe the drive and install w11 again.

HillStreetBlues

Have you a backup? or restore point? Have you the correct time set?

facade

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81969067#Comment_81969067

Doh!!! Completely slipped my mind. 😖 There are restore points that pre date the catastrophe!

Thanks for the suggestion.

I shall offer a sacrifice to the God of Microsoft and select one from well before.

I actually do have a full backup: I have the previous 23h2 C: drive from early February, I cloned the complete drive and then messed about installing 25h2 onto the clone, but to clone it back I need to get the screwdrivers out and start swapping drives so I will give system restore a go, with the ethernet cable pulled out and pause updates before I connect.

I'm just saving all my bookmarks, passwords etc and thunderbird before I lose the latest stuff..

Newcad

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81968991#Comment_81968991

That's actually the wrong way round to run those two tools.

Admittedly people often run SFC first, or only run SFC, simply because it takes less time than DISM.

However to make sure that SFC is using a correct/healthy System Image DISM should be run before running SFC.

See: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/use-the-system-file-checker-tool-to-repair-missing-or-corrupted-system-files-79aa86cb-ca52-166a-92a3-966e85d4094e

DISM (Deployment Image Servicing and Management) should be run first to repair the Windows component store using Windows Update.
SFC (System File Checker) should be run afterward to scan and replace individual corrupted system files

facade

Turns out I had two problems not one.

The first was the update affecting the network adapter.

Restore did sort that

You will never, ever, ever guess what the root of the second problem was!

BT enable some sort of malware called "My protect" by default that blocks most of the websites that you would ever want to go to. (Including themselves and the router admin)🙄 I think it actually interferes with the way the browsers access some DNS ranges.

I always use a VPN so I bypass such junk and have never noticed.

I killed the VPN during troubleshooting. None of the laptops use the VPN, so they were getting the same refusal to connect to BBC.co.uk etc.

I've no idea why my 'phone was able to access everything, but both laptops (win11 and win10) and my tablet were being blocked, both the 'phone & tablet run android and use safari..

That will teach me that I should believe in coincidences!

Thanks all

flaneurs_lobster

BT enable some sort of malware called "My protect" by default that blocks most of the websites that you would ever want to go to. (Including themselves and the router admin)🙄 I think it actually interferes with the way the browsers access some DNS ranges.

Do you mean BT Web Protect?

I've had that switched on for literally years, it maybe flags a site every three months (and I don't routinely run a VPN). Certainly doesn't stop access to the sites you mention.

Or is it something else? Have you changed your default DNS server, although that shouldn't really matter?

facade

It is the "web protect", I thought it was "my protect", it is disabled via my BT.

It is supposed to serve up an alternative page saying "Dodgy website blocked" when it blocks a site.

I actually found someone who had had the exact same problem of widespread loss of access to websites on a windows PC (but not an ipad) at random ("website can't be reached") for weeks, BT hadn't a clue. He even set up a clean install on a PC at another house that worked flawlessly, then took it to the problem house and it was instantly blocked.

Also mentions the same websites as working and "can't be reached" as I found. (Including the BT site ;) didn't mention that he couldn't get into the router management console though)

Like I said, you would never, ever have guessed that half the problem was BT, and it didn't show up while I used a VPN.

https://community.bt.com/t5/Home-setup-Wi-Fi-network/quot-This-site-can-t-be-reached-quot/td-p/2413057

No I haven't changed DNS server or anything, it was on my list of things to try before I found the solution above.

onomatopoeia99

So, for clarity, the update hasn't "broken the internet" (phew!)

facade

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81970220#Comment_81970220

BT did that! (Although it wasn't the actual internet that broke, only my access to it)

The update just affected my wired/wireless networking adaptors so I couldn't connect to the router, probably did something to the driver. Removing all the updates from that day and rolling back for good measure got my connection back.