# Suddenly cannot access secure sites **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 25, 2006, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suddenly-cannot-access-secure-sites/349810 "2006-03-25T01:10:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![SanibelMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@SanibelMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanibelMan)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2006, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suddenly-cannot-access-secure-sites/349810/1 "2006-03-25T01:10:22Z")
My wife has a Gateway laptop with Windows XP Professional. Recently, in an effort to get it working faster, I uninstalled McAfee and Norton Internet Security and replaced them with AVG. It does work faster, but a day or so after I did that I suddenly could not access any secure websites with either Firefox, my main browser, or Internet Explorer. (After installing and running AVG, I was able to access secure sites, so I don’t think it was a direct cause.) I get a “Page could not be found” error in both browsers - for example, from [mail.yahoo.com](http://mail.yahoo.com), trying to login gives me that error page. I’ve turned off Windows Firewall and AVG to no success. I’ve run Spybot and AdAware and neither found anything, and they are updated. Has anyone else had this problem? ---
**Author:** ![drachillix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/48db29/32.png) [@drachillix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drachillix)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2006, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suddenly-cannot-access-secure-sites/349810/2 "2006-03-25T01:56:11Z")
> [@SanibelMan](#): > > My wife has a Gateway laptop with Windows XP Professional. Recently, in an effort to get it working faster, I uninstalled McAfee and Norton Internet Security and replaced them with AVG. It does work faster, but a day or so after I did that I suddenly could not access any secure websites with either Firefox, my main browser, or Internet Explorer. (After installing and running AVG, I was able to access secure sites, so I don’t think it was a direct cause.) I get a “Page could not be found” error in both browsers - for example, from [mail.yahoo.com](http://mail.yahoo.com), trying to login gives me that error page. I’ve turned off Windows Firewall and AVG to no success. I’ve run Spybot and AdAware and neither found anything, and they are updated. Has anyone else had this problem? Problem is most likely related to cookie handling restrictions put in place by norton internet security. Try going to the tools menu in IE —\> internet options -----\>security tab----\> click the reset to default level and apply. See if that helps it ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2006, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suddenly-cannot-access-secure-sites/349810/3 "2006-03-25T02:16:54Z")
Sounds like it might be [this problem](http://support.microsoft.com/kb/813442/en-us): > [@](#): > > You cannot connect to secure Web sites. When you try do so, you receive the following error message in your browser window: > > _The page cannot be displayed_ > > RESOLUTION > > To resolve this behavior, re-register the Softpub.dll, Wintrust.dll, Initpki.dll, Dssenh.dll, Rsaenh.dll, Gpkcsp.dll, Sccbase.dll, Slbcsp.dll, Mssip32.dll, and Cryptdlg.dll files. To do so, follow these steps: > > [ol] > [li] Click Start, and then click Run. [/li][li]In the Open box, type cmd, and then click OK. [/li][li] At the command prompt, type regsvr32 softpub.dll, and then press ENTER. [/li][li]Click OK when you receive the message that DllRegisterServer in Softpub.dll succeeded. [/li][li]Repeat steps 1 through 4 for the following files: Wintrust.dll, Initpki.dll, Dssenh.dll, Rsaenh.dll, Gpkcsp.dll, Sccbase.dll, Slbcsp.dll, Mssip32.dll, and Cryptdlg.dll. [/li][li]Type exit, and then press ENTER to quit Command Prompt. [/li][/ol] I do agree it was probably Norton that broke it when it was uninstalled. ---
**Author:** ![drachillix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/48db29/32.png) [@drachillix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drachillix)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2006, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suddenly-cannot-access-secure-sites/349810/4 "2006-03-25T02:29:55Z")
> [@Fear Itself](#): > > Sounds like it might be [this problem](http://support.microsoft.com/kb/813442/en-us):I do agree it was probably Norton that broke it when it was uninstalled. And don’t forget to apply the universal solution for all Norton internet security install problems by snapping the disk into tiny pieces, and cooking it over a fire built of the box and manuals for the software. Serves: 1 household ---
**Author:** ![SanibelMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@SanibelMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanibelMan)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2006, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suddenly-cannot-access-secure-sites/349810/5 "2006-03-25T02:30:39Z")
> [@Fear Itself](#): > > I do agree it was probably Norton that broke it when it was uninstalled. Is there a surefire way to uninstall Norton? It doesn’t show up in add/remove programs, and I ran a program I downloaded off the Symantec site, but it’s still showing up. It’s the 2005 version. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2006, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suddenly-cannot-access-secure-sites/349810/6 "2006-03-25T02:36:48Z")
