[BobM]

My computer had an automatic MS update about 2 days ago. AFterwards I couldn't access any web page via MS Explorer. I called my internet supplier (Verizon) and they told me that Microsoft just put out a warning. Apparently the recent updates for XP are causing problems with 3rd party firewalls (I use Zone Alarm). The computer connects to the internet and you can see your router and such but Explorer will not display any web page.

The fix is to uninstall the update. To do this you need to go to Control Panel, choose add or delete programs, select the "view updates" checkbox at the top, then scroll down to XP updates and delete the most recent one (in my case from July 8, 2008).

Fair warning in case you also experience this problem. Apparently it's fairly prevalent, but damn near impossible to figure out unless you already know about it beforehand.

Love you Microsoft.

Enjoy,
Bob

[bacobits1]

I did install SP3 and I did get that auto update 2 days ago.
No problem here because I'm not using a third party firewall.
I have noticed more problems with FireFox quiting since SP3 has been installed.
Although FireFox has had an update too.

WTF! Brilliant!
Microsloth

D

[WGH]

ZoneAlarm has released a fix and instructions:
http://download.zonealarm.com/bin/free/pressReleases/2008/LossOfInternetAccessIssue.html

For all you propeller heads, here is the technical mumbo-jumbo from Windows Secrets:

ZoneAlarm chokes on Microsoft's DNS patch

The troublesome Microsoft patch of the month is MS08-037, Knowledge Base 953230, which addresses a vulnerability in the Domain Name Service (DNS). For most PC users, DNS is controlled by their ISP. This patch is intended to protect systems from being "poisoned" by an infected DNS provider.

Microsoft KB article 953230 documents the currently known issues regarding the patch but does not describe what people experiencing problems related to the "fix" are having to deal with. ZoneAlarm users report that after the application of this patch, they are unable to access the Internet.

The recommended way to remedy this is to reset ZoneAlarm's firewall database. This can be done either by following the steps described in this post or by uninstalling and reinstalling ZoneAlarm. I don't expect Microsoft to re-release a patch for this, but you may want to watch the ZoneAlarm message boards to see whether someone comes up with a better solution.

[NEWS FLASH: At press time, ZoneAlarm.com had posted an official recommendation to cure things, with links to new software versions that don't suffer from the problem.]

[Big Red Machine]

My computer had an automatic MS update about 2 days ago. AFterwards I couldn't access any web page via MS Explorer. I called my internet supplier (Verizon) and they told me that Microsoft just put out a warning. Apparently the recent updates for XP are causing problems with 3rd party firewalls (I use Zone Alarm). The computer connects to the internet and you can see your router and such but Explorer will not display any web page.

The fix is to uninstall the update. To do this you need to go to Control Panel, choose add or delete programs, select the "view updates" checkbox at the top, then scroll down to XP updates and delete the most recent one (in my case from July 8, 2008).

Fair warning in case you also experience this problem. Apparently it's fairly prevalent, but damn near impossible to figure out unless you already know about it beforehand.

Love you Microsoft.

Enjoy,
Bob

Thanks.  I don't recall any updates happening on the desktop, but exactly as you describe it has happened.  I get the connection for about 3 or 4 minutes and then nothing.  I thought it was a Yahoo issue at first.

I have Norton btw.

[mgalusha]

Don't remove the DNS patch. It's a big deal, enough so that virtually every DNS vendor in the world issued a patch yesterday.

http://www.doxpara.com/
and
http://www.kb.cert.org/vuls/id/800113

[Bob in St. Louis]

Hey folks,
Do you guys want me to move this thread to the Diskless Circle?

Bob 

[WGH]

Hey folks,
Do you guys want me to move this thread to the Diskless Circle?

Bob 

OK

[craig223]

Easy Fix - Get Firefox!  Just go to www.mozilla.com and download for free.  Use it for a week and you will never go back.  IE stinks.  It doesn't display pictures under Vista half of the time.  Microsoft patches always seem to break their own software first.

[some young guy]

My computer had an automatic MS update about 2 days ago. AFterwards I couldn't access any web page via MS Explorer. I called my internet supplier (Verizon) and they told me that Microsoft just put out a warning. Apparently the recent updates for XP are causing problems with 3rd party firewalls (I use Zone Alarm). The computer connects to the internet and you can see your router and such but Explorer will not display any web page.

The fix is to uninstall the update. To do this you need to go to Control Panel, choose add or delete programs, select the "view updates" checkbox at the top, then scroll down to XP updates and delete the most recent one (in my case from July 8, 2008).

Fair warning in case you also experience this problem. Apparently it's fairly prevalent, but damn near impossible to figure out unless you already know about it beforehand.

Love you Microsoft.

Enjoy,
Bob

Thanks.  I don't recall any updates happening on the desktop, but exactly as you describe it has happened.  I get the connection for about 3 or 4 minutes and then nothing.  I thought it was a Yahoo issue at first.

I have Norton btw.

I didn't see it happen either... that's because it went on auto-pilot. I just happened to be awake (insomnia) and heard the PC restart all by itself the other night. The update loaded itself, even though it's not supposed to, according to my settings. Through the years with computers, I've learned that I don't mind the companies like Dell, Gateway etc. so much, it's MS that bugs the s#%t out of me! The last big security update I loaded cost me almost $400 to fix and I still have IE issues and still can't use the tool that allows my wife to log onto her secure network for work.   

[satfrat]

No issues using XP w/SP3 while having McAfee Security Center either. 

Cheers,
Robin

[Big Red Machine]

Easy Fix - Get Firefox!  Just go to www.mozilla.com and download for free.  Use it for a week and you will never go back.  IE stinks.  It doesn't display pictures under Vista half of the time.  Microsoft patches always seem to break their own software first.

Can I use my existing Favorites lists with it?

[mgalusha]

Can I use my existing Favorites lists with it?

Firefox will offer to import them. It is a much better (IMO) browser that IE.

However, the DNS patch mentioned above needs to be allowed to install. Firefox still uses the XP DNS code and that is what is vulnerable.

Again, this is a big deal. If DNS is poisoned you could type in your bank URL and be taken to a look alike site that is not who you think it is.

[jqp]

Easy Fix - Get Firefox!  Just go to www.mozilla.com and download for free.  Use it for a week and you will never go back.  IE stinks.  It doesn't display pictures under Vista half of the time.  Microsoft patches always seem to break their own software first.

Sorry - wishful thinking - it happens with Firefox

[DaveC113]

It killed firefox too, I had to turn off ZA... it took me about a half hour or wondering wtf is going on?