My XP system keeps losing its DNS settings

[raveolution]

I have Windows XP SP1 on both of my systems and I use a router to connect them to the net.

One system works just fine and it handles all DNS requests without a problem, but my newer system is acting up fiercely.

When I use netscape or MSIE to browse web pages it occasionally decides it can't find the site and when that happens it persists until I reboot. I even tried disconnecting the ethernet cable and reconnecting to see if it would fix itself and it doesn't. BUT at the same time this happens, I can do a direct nslookup for the offending site name and whammo, nslookup finds the IP!

I can then add the IP to %systemroot%\system32\drivers\etc\hosts and the problem will never come up again for that particular site. Of course if the site changes IP addys in the future then whammo I'm in trouble :(

What can I do besides editing the hosts file to keep my system from going on the fritz like this?

[amd_man2005]

You don't happen to have a program thats editing the hosts file do you?

[raveolution]

You don't happen to have a program thats editing the hosts file do you?

No, I don't.

[Yawgm0th]

When did this start happening? Did it happen after you did something, or has it been a problem since Windows was installed?

You could try using Mozilla, although I doubt that would fix anything if it doesn't work in Netscape...

It could be some sort of spyware or virus... Try Ad-Aware and HijackThis if you haven't already. Get AVG if you don't have virus protection.

[raveolution]

When did this start happening? Did it happen after you did something, or has it been a problem since Windows was installed?

You could try using Mozilla, although I doubt that would fix anything if it doesn't work in Netscape...

It could be some sort of spyware or virus... Try Ad-Aware and HijackThis if you haven't already. Get AVG if you don't have virus protection.

I installed Spybot S&D and AVG as soon as the OS was installed, along with zone alarm. This problem has been going on ever since I put XP on there. In fact the system was virgin (no OS before this) when I put it on there. Netscape 7 and Mozilla 1.5-1.8beta all do the same thing, as well as MSIE.

I can find the sitename with nslookup but I can't with applications or the web browsers.

I wish I could trace the problem to a misconfiguration or a broken dll or something :(

[Yawgm0th]

It's possible (although unlikely) that it's some strange driver problem. What's your hardware (board mainly)? What order did you install your software and drivers in? Where do you get the drivers?

I wish I could trace the problem to a misconfiguration or a broken dll or something :(

HijackThis will actually do that, in some cases. Give it a try. The link's in my signature. I'd also like you to post the log of it.

Even if you are connected without doing anything, try messing around in Network Connections and Internet Options.

It's also quite possible that Zone Alarm is the problem. Next time it happens, try closing Zone Alarm. Also try starting up without Zone Alarm to see if the problem still happens. Of course, mess around with the configuration and make sure it allows your browsers and network IPs full access.

It's even more likely that Spybot is the problem, if you leave it running with any sort of protection features. Try messing around with that. Turn it off, don't start it with Windows, etc.

[raveolution]

Alas, it is Zone Alarm.

I tried giving permission to every program in the list but I still have this problem. When I turn off ZA the problem goes away. Argh.

I absolutely do not want to turn off ZA and leave my PC wide open to attack, or even worse, applications "phoning home". :(

[wayout44]

Try uninstalling ZA then reinstalling it again.

[Frost]

Do you have a router? If you do it probably has NAT (Network Address Translation). I haven't run Zone Alarm, and I keep things from "Phoning home" by using AdAware, and being mindful of what I do. Also keep the updates from Microsoft current. Don't open attachments. I also run a little background program called ProtectX which intercepts soemone trying to gain any port and alerts me to the hacking attempt.. very nice little program.

Hmmm where's the custom avitar???

[raveolution]

Re: My XP system keeps losing its DNS settings

I discovered what the problem was - it was Zone alarm and I did not set my adapters (Marvell Yukon and NVIDIA nForce) as trusted.

As soon as I did that, boom! Problem solved!

[tuxfreak]

Re: My XP system keeps losing its DNS settings

then I would highly recommend you download the free sygate firewall. from your language, you seem to be well above the average 'net junkie. I think you will find it more to your likeing.

http://soho.sygate.com/products/spf_standard.htm

[jluckyiv]

Re: My XP system keeps losing its DNS settings

I discovered what the problem was - it was Zone alarm and I did not set my adapters (Marvell Yukon and NVIDIA nForce) as trusted.

As soon as I did that, boom! Problem solved!

raveolution, thanks for your post. I've had the same problem ever since WinXP SP2 came out. I couldn't set my adapter to trusted in ZA, but I put my default gateway in my trusted zone. All of a sudden, no DNS problems! Yippeee!

I'm forever in your debt. Especially because my wife is no longer pissed off about having to reboot every time she wants to access the internet.

[raveolution]

Re: My XP system keeps losing its DNS settings

then I would highly recommend you download the free sygate firewall. from your language, you seem to be well above the average 'net junkie. I think you will find it more to your likeing.

http://soho.sygate.com/products/spf_standard.htm

How is this different/better than Zone Alarm? thanks. :)