Some web pages won't load, no matter which browser I use

Old Hack

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I'm using a newish laptop with Windows 8 (eugh) installed, and just recently, web pages which I've used without trouble in the past are refusing to load. Facebook, eBay, and a couple of other sites are affected, but AW isn't, and nor is my webmail service, and most other stuff.

When I try to open eBay, for example, I get this error message:

Problem loading page

Server not found

Firefox can't find the server at www.ebay.co.uk.

When I click on a link to take me to one of the troubled pages the new tab appears immediately with the "problem loading page" message at the top, as if the computer hasn't even tried to load the page. When I refresh the page it grinds away for a while then reverts to the "problem loading page" message again.

When I try to open Facebook it partially loads the page but no content is displayed. The login boxes appear, and despite my having cleared cache and everything, including my passwords and so on, it remembers my login details. This confuses me.

It's happening on both Firefox and Internet Explorer (the only two browsers I have on this laptop).

Our other laptops seem fine, and load the pages without trouble. I'd really like to be able to get this one to work properly, though. I've cleared the history of both browsers, including deleting the cache, cookies and history.

Am I doing something obviously wrong, and can anyone suggest what I could do to resolve this?

Thank you for all suggestions.
 

MostlyBecca

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Sounds like you might have a DNS problem. Try accessing the websites using their IP addresses instead of their domain names. If you can get there using an IP address, then it's probably some kind of DNS issue.

I'm not sure exactly where to find this in windows 8, since I refuse to use it (so the directions may not be exact) but if you go to the desktop and right-click the start icon, you should see a menu pop up. Click run and type "cmd" in the dialogue box that opens. Hit okay.

Now from here you can find the IP address of any website you haven't been able to browse to. Just type "ping ebay.co.uk" minus the quotes into the command prompt and press enter. Do this for whatever websites you can't browse to, take the IP address it gives you and enter that into the address bar of your browser. For example, ebay.co.uk is currently 66.135.215.61
 

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I'm not sure exactly where to find this in windows 8, since I refuse to use it (so the directions may not be exact) but if you go to the desktop and right-click the start icon, you should see a menu pop up. Click run and type "cmd" in the dialogue box that opens. Hit okay.

I hate Windows 8. I'm only using this laptop as my old one died last week, and this is the only alternative.

Windows 8 doesn't have a start button or start icon, but I found the "run" thing by searching in the tiles page, or whatever it's called.

Now from here you can find the IP address of any website you haven't been able to browse to. Just type "ping ebay.co.uk" minus the quotes into the command prompt and press enter. Do this for whatever websites you can't browse to, take the IP address it gives you and enter that into the address bar of your browser. For example, ebay.co.uk is currently 66.135.215.61

I did that, and got that same IP number. I plugged it into the address bar of Firefox and got a redirect, which eventually took me to ebay.com. But the page hasn't loaded properly: I've got the text, all arranged down the left of the screen, but no images; and in the "run" window I was told that four of the requests timed out: four packets were sent but none received. Is that significant?

When I tried the same with Facebook I got that same part-loaded site: text down the left hand side, no images or anything. But in the "run" menu all four packets were returned. (I don't know what this means. I am hopeless.)
 

williemeikle

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I get very similar problems when I take my laptop too far away from my router.

Are you running wireless? And could this be the problem? It might be that the Wireless Lan on this particular laptop isn't as strong as the one on your other machines.
 
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MostlyBecca

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I did that, and got that same IP number. I plugged it into the address bar of Firefox and got a redirect, which eventually took me to ebay.com. But the page hasn't loaded properly: I've got the text, all arranged down the left of the screen, but no images; and in the "run" window I was told that four of the requests timed out: four packets were sent but none received. Is that significant?

When I tried the same with Facebook I got that same part-loaded site: text down the left hand side, no images or anything. But in the "run" menu all four packets were returned. (I don't know what this means. I am hopeless.)
Nope, nothing to be concerned about. Most major websites disable pings to avoid potential security issues.

At this point, I'm not sure if it's a DNS issue or not. It's probably worth it to clear your DNS cache anyway. If you would, go back through run and to the command prompt again and this time type "ipconfig /flushdns" and press enter. Once you see a message that it was successfully flushed, close out the prompt, restart your computer, and check the sites again.

If that doesn't solve your problem and you're using wireless, I would try connecting with an ethernet cable to see if that's any better. Could always be a bad connection.
 

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Did you check to make sure your settings aren't disabling stuff like Java across the board? The way you're getting half pages makes me wonder.

Or maybe your parents put a block on sites that are inappropriate for you to see! ;)
 

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Did you check to make sure your settings aren't disabling stuff like Java across the board? The way you're getting half pages makes me wonder.

Or maybe your parents put a block on sites that are inappropriate for you to see! ;)

She has JavaScript enabled. Keep in mind that Java is not the same as JavaScript.

The half page issue is because sections of an HTML page load based on the order of DIV tags; so some items won't be properly places until the last item on the page is received by the Web browser from the hosting server; it sounds very much to me like there's some kind of a server disconnect mid-page load.

