OK, I’m on my brother’s computer, and I have no idea how the hell it’s configured so here are the basics:
Windows XP Professional, a meg of ram, boatloads of harddrive space, megahertz plus processesor, cable internet connection
In other words, a relatively up-to-date computer.
Now, the problem is that I can only get a web browser to work properly on of two ways: 1) Using Opera or 2) Typing in a URL from Windows Explorer. (I go to “My Computer” and in the address bar type in an http:// address.)
If I launch IE normally, everything comes up “the page cannot be displayed.”
ALSO, what may be an important clue, is that once I get on the internet via Windows Explorer, any hyperlink which opens a separate new window also gets the “the page cannot be displayed” error. If I cut-and-paste the addy to the original window, it works. If I create a new window, it doesn’t.
Ep, scratch that. If I create a new window, it does work. Just doesn’t work from hyperlinked windows. In other words, if the hyperlink stays on the same window, everything is hunky-dory. If it creates a new window, I get the aforementioned error. Also, if I type in any address in this new window, it can’t find it.
I just wanted to bump this. Still haven’t been able to figure out there problem.
Once again, here’s a synopsis of the symptoms:
Launch IE from desktop: Cannot find server error. I reinstalled and everything. Same ol’ shit. Newest version, all that.
Type URL into Windows Explorer window (as if browsing through local files): It works, with one caveat: If I click on any hyperlink which opens a new browser window, it gives me a “Cannot Find Server” error. If I select File --> New --> Window, and open up another window, that window will work and access the Internet, but with the same problems listed, i.e. cannot open links that pop-up new windows.
But now there’s yet another problem. I get this dialogue box when hyperlinking to new windows:
Where in heck did this come from?
I’ve tried Opera and Mozilla, and they kinda work, but Mozilla crashes on me like nothing else and, oddly enough, Opera takes 5 minutes to open up. I have no clue what’s going on here.
Just checking, have you dumped your internet & windows temp caches? If they get too large, they can cause DNS error like that.
For a good online checkup of your OS and hardware, try running the free system tuneup at http://www.pcpitstop.com/. They also have a good user-to-user forum to help you diagnose problems like these.
Yeah, I’ve tried dumping all the caches. I’m just logically trying to figure out what the problem is. Obviously, IE does work, but can only find the connection through Windows Explorer.
What’s also weird, is I can’t find any evidence of a program called Dragon Naturally Speaking on any of my 4 hard drives. I’m going through a system search as we speak, but nothing’s coming up. I never heard of this program, it doesn’t appear on system tasks or processes, and this error just appeared a week ago, only in connection with pop-up windows in IE.