Internet Explorer update for XP

I'm having trouble getting any kind of update for Windows or Internet Explorer 6.0. Even the link on this site gives me a "this page can not be displayed ". Same if I do a Windows update, or try an download on the Microsoft site. All other links work fine. Anyone have any suggestions?

 

Welcome Fred in Ca.

Do you know what windows uses a hosts file is for ?
are you on a local area network?

Go start search and look for a file called HOSTS
its the one with no file extensions
for now just tell us if it exists
XP's over my head so unless its the hosts problem someone else will have , need to step in.
Lonny

 

HOST search

Thanks for the reply Lonnie. I did a search for HOST as suggested and came up with four: (1) c:\documents & settings\default\local settings\temorary internet file (2) c:\program files\support.com\client\backup\ho (3) c:\windows\system32\drivers\etc (4)c:\windows Hope this makes sense.
Thanks again, Fred

 

well for XP its the one in

Windows XP = C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\DRIVERS\ETC
right click on it and choose open with notepad or wordpad
and place a # symbol in front of any microsoft or akamai sites there ,if there,, then save and exit and try windows update again
just to make sure again its the one without any file extention..
dont tinker if your unsure,,we have other options.

any idea what program is using this hosts file,, are you on a lan
have you shecked for spyware/mailware and the basic trojans with SpyBot or adaware anti spyware programs ? free by the way.

 

For XP it's this one

Lonnie, I did as you suggested and only found one, which had the numbers: 207.46.134.190 Microsoft.com. I put the # infront of the microsoft.com after the numbers, then saved. I was not able to log into updates. Should I have put the # before the numbers then saved? Aso I downloaded the spybot and adware6, though I haven't used them yet until I read the instructions.
Thanks again, Fred

 

Yes I see my suggestioms could use some work..

heres an example of one of mine
127.0.0.1 ad3.adcept.net to disable it do this>

#127.0.0.1 ad3.adcept.net
entries in the hosts files can either block sites or excelorate them
helpful I hear with slow connections,, but save only nano seconds and if the address changes there will be problems.
Adaware is simple to use , so is Spybot but its a little more confusing at first,TomCoyote site explains it better>
Spybot Help - hosted by TomCoyote: http://tomcoyote.org/SPYBOT/index1.php

so do the hosts editing and when you use these anti spyware utilities update them before each scan to get the latest definition's

Let us know what happens
Lonny

 

also place a # before any like this

#127.0.0.1 207.46.134.190

Might be best to rename the whole hosts file that should be safe to do

just rename to HOSTS.old..you can always change it back later
Lonny

 

WinXP update

Lonnie, You dah MAN!! Actually, I did your last suggestion and renamed the file .old and was able right away to link up to the windows update site. I down loaded one critical application then had to restart. It wouldn't let me back in. Did a search on host and the host.old was there along with a new host. Deleted the host.old, and renamed the new one host.old and have had no trouble since. Been there four or five times with no trouble.
Many, many thanks again, Fred

 

Fred - the hosts file can be useful at times and especially if you have a network at home. But most times, it isn't necessary at all.

Since you evidently have some 'feature' trying to create one at times and the one it creates is doing you harm rather than good, try putting an empty file in C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\DRIVERS\ETC (just use notepad to empty the hosts.old file, save it, and rename it to hosts) and set it to read-only.

That way any app wanting to either write to your existing or to create one if there isn't one already should be blocked from doing either.