Old Hack would you mind terribly turning off Images in your Browser settings and seeing what happens?

Also: What happens with Amazon UK pages?
 

cornflake

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I know just enough to be dangerous, clearly, which is close to nothing. Sorry!

In my defense, it's hard for a flake to hop around a keyboard to type and not get trapped in the spaces so, like, that takes a lot of concentration and stuff.
 

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I know just enough to be dangerous, clearly, which is close to nothing. Sorry!

In my defense, it's hard for a flake to hop around a keyboard to type and not get trapped in the spaces so, like, that takes a lot of concentration and stuff.

There are points in the usual tech support inquisition process where I have been tempted to suggest the user resort to a roasted goat and libation to the gods . . .
 

MostlyBecca

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There are points in the usual tech support inquisition process where I have been tempted to suggest the user resort to a roasted goat and libation to the gods . . .
I'm surprised that isn't common practice already.
 

Reziac

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There are points in the usual tech support inquisition process where I have been tempted to suggest the user resort to a roasted goat and libation to the gods . . .

There's your problem! Everyone in tech support knows it's supposed to be a black chicken taped to your monitor.
 

Reziac

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I did that, and got that same IP number. I plugged it into the address bar of Firefox and got a redirect, which eventually took me to ebay.com. But the page hasn't loaded properly: I've got the text, all arranged down the left of the screen, but no images; and in the "run" window I was told that four of the requests timed out: four packets were sent but none received. Is that significant?


The partially loaded site problem in this case is because ebay isn't just ebay.com; it's something like ebay.com plus ebaystatic.com (I don't recall the servernames exactly) and 2 or 3 others, all of which are called by the main page and load this or that. One for images, another for text, a third for the ads, etc.

Anyway, as someone said this sounds like a DNS problem -- and it might not be yours; it might be your ISP's DNS server has issues -- that would explain why some sites load and others don't. (If the issue is on your system, you're more likely to go nowhere at all, or if malware, be redirected to some bogus site.)

I don't know where the heck you set DNS in Win8, presumably it's somewhere in network settings, but you might try switching to Google's DNS or OpenDNS, for the numbers you plug into the settings. Google's are 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4 -- I use Google's DNS because it's considerably faster, and doesn't do an advertising redirect if a site doesn't exist.
 
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Old Hack

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Lots of responses--I'll work through them all.

I get very similar problems when I take my laptop too far away from my router.

Are you running wireless? And could this be the problem? It might be that the Wireless Lan on this particular laptop isn't as strong as the one on your other machines.

We have a Belkin router and a Devolo range extender.

I get this problem whether I'm connected to the Belkin or the Devolo thing; and regardless of how near or far I am to the devices. I've not tried a wired connection to either of them, but have tried sitting within a yard or two of the devices, and it makes no difference.

However, there does seem to be an issue with the connection: often this laptop refuses to connect to the Devolo, for no reason that I can see, while our other devices connect just fine; and right now the connection icon in my taskbar has a yellow warning triangle on it, and I'm told there's no internet service; yet I've been able to make all sorts of posts on AW in the 45 minutes I've been at my keyboard, with that warning triangle in place.

You're on satellite, yes?

Yep, satellite broadband. It's been a bit foggy here lately, which can affect it; and when there's bad weather at the base station (which is either in Germany or Italy, I forget which one we're on at the moment) that will knock our service out too. But I don't think that's the problem as that will affect all my internet activities, not just specific sites.

Nope, nothing to be concerned about. Most major websites disable pings to avoid potential security issues.

At this point, I'm not sure if it's a DNS issue or not. It's probably worth it to clear your DNS cache anyway. If you would, go back through run and to the command prompt again and this time type "ipconfig /flushdns" and press enter. Once you see a message that it was successfully flushed, close out the prompt, restart your computer, and check the sites again.

If that doesn't solve your problem and you're using wireless, I would try connecting with an ethernet cable to see if that's any better. Could always be a bad connection.

I'll have a go at that. Give me a moment. Thank you!
 

Old Hack

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The half page issue is because sections of an HTML page load based on the order of DIV tags; so some items won't be properly places until the last item on the page is received by the Web browser from the hosting server; it sounds very much to me like there's some kind of a server disconnect mid-page load.

That makes sense, even to me.

Old Hack would you mind terribly turning off Images in your Browser settings and seeing what happens?

Also: What happens with Amazon UK pages?

I'll try that, and report back. And Amazon? I spit on it.

There are points in the usual tech support inquisition process where I have been tempted to suggest the user resort to a roasted goat and libation to the gods . . .

That was the first thing I tried. I've resisted the temptation to burn the innards of a toad because it's so hard to get them going, you know; but I might have to resort to that next.

Anyway, as someone said this sounds like a DNS problem -- and it might not be yours; it might be your ISP's DNS server has issues -- that would explain why some sites load and others don't. (If the issue is on your system, you're more likely to go nowhere at all, or if malware, be redirected to some bogus site.)

