# Computer Issue: Virus or Software Issue?



## TheMartianChick (May 26, 2009)

Hello, Techie Gurus!

I'm having an issue with my main pc... I am running Windows 7 and noticed that I couldn't update my website which is hosted by Network Solutions. I thought that the issue belonged to Network Solutions and figured I'd contact them when I had time. I called yesterday and they were unable to replicate it. They suggested that it might be a Java issue. I thought that they were lying, but...they aren't. I was able to use a computer in my office to update the site yesterday, so the issue (clearly) is with my pc.

I updated Java and Flashplayer, but the problem persists.

So here's the problem:

In addition to not being able to see the website tools around each building block on the site, I also can no longer use Internet Explorer. I downloaded Firefox and Google Chrome and they both work perfectly, except that I still cannot update my website. I have run many types of virus scans, but cannot seem to find any, so I'm thinking that the issue might be in the software.

Internet Explorer gives me the 'This page cannot be displayed message.' I tried to download a newer version and received a message that said that I already had the most up-to-date version. I tried to uninstall IE and the while the program no longer shows up in the list of programs, I still have an icon listed in my start menu and it tries to launch before giving me the 'This page cannot be displayed' message. I tried to download it again and it still didn't work.

Any ideas as to what else I can try? Beating my head on it didn't work either...


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## AngieM2 (May 10, 2002)

Just to let you know that my Win 7 on my laptop last night had to do system restore, then I gst to work this morning and I found my main work computer running Win 7 is having to do a system restore. I do not know what's going on. But thought I would add to your Win 7 thread. On the laptop, I think there was something about IE but I went straight to firefox and was okay.


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## TheMartianChick (May 26, 2009)

Hmmm... I wonder if it's related?


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## AngieM2 (May 10, 2002)

I don't know, but I thought two of my main computers, not related by anything (except me) and Win 7 would have the same problems on the same 24 hour period.

Strange.


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## TheMartianChick (May 26, 2009)

I think that you might have been right, Angie! My computer began to behave after an update installed 2 days ago. Internet Explorer now works and I am able to update my website again. Very strange. I did nothing else to "fix" the computer because I didn't have the time and yet it is suddenly "fixed". Maybe it was drunken leprechauns?


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## Nevada (Sep 9, 2004)

It could be that the "page cannot be found" page is cached in Internet Explorer. Try forcing a refresh from the server by holding down the Shift key while clicking the refresh button in the browser (You can also do Ctrl-f5 if you prefer). See if that brings up the page for you.


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## TheMartianChick (May 26, 2009)

Everything seems to be working just fine, Nevada! I still don't know what else to suspect other than drunken leprechauns and/or a problem with an update. It went on for weeks until a couple of days ago. I noticed that there are some subtle changes in the way that things work in this version of Internet Explorer.


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## WhyNot (Jun 21, 2011)

Martian Chick...during the time when it did not work, had you restarted the computer ever? I think you probably did so what I am about to say may not apply or have applied back then...but a lot of the time in Win7 and Win 8...if your system is set to automatically download and install updates....it will begin the installation but if the updates have to do with internet explorer or your Ethernet card(s)...it will actually either make things act weird on the internet or not let you access the internet at all until the computer is restarted so it can finish installing and configuring the updates.

This may not have been what happened in your case(s)...but it is something I have been seeing more and more of this in the last several months. And sometimes people either miss the little message that says to restart the computer OR sometimes it simply does not show up.


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## TheMartianChick (May 26, 2009)

This computer gets restarted at least every couple of days, but due to the issues, I restarted it multiple times because it was acting so badly. (Restarting is also one of my general "fixes" because I only know so much real computer voodoo.) It has been working perfectly for the past few days. I really can't explain it... We are coming up on April Fool's Day, so I may have to watch it closely at that time!


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## texican (Oct 4, 2003)

I passionately hate any site or program that requires Java. One of my main work sites 'requires' it. The site stopped working for me, and I was told to update Java. Trouble eventually turned out I had multiple copies of Java, some new, some old, and the site didn't know which one to use. I eliminated all of them and downloaded the newest, and it wouldn't work... downloaded one that worked when I first started accessing the work site... and it all worked, but not on firefox. It does on Internet Explorer, which I detest, but at least it does work.

I'd recommend looking in your Add/Remove programs to see how many versions of java you have installed.

good luck!


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## arabian knight (Dec 19, 2005)

Java should be Disabled on all computers unless you MUST run it for some games etc.
There are way to many malware virus that come in now with JAVA.

Disabled or uninstall JAVA.~! Period.

And don't get confused Javascript is completely different and has nothing to do with JAVA. I know Apple now has JAVA disabled from the start, if on the machines at all.


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