Can't Access Google

Tags: Internet, Google, Dns, Hosts, Hosts File
Email this Topic • Print this Page

Read Discussion
Reply to All

On my home computer..... when I try to open Google or when I try to initiate a search using Google, I am taken to a window with a message.... the message begins "Are you trying to get to Google? Your computer is running software that doesn't allow you to use Google.".... it's a long message....

The message includes this "fix"....

go to Local Disk (C) >Windows >System32 >Drivers >etc >hosts

then... remove entirely any line of text that contains "google.com", or other Google domains (such as "google.co.uk").

the message goes on to suggest using Spybot or AdAware (which we use)....

OK.... deleting things in "system" really makes me nervous.... when I go into that "hosts" file, there are a bazillion "Google" lines....

Will I destroy my computer if I delete those "Google" lines?

What is this "hosts" file? Is it like cookies? Can I just delete the entire file?

Our home computer is running on Windows 2000 NT (it was my boss's old computer).

Has anyone else run into this problem? I really miss being able to access Google. Our home computer is old and the virus protection isn't up-to-date. We don't have a firewall, either. I know, I know, time for a new computer.

Thanks for any help or advice!!

PaL
:-)

Topic Stats
Top Replies
Link/Embed

Type: Discussion • Score: 1 • Views: 8,720 • Replies: 14

The "hosts" file is a DNS database for your computer.

Every time you type in a URL the domain name needs to be resolved to an IP address. Normally your request is sent to a DNS server and the resolution of the domain name is done that way.

The HOSTS file is a mini DNS database. Any domain located in that file will resolve to the IP address specified in that file.

This can be useful for several things (e.g. speed up DNS lookups to domains whose IP you know won't change, to block certain sites by sending them to local host) but it's also a way for people and programs to cause mischeif.

I used to bug a homophobic friend by setting his favorite site (yahoo) to Gayzoo (sp?). Other scumware will use it to hijack a popular site's traffic.

There is no NEED to have ANY addresses in that file (except for localhost, that can be useful). You can open it with a text editor and delete any of the listings.

I doubt that deleting the actual file will hurt but there's no need for that either.

This is what my HOSTS file currently looks like:

Code:

# Copyright (c) 1993-1999 Microsoft Corp.

#

# This is a sample HOSTS file used by Microsoft TCP/IP for Windows.

#

# This file contains the mappings of IP addresses to host names. Each

# entry should be kept on an individual line. The IP address should

# be placed in the first column followed by the corresponding host name.

# The IP address and the host name should be separated by at least one

# space.

#

# Additionally, comments (such as these) may be inserted on individual

# lines or following the machine name denoted by a '#' symbol.

#

# For example:

#

#      102.54.94.97     rhino.acme.com          # source server

#       38.25.63.10     x.acme.com              # x client host

127.0.0.1       localhost

213.189.34.4 auto.search.msn.com

0 Replies

thanks, Craven!!!

last night, I came ~this close~ to deleting everything in the file, but thought I'd better check with people who know about these things, first...

I'm at work, now.... I'll go ahead and delete everything when I get home this evening....

I really appreciate your help!!!

PaL
:-)

0 Replies

oops - got the same here (on IE only, can go to google with the AOL browser).

A website -cPanel- appears, saying: "There is no website configured at this address. "

I really don't know, what I did that this happened.

And I would be glad, if s.o. could explain the solution that even a dummy like me understands it Laughing

0 Replies

Go to:

go to Local Disk (C) >Windows >System32 >Drivers >etc >

Open a file called "hosts". You will need to choose a program to open it. Select notepad.

Then press control A and delete everything.

Then paste what's in the black box above into the file.

Save it.

And you are done.

0 Replies

If you were a girl, I really would kiss you, Craven! :wink:

So just "Thanks"!!!

0 Replies

Yippee!! It worked!!

I'm a girl, so here's a big kiss for Craven....

<smooch>

again, Thanks!!

PaL
:-)

0 Replies

did it, hope it helps.... certainly didn't hurt anything. Thanks Craven.

0 Replies

a little more help
I tried the HOSTS idea and it didn't work.
Any other advice?

Thanks

0 Replies

I replied to your other post pererik.

BTW, you usually get faster answers if you use a new thread and avoid posting to someone else's resolved thread.