> [@SanibelMan](#): > > Is there a surefire way to uninstall Norton? Oh, it’s probably uninstalled, it just took down your digital signing along with it. A Norton product never goes down without a fight. > [@](#): > > I ran a program I downloaded off the Symantec site, but it’s still showing up. What is showing up where? ---
**Author:** ![drachillix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/48db29/32.png) [@drachillix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drachillix)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2006, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suddenly-cannot-access-secure-sites/349810/7 "2006-03-25T02:42:31Z")
> [@SanibelMan](#): > > Is there a surefire way to uninstall Norton? It doesn’t show up in add/remove programs, and I ran a program I downloaded off the Symantec site, but it’s still showing up. It’s the 2005 version. I have had no real problems with the Norton removal tools, they usually work pretty well IME. Where are you seeing it, leftover folders, taskbar icons, task manager? ---
**Author:** ![SanibelMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@SanibelMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanibelMan)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2006, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suddenly-cannot-access-secure-sites/349810/8 "2006-03-25T02:53:43Z")
There is a window I can’t close called “Norton AntiVirus” that looks like the scan window; when I try to click “Stop Scan,” I get an IE Script Error ‘CommonUI’ is null or not an object." It also shows up as a menu bar option next to the address bar in IE. I terminated Norton AntiVirus in Task Manager. I tried running the suggested DLL re-registration but I still get an error. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2006, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suddenly-cannot-access-secure-sites/349810/9 "2006-03-25T03:07:24Z")
It sounds like the Norton uninstall got fubar’d. Something clearly got left behind, but lacks all the parts to shut it down or uninstall it. At this point, since it no longer appears in Add/Remove Programs, the only thing to do is reinstall it, then uninstall again, using Add/Remove Programs. ---
**Author:** ![SanibelMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@SanibelMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanibelMan)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2006, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suddenly-cannot-access-secure-sites/349810/10 "2006-03-25T04:12:25Z")
Norton came pre-installed on the computer;I don’t have an install disk for it. Is my only option wiping the disk and reinstalling XP? (Might not be a bad idea considering all the stuff they include…) ---
**Author:** ![drachillix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/48db29/32.png) [@drachillix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drachillix)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2006, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suddenly-cannot-access-secure-sites/349810/11 "2006-03-25T04:44:03Z")
> [@SanibelMan](#): > > Norton came pre-installed on the computer;I don’t have an install disk for it. Is my only option wiping the disk and reinstalling XP? (Might not be a bad idea considering all the stuff they include…) If the Removal tool from norton didn’t clean it up they offer additional steps [http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT/sharedtech.nsf/docid/2006031710323113?Open&src=sg&docid=2005033108162039&nsf=tsgeninfo.nsf&view=docid&dtype=&prod=Norton%20Internet%20Security&ver=2005&osv=&osv\_lvl=&seg=](http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT/sharedtech.nsf/docid/2006031710323113?Open&src=sg&docid=2005033108162039&nsf=tsgeninfo.nsf&view=docid&dtype=&prod=Norton%20Internet%20Security&ver=2005&osv=&osv_lvl=&seg=) ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2006, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suddenly-cannot-access-secure-sites/349810/12 "2006-03-25T04:44:32Z")
> [@SanibelMan](#): > > Norton came pre-installed on the computer;I don’t have an install disk for it. Is my only option wiping the disk and reinstalling XP? (Might not be a bad idea considering all the stuff they include…) Last time I saw this problem (on someone else’s computer), I simply used XP System Restore to roll back the registry to a time when the internet was working properly. Start \> All Programs \> Accessories \> System Tools \> System Restore Worked like a charm. ---
**Author:** ![SanibelMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@SanibelMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanibelMan)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2006, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suddenly-cannot-access-secure-sites/349810/13 "2006-03-26T01:22:05Z")
> [@drachillix](#): > > If the Removal tool from norton didn’t clean it up they offer additional steps > > [http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT/sharedtech.nsf/docid/2006031710323113?Open&src=sg&docid=2005033108162039&nsf=tsgeninfo.nsf&view=docid&dtype=&prod=Norton%20Internet%20Security&ver=2005&osv=&osv\_lvl=&seg=](http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT/sharedtech.nsf/docid/2006031710323113?Open&src=sg&docid=2005033108162039&nsf=tsgeninfo.nsf&view=docid&dtype=&prod=Norton%20Internet%20Security&ver=2005&osv=&osv_lvl=&seg=) Thank you for providing this link. I didn’t find it the first time, only a utility to remove Norton 2004 (which didn’t work, obviously). This got rid of Norton altogether and fixed my problem. Thanks!