http://i43.tinypic.com/2w3562r.png Above is a link to a screenshot showing Firefox and IE8 having the same problem - not being able to load webpages. Funnily enough, this actually happened as I tried to come here and ask if anyone has any kind of solution. I have had this problem on this computer for the past 5 or so months - Whether I've had Windows XP, Vista or W7 as the OS of choice. As you can probably see on the screenshot, I am on MSN and Steam. Both of these are connected to the internet and working perfectly fine. I have MSN conversations open and should I want to I could go on the Steam friends list and join a game of whatever online game a friend is playing. At first I thought this might be an OS install problem, so I had tried reinstall after reinstall - changing OS's between XP and Vista. Now that I have W7 RC1 and I'm STILL getting this problem I think it's time to try a different idea here. So I purchased a new USB Internet Wireless adapter. This, unfortunately, has not fixed the problem and to be honest it's starting to get a tad frustrating. The only fix I have found is to reboot the machine - and this isn't a Start --> Restart --> Get a drink and wait for the computer to start up. This does not fix it, oddly enough. I have to go to Start --> Shut down --> Turn on the computer back on --> Wait for it to boot up. I have Google searched for solutions - got results from various message boards and other such sites and those fixes for similar sounding problems have not helped. So I'm now all out of ideas. Does anyone have a solution to how to fix this, please? Extra steps I have taken: -- Try a different USB dongle -- Try a PCI Card for wireless internet -- Try different USB slots -- Format and reinstall Problem is still unfixed.

This issue occurs if HTTP data packs are blocked. I suggest that you disable anti-virus program and firewall, also disable anti-spyware such as Windows Defender. If the issue still occurs, I suggest that you bypass the router, connect the computer directly to Internet. Then let us know the result. If the issue persists, Lets disable all startup items and third party services when booting. This method will help us determine if this issue is caused by a loading program or service. Please perform the following steps: 1. Click the Start Button type "msconfig" (without quotation marks) in the Start Search box, and then press Enter. Note: If prompted, please click Continue on the User Account Control (UAC) window.2. Click the "Services" tab, check the "Hide All Microsoft Services" box and click "Disable All" (if it is not gray). 3. Click the "Startup" tab, click "Disable All" and click "OK". Then, restart the computer. When the "System Configuration Utility" window appears, please check the "Don't show this message or launch the System Configuration Utility when Windows starts" box and click OK. Please test this issue in the Clean Boot environment, if the issue disappears in the Clean Boot environment, we can use a 50/50 approach to quickly narrow down which entry is causing the issue. Arthur Xie - MSFT

This issue occurs if HTTP data packs are blocked. I suggest that you disable anti-virus program and firewall, also disable anti-spyware such as Windows Defender. If the issue still occurs, I suggest that you bypass the router, connect the computer directly to Internet. Then let us know the result. If the issue persists, Lets disable all startup items and third party services when booting. This method will help us determine if this issue is caused by a loading program or service. Please perform the following steps: 1. Click the Start Button type "msconfig" (without quotation marks) in the Start Search box, and then press Enter. Note: If prompted, please click Continue on the User Account Control (UAC) window.2. Click the "Services" tab, check the "Hide All Microsoft Services" box and click "Disable All" (if it is not gray). 3. Click the "Startup" tab, click "Disable All" and click "OK". Then, restart the computer. When the "System Configuration Utility" window appears, please check the "Don't show this message or launch the System Configuration Utility when Windows starts" box and click OK. Please test this issue in the Clean Boot environment, if the issue disappears in the Clean Boot environment, we can use a 50/50 approach to quickly narrow down which entry is causing the issue. Arthur Xie - MSFT Having the same problem here, will try your suggestion before I give up Windows 7, and go back to XP.

This issue occurs if HTTP data packs are blocked. I suggest that you disable anti-virus program and firewall, also disable anti-spyware such as Windows Defender. If the issue still occurs, I suggest that you bypass the router, connect the computer directly to Internet. Then let us know the result. This morning I disabled my Firewall completely and switched to Windows Defender (Which will probably be temporary). When I first got this problem, I was using the Firewall "ZoneAlarm". This FW does not work on Windows 7 yet, so I began using the trial version of eSet until I could find a replacement. As my original post made obvious, I was still getting the problem of the browsing cutting out. Disabling my Firewall seemed to fix the problem. So I'm wondering why both ZoneAlarm & eSet managed to get themselves the same problem that Windows Defender hasn't. It's also a bit puzzling to me what made ZoneAlarm randomly start doing this to me in the first place. Oh well. I'm glad to have my browsing back in working order. If the matter comes back when running Windows Defender (Or worse, no Firewall at all) then I'll come back here and try your other suggestions. Thanks very much for your help, Arthur Xie.