Can't open Google. Please help!!

Hi,
I run Windows 2000 on my PC. The other day, got a bug on it. My homepage was set to google. But apparantly got hijacked. On opening Google (through the address bar as well), it showed a warning that my PC was infected, and also like an online bar checking for viruses. It then recommended to download something to remove the virus (which I didn’t). This page seemed to be from Google as it had it’s logo on the top. I got rid of the virus with Super AntiVirus. However, now I can’t open Google and other Google related websites. All other webpages open perfectly. How can I get Google back? Thanks.

What exactly happens when you try to go to google?

You could check the host file

C:\WINNT\SYSTEM32\DRIVERS\ETC

When I try to open Google, I’m getting ‘The page cannot be displayed’ page after several prolonged seconds.

How do I check the host file and what do I do with it? I am able to access the path you mentioned but don’t know what to do when I get there.

Open the HOSTS file with notepad (it is just a text file) and look for a line with google on it and an other address possibly 127.0.0.1 (your local computer). this would block you from connecting to google as it doesn’t exist on your local system.

I assume that you haven’t previously edited the hosts file nor have any program that updates it ?

If there are any entries in the HOSTS file, copy and paste them here using the Code input icon (see image) in the post reply window. This stops any URLs that may be in it from being active (clickable).

Hi DavidR,
Thanks for taking the time to help me out. You’re right, I’ve never edited Host files before. Not sure either if there is an updating program or not. Following are the Google entries that were in the host file, other than these there were several thousands of others which I didn’t want to put on here!! Thanks for your time.


127.0.0.1 localhost
79.135.181.243 google.dk
79.135.181.243 google.se
79.135.181.243 google.co.nz
79.135.181.243 google.cn
79.135.181.243 google.com.pr
79.135.181.243 google.com.ca
79.135.181.243 google.com.ch
79.135.181.243 google.fi
79.135.181.243 google.co.in
79.135.181.243 google.co.uk
79.135.181.243 google.lv
79.135.181.243 google.co.hu
79.135.181.243 google.lk
79.135.181.243 google.com.au
79.135.181.243 google.ru
79.135.181.243 google.nl
79.135.181.243 google.be
79.135.181.243 google.de
79.135.181.243 gogle.de
79.135.181.243 googel.de
79.135.181.243 google.ro
79.135.181.243 google.kz
79.135.181.243 google.by
79.135.181.243 google.no
79.135.181.243 google.pl
79.135.181.243 google.com.pl
79.135.181.243 google.es
79.135.181.243 google.pt
79.135.181.243 google.com.br
79.135.181.243 google.vc
79.135.181.243 google.co.za
79.135.181.243 google.tm
79.135.181.243 google.com.my
79.135.181.243 google.bg
79.135.181.243 google.co.jp
79.135.181.243 google.ie
79.135.181.243 google.co.ck
79.135.181.243 google.com.mx
79.135.181.243 google.com.om
79.135.181.243 google.fr
79.135.181.243 google.mu
79.135.181.243 google.com.ph
79.135.181.243 google.com.jm
79.135.181.243 google.com
79.135.181.243 google.us
79.135.181.243 google.ro

79.135.181.243 www.google.dk
79.135.181.243 www.google.se
79.135.181.243 www.google.co.nz
79.135.181.243 www.google.cn
79.135.181.243 www.google.com.pr
79.135.181.243 www.google.com.ca
79.135.181.243 www.google.com.ch
79.135.181.243 www.google.fi
79.135.181.243 www.google.co.in
79.135.181.243 www.google.co.uk
79.135.181.243 www.google.lv
79.135.181.243 www.google.co.hu
79.135.181.243 www.google.lk
79.135.181.243 www.google.com.au
79.135.181.243 www.google.ru
79.135.181.243 www.google.nl
79.135.181.243 www.google.be
79.135.181.243 www.google.de
79.135.181.243 www.gogle.de
79.135.181.243 www.googel.de
79.135.181.243 www.google.ro
79.135.181.243 www.google.kz
79.135.181.243 www.google.by
79.135.181.243 www.google.no
79.135.181.243 www.google.pl
79.135.181.243 www.google.com.pl
79.135.181.243 www.google.es
79.135.181.243 www.google.pt
79.135.181.243 www.google.com.br
79.135.181.243 www.google.vc
79.135.181.243 www.google.co.za
79.135.181.243 www.google.tm
79.135.181.243 www.google.com.my
79.135.181.243 www.google.bg
79.135.181.243 www.google.co.jp
79.135.181.243 www.google.ie
79.135.181.243 www.google.co.ck
79.135.181.243 www.google.com.mx
79.135.181.243 www.google.com.om
79.135.181.243 www.google.fr
79.135.181.243 www.google.mu
79.135.181.243 www.google.com.ph
79.135.181.243 www.google.com.jm
79.135.181.243 www.google.com
79.135.181.243 www.google.us
79.135.181.243 www.google.ro

