Cannot connect to the Internet using IE or Chrome

[Lorraine_2]

I have a Toshiba Satellite L675 laptop running Windows 7 Home Premium. This evening, IE, Chrome or Mozilla would not connect to the Internet. I received a message saying :
"The remote device or resource won't accept Internet connection". I did manage to get Mozilla to connect to the Internet by going into Options-Advanced-Network-Connection and unchecked "no proxy". I tried to reconnect IE by going into Internet Options, Connections and "settings" is all greyed out so I cannot configure a proxy server for a connection. My other computers all connect to the Internet without a problem.

Any help would be much appreciated. Thank you.

[Oleg_3]

Have you tried reinstalling your browsers?

[rproffitt]

This sounds like the usual infection. You can try resetting the browsers (how is on the web) but I'd scan with the tools listed by Grif at this link.

The proxy setting is rarely used here. But some malware used that to hijack PCs.

Other issues include incorrect date and time, and older WiFi connections such as WEP.

[Lorraine_2]

Yes, I did reinstall Chrome last evening and the reinstall didn't clear anything up. I do not know how to reinstall IE. I did however reset IE and that didn't work. So I ran my antivirus and it picked up a few times last night.

Just now I booted up that laptop and everything is back to the way it was. All browsers, so far, are connecting to the Internet.

Thank you Oleg_3 for responding to my problem.

I guess my post can be closed.

[rproffitt]

@OP. Reinstalling browsers and most apps keep settings. This means a reinstall is not a reset in the case of say Chrome, Firefox and other apps.

Good news to read a reboot helped.

[Lorraine_2]

Yes, I did reinstall Chrome last evening and the reinstall didn't clear anything up. I do not know how to reinstall IE. I did however reset IE and that didn't work. So I ran my antivirus and it picked up a few times last night.

Just now I booted up that laptop and everything is back to the way it was. All browsers, so far, are connecting to the Internet.

Thank you Oleg_3 for responding to my problem.

I guess my post can be closed.
One more thing. I just ran Malwarebytes and it picked up the following: Hijack.AutoConfig.URL.PrxySvrRST. This may be my culpruit.

[rproffitt]

@OP. That hijack is most likely it.

I suggest you beef up your browser security. I use 2 things on most browsers.

1. Web Of Trust (it's out for most browsers.)
2. An adblocker. Now there are some that hate these but they also block scams and more. I use:
   a. Ublock Origin (or)
   b. Adblock+

[AssertNull]

@OP. Reinstalling browsers and most apps keep settings. This means a reinstall is not a reset in the case of say Chrome, Firefox and other apps.

Yup. However, the good news is that you can go into the settings and clear the cache, cookies, saved passwords, and there's often a "reset default" setting in the settings. Do that BEFORE uninstalling and reinstalling. Often does the trick. Not always. My general rule after detecting malware is to do all that, then uninstall, then reboot, then manually find those hidden "AppData" and "Program Files" files and shortcuts that somehow got left behind and delete them. A quick search for "Chrome" will show (a lot of, though perhaps not all) the places it buries itself. If I'm feeling extra-cautious, I'll search the registry too. These things never completely uninstall. If I'm feeling extra-paranoid I'll create a new user, reboot as that user, and reinstall as that user. Keep in mind that you're given the option generally of "importing" your old settings or importing the settings of another compromised browser program. If you import settings, be careful not to import the old junk into your fresh new secure installation.

Usually you don't have to do all that. You're probably fine since you isolated that malware.

[Lorraine_2]

Thank you rproffitt and Assertnull for your input. I appreciate it very much.