Firefox and other Browsers won't load pages

[grahamm7x]

I have just had to re-build Windows 8.1 on my ASUS S200E netbook. (New keyboard and sent back with OEM vanilla Windows 8.0). Loaded 173 updates to Win 8.0 (Had to use CLEAN BOOT to load them). Then upgraded from Store to Win 8.1. Loaded another 36 critical patches. My Anti Virus ESET NOD32 says updating and stays updating! The company said they would remote Log In. But when I try to connect to their server via their URL the browser (Firefox) does the same thing. Says it is connecting and stays that way. I can ping a USA site and get a good reply - so DNS and Internet (IP) etc. all ok. (Have 70 Mbps cable broadband) I turned OFF the firewall in case this was causing the problem, but this did not cure the problem. {MS IE browser acts the same way}. I may still be in a Clean Boot situation with all non-MS services turned OFF (apart from the Anti Virus ESET). I have asked ASUS Help for assistance, but they haven't usually given me much good advice. Not sure what to try next. Even a check for Firefox update does the same thing it says checking and stays checking for ever.

[DanRaisch]

Moving to MozillaZine Tech because the issue also appears with IE shows the same problems.

Have you tried booting to Windows "Safe Mode with networking?"

[grahamm7x]

No I haven't tried safe mode with networking. One of the problems I seem to read with Windows 8/8.1 is that the normal [F8] for Safe Mode doesn't work. One has to make some changes in order for the normal [F8] key to work. Some instructions at CMD level (Why O why do Microsoft and other software writers change things like this?] But I am probably running still from Clean Boot that means that all non-MS services are not running. Perhaps Firefox needs some service to run. Although networking is fine PING (IP)/DNS is ok. And with NO Firewall what should stop Port 80 (HTML I think) working on top. But if I can find how to get Win 8.1 into Safe Mode I will do so. I seem to remember I can probably do that from MSCONFIG as I did for Clean Boot. But thanks for your prompt reply and helpfulness.

[grahamm7x]

I have not booted up into SAFE MODE + Networking with an Ethernet connection to my router. All Non-MS services are stopped apart from ESET NOD 32 AntiVirus. Network ok can PING DNS. Addresses. Firefox and can browse to pages on the Internet. Out of SAFE MODE and back to previous problems. The Firefox updater service is turned off. I will try turning on a few service. Or maybe roll back via Restore to Windows 8.1 with no patches. Maybe one of the patches is causing the problems. No Help from ASUS Help Desk so far. Any help greatfully received.

[grahamm7x]

Shouls say I HAVE booted up into SAFE MODE - was a typo

[morat]

Try to diagnose the connection.

Control Panel > Network and Internet > Network Connections

C:\Windows\System32\control.exe netconnections
C:\Windows\System32\ncpa.cpl

Try to issue the following commands in the Command Prompt window.

Start > All Programs > Accessories > Command Prompt

Issue the ipconfig /release and ipconfig /renew commands.
Issue the ipconfig /flushdns and ipconfig /registerdns commands.

Troubleshooting faulty network connectivity
http://dougvitale.wordpress.com/2011/11 ... ty-part-1/
http://dougvitale.wordpress.com/2011/12 ... -commands/

[grahamm7x]

The problem is not at network layer up to Transport. I can ping say www.cisco.com. So DNS and IP connectivity is fine. It is when the browser or other apps try to communicate over the IP layer probably using TCP that it doesn't work. It does work in SAFE MODE but not in normal. Though I have all non-MS services stopped. But if it didn't need them in Safe Mode it shouldn't make a difference when I come out of Safe Mode. There is nothing wrong with the IP address issued by my router. It is at the upper level or the APP itself that something is not working.