I don't know where the heck you set DNS in Win8, presumably it's somewhere in network settings, but you might try switching to Google's DNS or OpenDNS, for the numbers you plug into the settings. Google's are 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4 -- I use Google's DNS because it's considerably faster, and doesn't do an advertising redirect if a site doesn't exist.

Wah! I'll try that last, because it sounds far too complicated. I'll need more tea before I attempt it.

Thanks, all. I do appreciate your help. I'll go and try a few of these potential fixes, and will report back ASAP.
 

Old Hack

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At this point, I'm not sure if it's a DNS issue or not. It's probably worth it to clear your DNS cache anyway. If you would, go back through run and to the command prompt again and this time type "ipconfig /flushdns" and press enter. Once you see a message that it was successfully flushed, close out the prompt, restart your computer, and check the sites again.

I've done this and it's not changed a thing, I'm afraid.

If that doesn't solve your problem and you're using wireless, I would try connecting with an ethernet cable to see if that's any better. Could always be a bad connection.

I'll try that later, and will report back.

Old Hack would you mind terribly turning off Images in your Browser settings and seeing what happens?
I'm still working on this one: it seems that Firefox removed the tick-box for this option in its latest update.

Also: What happens with Amazon UK pages?

The header is all over the place, but the content below doesn't look too bad. I don't have a photobucket account to post an image of it here, but I've kept a screenshot and will see if I can PM it to you.
 

Old Hack

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I took this horrible laptop to Starbucks this morning and tried to get to eBay on their wifi connection. It loaded, but slowly, and for a couple of seconds showed the partially-loaded page I described above before loading properly.

I just tried to go to eBay on my home connection and it loaded the first time, but when I tried to search or go to my watch list I got that same "problem loading page" warning.

As our other laptops are doing mostly ok here (it's still foggy, so the connection at home is a bit slow but it's still working) I assume this means the fault is with this laptop. Is that right? Windows 8 on its own is almost enough to make me want to kick it out of the window but if it's also got a problem with getting online I might have to stomp on it before I launch it.
 

Cathy C

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I don't know if this will help, but I found a discussion about this issue on zdnet. Here was the answer:

Go to Tools --> Options --> Network and under Cached Web Content, your cache may be set to 350mb, the default setting. If your computer is fairly new, you may not have browsed enough sites to fill your cache with information from various different sites.

Try ticking the box "override automatic cache management" and set it to 0mb. This should force the browser to reload a new page from scratch EVERY time.

:Shrug: Don't know if it'll help, but give it a shot.
 

MostlyBecca

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I took this horrible laptop to Starbucks this morning and tried to get to eBay on their wifi connection. It loaded, but slowly, and for a couple of seconds showed the partially-loaded page I described above before loading properly.

I just tried to go to eBay on my home connection and it loaded the first time, but when I tried to search or go to my watch list I got that same "problem loading page" warning.

As our other laptops are doing mostly ok here (it's still foggy, so the connection at home is a bit slow but it's still working) I assume this means the fault is with this laptop. Is that right? Windows 8 on its own is almost enough to make me want to kick it out of the window but if it's also got a problem with getting online I might have to stomp on it before I launch it.
Yes, it sounds like it's something on the laptop's end. Were you able to hard wire it in any way? It might be a hardware issue that is affecting your ability to connect wirelessly.

You also might want to try working your way through the troubleshooting in this. The problem could be your antivirus. Did you install or make any changes to antivirus programs around the time you started having issues?
 

Old Hack

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Don't know if it'll help, but give it a shot.

I'll try that, Cathy: thank you for the suggestion.

Were you able to hard wire it in any way? It might be a hardware issue that is affecting your ability to connect wirelessly.

I've not had a chance to try to connect with a cable: I hope to have a go with that tomorrow. But I'm leaning towards a problem with the wireless adapter at the moment.

You also might want to try working your way through the troubleshooting in this.

Ha! That link won't load for me.

The problem could be your antivirus. Did you install or make any changes to antivirus programs around the time you started having issues?

Not that I can remember. I'm running AVG, the free version.

Did you try flushing your DNS cache, as described above?

Yep, did that, but it didn't make any difference.
 

MostlyBecca

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I've not had a chance to try to connect with a cable: I hope to have a go with that tomorrow. But I'm leaning towards a problem with the wireless adapter at the moment.
I assumed before you were using your laptop's built-in wireless (which you should make sure to turn off btw when you test your connection with a cable) but by wireless adapter do you mean you are using one of those USB cards or antennas to connect wirelessly? If so, I had that same issue years ago with a wireless card and simply replacing the wireless adapter fixed it. If you do have one of those cards or something similar, you can try using it from a different computer to see if that's the culprit.
 

Old Hack

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No, I meant the inbuilt wireless adapter. I don't connect with dongles or anything like that.
 

MostlyBecca

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No, I meant the inbuilt wireless adapter. I don't connect with dongles or anything like that.
God, I love that word so much. :snoopy:

Yeah, I'm leaning towards your internal wireless being the cause as well. I've also PM'ed you the main content of the link I sent you in case you'd like to try that too.