IE can, but Firefox can't access internet?

[m_s]

I've an odd situation: I've just installed FF and NOD32 on a machine, and although IE continues to be able to access the 'net straightforwardly, neither of these two new programs can...  I also installed Kerio 2.15 at the same time, but that doesn't seem to be the problem, because it makes no difference when that is switched off.  Any ideas why they might not be working?  The machine in running Win 98 SE2, on a network with a broadband connection - no proxy, no hardware firewall.

[mouser]

i've never heard of a situation where ie works and firefox doesnt other than proxy or firewall.

if you really have no proxy set in your ie, then it sounds like probably kerio is blocking it.

whenever i hear someone using windows 98 i wince  but i assume you don't have a choice or you are a glutten for punishment, or you're testing something (maybe your sanity?)

[m_s]

I've switched Kerio off, but it's still happening.  Yep, constrained to 98... oh, and insane!

[mouser]

sometimes switching off a firewall doesnt quite switch it off. try exiting it completly.
maybe try another browser like opera to get a second opinion.

[Carol Haynes]

Some firewalls block all traffic if switched off or exited ...

Check in Kerio to see if Firefox.exe has been blocked ???

[m_s]

Nah.  I uninstalled Kerio and still doesn't work... About to install ZA and see if that works.  No problem accessing DonationCoder, by the way...

[Carol Haynes]

Do you mean you can connect to DonationCode.com in Firefox but not other sites ???

[m_s]

No, nothing at all in FF, but in IE it's fine.  I installed Za and that's working okay - asked me for permission for FF and NOD and I created rules for both - so it's not the firewall blocking them.  But then can't download... Nor can Hostsman update its HOSTS list, nor TrojanJunter its defs.  Nor can I connect to LogMeIn in IE (did I already say this?)

[m_s]

Uh, somethign I didn't say but really should have  :

Because the person whose computer I'm working on is unsure they want NOD, rather than uninstalling Norton Internet Security, I've gone through and disabled it.  This might be the problem...  I have removed all startup programs and disabled services, but it's likely the culprit nonetheless.  Uninstalling it now to see if that makes a difference.

[Carol Haynes]

NIS is notorious for not playing with other security systems. I'd guess there is a good chance that it is causing the problem.

Disabling NIS doesn't actually disable it - it stops the functions doing their job, but if you check processes you will find them still loaded and doing stuff.

NIS and NAV are the most horrendous bloatfest ...

[m_s]

They are both enormous and were definitely the main cause of this machine running slowly - other than this odd not-able-to-update-or-access-via-ff problem, it's running much more quickly now.  Even uninstalling NIS is a mammoth task: it's taken about 20 minutes so far!  When I said disabled I meant: turned off all autostarting components and services and then rebooted.  As far as I can see, there is no trace of the program in memory or services - I'm checking using SysInternals Process Explorer and WinPatrol.

[Carol Haynes]

It's really odd ...

I am having problems with FireFox too ...

I have been waiting upto 30 seconds for pages to load on here, and I am frequently getting time out problems loading pages.

I have swapped to using Maxthon (without doing anything else to my connection) and the pages now load instantly ???

Strange !

[m_s]

(Slaps hand against forehead) Okay, that worked!  I hate Norton.  I remember now: when you switch it off, rather than assuming that you know what you want, it assumes you don't and only allows access to what has explicitly been granted access previously, blocking all else.  And even when it's not in memory it manages to keep that status quo.  Time to get some lunch now - 5.40pm!  Thanks, Mouser and Carol.