Can't Browse But Can Update CCleaner

Computer Help and Discussions The Lounge
1

I didn't know where was best to post this, so thought here might be suitable.

I've got a strange problem for you guys.

Windows 7 Home Premium PC (owned by a friend):

Can't browse any website with Internet Explorer, Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox.

Windows Update works fine.

Microsoft Security Essentials will download definitions fine.

MalwareBytes Anti-Malware will download definitions fine.

And now the kicker:

When you open CCleaner and click on Check for Updates it'll open up Firefox and browse to the Piriform website fine; at which point you can open another tab and browse to anywhere you like.

Close that instance of Firefox and manually open any browser and you're back unable to browse anything.

I've looked and can't see any strange proxy settings in any of the browsers. I've flushed the dns cache etc...

Anybody got any thoughts?

2

Maybe that system needs a default browser set.

Or maybe it's malware related, if you suspect malware read item 10 here and choose a malware removal forum.

3

for my two cents worth, I'd be considering the nuke from space approach.

unless you get lucky with a resolution in a few minutes (and it sounds like you haven't), you could end up spending hours trying to nut it out.

and always wondering what else is lurking waiting to be discovered.

if the PC is now yours, a clean start may yield the quickest turn-around.

and have the added benefit of wiping all history.

4

Is it only with CCleaner?

Have you tried the Check Update thing from another programme to see if that opens the browser correctly as well?

I remember having a similar problem with Win 8.1 about a year ago.

As I recall all I needed to fix it was download and install a new FULL version of Firefox from the 'Languages and Systems' page ,instead of just the stub update.

https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/all/

For some reason this also sorted out the problem in IE as well. (Probably changed a reg. entry during the install).

BTW. You are aware that all Versions of IE except v11 are out of support as of yesterday?

So you may want to upgrade that as well if you haven't already.

5

try open FF in safe mode

https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/troubleshoot-firefox-issues-using-safe-mode

as you already installed mbam, you should do full scan

6

Well, he decided to install his free Windows 10 upgrade and all seems fine once more.