79.135.181.243 www.video.google.com
79.135.181.243 www.maps.google.com
79.135.181.243 www.groups.google.com
79.135.181.243 www.news.google.com
79.135.181.243 www.images.google.com
79.135.181.243 www.earth.google.com
79.135.181.243 www.code.google.com
79.135.181.243 www.directory.google.com
79.135.181.243 www.labs.google.com
79.135.181.243 www.desktop.google.com
79.135.181.243 www.blogsearch.google.com
79.135.181.243 www.books.google.com
79.135.181.243 www.docs.google.com
79.135.181.243 www.scholar.google.com
79.135.181.243 www.pages.google.com
79.135.181.243 www.finance.google.com
79.135.181.243 www.pack.google.com
79.135.181.243 www.sketchup.google.com
79.135.181.243 www.base.google.com
79.135.181.243 www.gears.google.com
79.135.181.243 www.checkout.google.com
79.135.181.243 www.catalogs.google.com
79.135.181.243 video.google.com
79.135.181.243 maps.google.com
79.135.181.243 groups.google.com
79.135.181.243 news.google.com
79.135.181.243 images.google.com
79.135.181.243 earth.google.com
79.135.181.243 code.google.com
79.135.181.243 directory.google.com
79.135.181.243 labs.google.com
79.135.181.243 desktop.google.com
79.135.181.243 blogsearch.google.com
79.135.181.243 books.google.com
79.135.181.243 docs.google.com
79.135.181.243 scholar.google.com
79.135.181.243 pages.google.com
79.135.181.243 finance.google.com
79.135.181.243 pack.google.com
79.135.181.243 sketchup.google.com
79.135.181.243 base.google.com
79.135.181.243 gears.google.com
79.135.181.243 checkout.google.com
79.135.181.243 catalogs.google.com


Everything in that file related to google is all pointed at the same ip address.

Let’s try something. Right click the hosts file and select rename, type in the new name hosts.old. Now open a new notepad, set the box at top to save in C:\WINNT\SYSTEM32\DRIVERS\ETC

in the file name box, type (including the " " marks) “hosts”
( the quote marks will prevent notepad from adding the .txt extention :wink: )

copy and paste this line into the notepad

127.0.0.1 localhost

click save.

Try google. Let us know how you make out.

GOT MY GOOGLE BACK!!! Sooo happy ;D
Thanks Oldman, Thanks DavidR :-*
You guys are the best!!!

You’re welcome. It would appear the bug added the lines.

Pardon my ignorance, but it would be great if you could tell me in layman’s language the function of host file and its contents. If something like this happens in the future, what should be the right move? Can I delete the old host file? What if I delete the thousands of entries that the it lists? Thanks.

The hosts file ‘redirects’ the sites to your own computer.
Your computer has the number 127.0.0.1 (all computers have the same ‘number’), also called localhost.
If you add a site in hosts file it will be ‘looped’ to your computer and you can reach it.
It’s a way to avoid malware infection and it could be used by malware to avoid you to reach some good sites. There are quite some applications that manage the hosts file and can ‘restore’ it to default.

:slight_smile: Hi all :

Probably, & for possible future use, would have been wise to use the FREE
“HostsXpert”, available at www.funkytoad.com/content/view/13/31/ and
after installation, use it’s “Restore MS Hosts” and/or “Remove Block Items”
Feature(s) !?

A link on the funkytoad Site provides detailed Info on “Hosts File” ; as a
counter-balance, I prefer putting “killbits” in the registry, which is done by
the good and FREE “SpywareBlaster” from www.javacoolsoftware.com .

Hi. I will try to add to the explainations given above.

Windows first checks the hosts file for an address for the name entered into the browser. If found it will use that address, rather than “looking it up”.

127.0.0.1 is the address of your computer, as Tech mentioned. If an name is proceded by 127.0.0.1, windows will look there. Normally the page won’t be found on your computer, so you get the page can’t be displayed error.

You can block sites with the hosts file by adding them to your hosts file with the 127.0.0.1 address. This is a common trick of malware, adding antivirus and other security sites to the hosts file with the 127.0.0.1. You can not reach them as windows will be looking on your computer.

The other variation on this is what happened to you. A site can also be redirected in the same manner, but using an ip address. I suspect in your case, the ip was a dead one as you didn’t reach any page.

Editing the hosts file is easy. Open it with note pad, add the site you want to block, proceded with 127.0.0.1 (note, at least one space must be between the address and the name)

127.0.0.1 badsite or
127.0.0.1 badsite

they will both work. After you are, click file, save. you can also remove items simply by deleting them and saving the edited copy.

Anything proceded by a # will be ignored. Open your old host file and look at the top section. It should have several lines starting with #. These are part of the default hosts file. You don’t need them, they are just examples.

Also note that the hosts file does not have an extention, so take care if you edit it the saved version does not have the notepad default .txt

You can delete the old one if you wish, windows won’t read it because you added an extention to it.

In addition to Spiritsongs’ suggestion, have a look at this link.

http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm

If something like this happens again, have a peek in the file and see if the site you are trying to reach has been added.

Now that I’ve really confused you, take care and keep safe.

Thanks all for the answers!! No, you didn’t confuse me (much :wink: ), oldman!! Wasn’t too difficult to follow it the way you explained. Many thanks!!