Windows Vista forum: Server taking too long to respond

Your problem sounds strangely like a Proxy Server problem, and yet from your post it only seems to be intermittent.

For example, if you were unable to connect to any web site except secure, (HTTPS) sites, I would do this.

Open Internet Explorer, (It doesn't matter if you normally use Firefox). Goto Tools > Internet Options, then the Connections tab. Find the "LAN Settings" button and click it.

In the new window, if there is any Proxy Server settings listed, remove them all and remove the ticks. Leave all the options blank. Click OK, then Apply/OK, close down IE and then restart Firefox and try again.

If that fails, then this is a different problem, and also, I am assuming you don't use Proxy Servers by choice anyway.

Mark

Do these web sites work in IE?

Does this problem happen with every site, or just Yahoo, Google?

Some security applications can block sites, eg Firewalls or anti-virus/firewall combined utilities. Which do you use?

Some anti-spyware apps can also block sites, like Spybot Search & Destroy. What anti-spyware utilities do you use?

Check your Hosts file. Hosts has no file extension and is found in;
C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc

Click, (or double click) the file and select Notepad to open. Be sure that the option "Always use this application to open this file" is not selected.

Hosts is a file that every browser reads through first when it is looking to connect to web sites. It can be used to block sites, or it can be used to 're-direct' the browser to a different web site to the one you chose. If a web site is blocked there will be an entry similar to;

127.0.0.1 www.google.com

The IP address 127.0.0.1 is your own computer, so an entry like the one above would prevent your browsers from connecting to Google as it 'loops back' to your own computer.

If you find any entries like that, delete the whole line for each. Then goto File > Save as, and make sure that the "Save as type:" shows "All files (*.*)" and not *.txt before clicking Save.

If there are no entries, just close down the Hosts file by clicking the "X" at top right.

If that fails, start looking for malware using the recommended utilities below;
Malwarebytes' Anti-malware and SUPERAntiSpyware

Let us know how you get on.

Mark

Hi Jeff.

Tell us more about AVG 9 free edition and McAfee Security Center please.

I know AVG 9 free edition is an anti-virus scanner and anti-spyware scanner combined. I believe, (but I am not 100% certain), that this free edition does not include a firewall.

I don't know anything about McAfee Security. What does it do, and what components does it have, eg Firewall, anti-virus, anti-spyware?

It's just a thought that having two of utilities like firewall and anti-virus both running in the background can cause conflict in a system.

When did this problem begin, and what changed on your system when it did? I'm thinking any software installs, Windows settings changes, any updates, (Windows or other software), or change in internet access, like a new router, or change of ISP, etc.

Can you use the internet for secure pages, (those where the web address starts with https:// ), and can you update anti-malware definitions without problems?

And just to confirm, have you scanned with MBAM and SAS since this problem started?

And finally, for now, what type of internet connection do you have, broadband, dial-up, router, (wired or wireless)?

Mark