# Solved: New PC will only access MSN.com, no other sites!



## nickib622

Okay, so hubby had to get a new PC. He got a Dell Inspiron 3646, 64-bit, 4 gb RAM, Windows 8.1 with Bing.

I am running Windows 7, so I am not much help.

Now, he can NOT access any websites except his home page MSN.com. Nothing else will work - no Facebook, nothing. We have done the troubleshooting thing, etc., and we can NOT figure this out!

Can anyone give us any suggestions as to how/where to figure this out? I also used to be able to access the printer that is connected to his PC, but now it just shows "offline" on my PC.

Thanks!


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## nickib622

He just downloaded Mozilla Firefox and it works! IE and Google Chrome do not. Any thoughts on why this might be? Thanks.


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## TerryNet

Implies a bogus proxy server, as I think that Chrome uses the same setting as IE and know that Firefox has its own setting.

Check Control Panel - Internet Options - Connections tab - LAN settings - none of the three choices should be selected (unless you are really using a proxy).


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## nickib622

Well, unfortunately (in my opinion) he ended up taking it back to Staples who promptly diagnosed it with "multiple" viruses. All will be fine after we spend $247 for them to clean it up and add their antivirus. I hate Staples, but he seems to think they are the way to go so (sigh), I guess that's that.

Thanks for the help TerryNet.


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## TerryNet

You're welcome. 

A virus is a likely cause. But $247 for "clean up" instead of just reinstall/reimage Windows on a new PC!?! Wow.


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## PSCO2007

> Wow


.

Double Wow!!

Can't believe people still don't have image backups for occurrences just as these.

Nickib -* In the future, make an image backup.*

http://www.macrium.com/reflectfree.aspx


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## md2lgyk

So hubby got "multiple" viruses from MSN.com? Yeah, right. There's no way I'd let Staple's touch a computer of mine, let alone install "their" antivirus program.


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## PSCO2007

Staple's should be ashamed of themselves for taking advantage of people with problems.:down:

They charged this poor woman as much as she paid for the original computer and all she had to do was come here and her problems would have been solved for free.

I hope it is a lesson learned and hope she has better luck in the future.


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## nickib622

Hold it . . . first of all, "this poor woman" isn't the one who went to Staples with this issue, it was my husband! I DO come here for everything PC-related, and usually I am able to resolve most issues with the help of the wonderful experts on this forum! PSCO2007, you are right, shame on us for not having made an image backup, but in our defense, we had the damn thing for 3 days and went on vacation - shut it down - and came back to the mess! Shame on Staples for taking advantage of people for their livelihood, and rest assured I would not go there - or the Geek Squad - if they were the last support options on the planet!

Be careful about slamming people for perhaps not being as foresighted as we should be, last time I checked, we are all human.


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## PSCO2007

> Be careful about slamming people


Never meant to offend you - it was Staples I was mad at.

Sorry.


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## nickib622

It's okay - I'm mad at Staples too! Hubby is even a little peeved. It's probably too late to do anything about it, but like you said, live and learn.

Thanks for the info about mirror-imaging. I have already saved the link.


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## PSCO2007

Make sure when you download Macrium, to click "custom" and uncheck all the extras it wants to add - like changing home page, search engines, etc. and good luck.

Also create the image on a separate hdd ( preferably internal) and make 2 copies on different hdds.


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## Tabvla

Macrium as suggested by Paul (PSCO2007) is a good and popular option.

However, if that is not the way you want to go then Microsoft have a perfectly good System Image utility built into W8.1. You will find access to the MS System Image utility at the lower-left corner on the File History App UI.

The MS System Image utility is very easy to use and requires Zero technical ability. You cannot create a Bootable HDD from the image but that is not an issue as W8.1 lets you create a Bootable USB Flash drive. To create the drive simply go to the Start Screen and type *recovery* and then click on "*Create a Recovery Drive*" and follow the prompts. The combination of the MS USB Recovery Drive and the MS System Image are the perfect solution for non-technical users and in my view one of the Top-Ten improvements in W8.1.

If you would prefer to use a full-blown powerful System Backup and Recovery software (and if Macrium is not an option) then you can get a *Free* copy of *Acronis True Image* from Seagate or Western Digital, providing that you have either a Seagate, Maxtor, Samsung or Western Digital hard disk installed.

T.


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