0 Replies

Google Host file
Thanks. Your solution worked perfectly. SBC was unable to help.

Thanks, again

Standafer9

Craven de Kere wrote:

The "hosts" file is a DNS database for your computer.

Every time you type in a URL the domain name needs to be resolved to an IP address. Normally your request is sent to a DNS server and the resolution of the domain name is done that way.

The HOSTS file is a mini DNS database. Any domain located in that file will resolve to the IP address specified in that file.

This can be useful for several things (e.g. speed up DNS lookups to domains whose IP you know won't change, to block certain sites by sending them to local host) but it's also a way for people and programs to cause mischeif.

I used to bug a homophobic friend by setting his favorite site (yahoo) to Gayzoo (sp?). Other scumware will use it to hijack a popular site's traffic.

There is no NEED to have ANY addresses in that file (except for localhost, that can be useful). You can open it with a text editor and delete any of the listings.

I doubt that deleting the actual file will hurt but there's no need for that either.

This is what my HOSTS file currently looks like:

Code:# Copyright (c) 1993-1999 Microsoft Corp. # # This is a sample HOSTS file used by Microsoft TCP/IP for Windows. # # This file contains the mappings of IP addresses to host names. Each # entry should be kept on an individual line. The IP address should # be placed in the first column followed by the corresponding host name. # The IP address and the host name should be separated by at least one # space. # # Additionally, comments (such as these) may be inserted on individual # lines or following the machine name denoted by a '#' symbol. # # For example: # # 102.54.94.97 rhino.acme.com # source server # 38.25.63.10 x.acme.com # x client host 127.0.0.1 localhost 213.189.34.4 auto.search.msn.com

Quote:

0 Replies

My pleasure.

0 Replies

Hello, I just registered to this forum just so I could give a big, big, BIG thank you to Craven de Kere for the instructions that he posted here to solve this blocking problem, I couldn't access Google, Gmail or Blogger for quite some time now, and I wasn't able to access other websites as well, here's a list of what was getting blocked from my computer:

127.0.0.1 localhost
127.0.0.1 forums.techguy.org
127.0.0.1 www.castlecops.com
127.0.0.1 castlecops.com
127.0.0.1 www.microsoft.com
127.0.0.1 siri.urz.free.fr
127.0.0.1 www.majorgeeks.com
127.0.0.1 majorgeeks.com
127.0.0.1 www.spywareinfo.dk
127.0.0.1 spywareinfo.dk
127.0.0.1 www.superantispyware.com
127.0.0.1 superantispyware.com
127.0.0.1 www.compu-docs.com
127.0.0.1 compu-docs.com
127.0.0.1 www.pandasoftware.com
127.0.0.1 pandasoftware.com
127.0.0.1 download.bleepingcomputer.com
127.0.0.1 www.bleepingcomputer.com
127.0.0.1 bleepingcomputer.com
127.0.0.1 www.google.com
127.0.0.1 google.com
127.0.0.1 www.google.ca
127.0.0.1 google.ca

127.0.0.1 ewido.net
127.0.0.1 www.greyknight17.com
127.0.0.1 greyknight17.com
127.0.0.1 help.lockergnome.com
127.0.0.1 www.lavasoftsupport.com
127.0.0.1 lavasoftsupport.com
127.0.0.1 cleanup.stevengould.org
127.0.0.1 stevengould.org
127.0.0.1 www.tomcoyote.org
127.0.0.1 tomcoyote.org
127.0.0.1 www.depannetonpc.net
127.0.0.1 depannetonpc.net
127.0.0.1 www.wilderssecurity.com
127.0.0.1 wilderssecurity.com

No matter what I tried, I just couldn't figure out what was going on, but after reading this thread and following the suggestions here, now I can surf the web again just like I used to, W00T!!

THANK YOU, Craven! you're a life saver, man! Very Happy

0 Replies

No worries.

Do note, however, that your HOSTS file indicates that you have or have had malware on your computer (the software modified your HOSTS file to block you from finding help removing the malware).

If it hasn't been cleaned up you may continue to have problems.

0 Replies

@Peace and Love,

thx for asking this question
first this problem happened with all of my browser ie7, chrome, safari, firefox
and i can solve it by delete a line that contain google.com then
everything works fine
just delete and save ... don't worry

0 Replies

Read Discussion
Reply to All

Can't Access Google

Related Topics