microsoft internet explorer cannot find server

This is Windows XP Service Pack 3 with Internet Explorer 7 and Mozilla Firefox as web browser. I don’t know what is wrong with my system my IE always says “internet explorer cannot find the server”. I have to update Windows but getting stuck because of this error message. I also tried using Firefox, it works but too slow. That means my internet is working but there is some problem in Windows itself.

When I ran Network Diagnostic, I got the following error message:
“Windows cannot connect to the internet using HTTP,HTTPS, or FTP. This is probably caused by firewall settings on this computer.
Check the firewall settings for the HTTP port (80), HTTPS port (443) and FTP port (21)”

I checked the firewall but everything seems to be ok there. Can anyone please help me with this? Many thanks.

First of all make sure your system is not infected with any virus or malware. Most of the time it use to be malware or any dangerous virus which prevents the browser from accessing the Internet to keep you from downloading something to fix it. Though they are software but they are smart. hence upgrade your Antivirus and clean up the system. The best i can suggest you is download Malwarebytes for free, update it and run a full scan. http://www.malwarebytes.org/

Looking at their WWW page today, they claim to have gotten rid of 1 billion infections! Bit no AV software knows about everything, but I would start there no matter what else you are using or how sanitary you think your system already is.

Yeah Lima is correct. It could be infection which might be causing the problem. Once you done scanning and if problem persists, try out the following steps:

Launch Internet Explorer, go to Internet Options, click Connections tab, click "Lan Settings" button and deselect all options. Now open Command Prompt and run the following command:

ipconfig/ flushdns

Once done, run the following commands in command prompt:

IPConfig /FlushDNS [Press Enter key]
ipconfig /release [Press Enter key]
ipconfig /renew [Press Enter key]
ipconfig /registerdns [Press Enter key]

NETSH

Click Start, Run, type CMD and click the [OK] button. Type the following:

netsh winsock reset

Press Enter key

Restart the system

Thank you very much for the help guys. As you guys suggested i downloaded Malwarebytes, scanned the system but found nothing. I also updated my already running AVG antivirus, scanned system but found nothing. SO there is no infection on the system.

I also tried the Internet Option settings and the above mentioned all commands, yet no success. I still get the same error message on IE and Firefox runs slow.

What now?

I had the same problem last night with the Win32/nuquel.E & Bankerfox.A. I managed to download Malware Bytes onto a thumb drive and run it on the infected computer. The virus is clean but now I can not access the internet at all from that computer.

When I attempt to access the internet, I get "Internet Explorer cannot display the webpage". (IE 8) I diagnose connection problems and get the exact same message..."Check the firewall settings for the HTTP port (80), HTTPS port (443) and FTP port (21)".

Below are my two Malware Bytes logfiles

#1:
Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware 1.44
Database version: 3510
Windows 5.1.2600 Service Pack 3 (Safe Mode)
Internet Explorer 8.0.6001.18702

2/1/2010 7:05:10 AM
mbam-log-2010-02-01 (07-05-10).txt

Scan type: Quick Scan
Objects scanned: 112774
Time elapsed: 6 minute(s), 28 second(s)

Memory Processes Infected: 0
Memory Modules Infected: 0
Registry Keys Infected: 2
Registry Values Infected: 2
Registry Data Items Infected: 0
Folders Infected: 0
Files Infected: 0

Memory Processes Infected:
(No malicious items detected)

Memory Modules Infected:
(No malicious items detected)

Registry Keys Infected:
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\popcaploader.popcaploaderctrl2 (Adware.PopCap) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\popcaploader.popcaploaderctrl2.1 (Adware.PopCap) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.

Registry Values Infected:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run\plvwjkps (Trojan.FakeAlert.N) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run\plvwjkps (Trojan.FakeAlert.N) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.

Files Infected:
C:\Documents and Settings\(name deleted)\Local Settings\Application Data\tubeyf\oldwsysguard.exe (Trojan.FakeAlert) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
C:\Documents and Settings\(name deleted)\DoctorWeb\Quarantine\popcaploader.dll (Adware.PopCap) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.


I am posting this on several forums, as I need to get this computer up and running as quickly as possible. . I have tried all the fixes in this thread, as well as on several other forums and not one has worked. (Several even stated to remove my antivirus software, which I also did...it was AVG 8.5). I am completely bamboozled.
Thank you!!

I had same trojan.

After removal of the trojan, in IE, click Tools>Internet Options, click Connections tab> LAN Settings, make sure Automatically Detect is checked and that the Uses Proxy is unchecked.

Mine worked after these steps.

This is definitely one of the good solutions for opening internet explorer cannot find server error.