No Browsers connecting to Internet?

That is the problem I had a while back. As regular readers of this occasional blog will know, I have, and am still doing, testing of Windows7. A few weeks ago I think it had just finished doing it’s updates and I tried to check out an internet site. The browser loaded but would not connect to any site. Therefore I did what anyone else would do, I tried a different browser. I had the same problem with this one. Head scratching time ahead I thought. Could I ping any site from the run box and typing cmd. That worked and also windows updating worked ok but neither used a browser. Un-installed all my network hardware and reloaded. Still same problem. All the brainy bits still didn’t sort the problem out. Then I had a “light bulb” moment. There is a windows command that allows one to configure how to change network settings. Having not used it for quite some time and unsure of  the options I checked on the Internet using my other computer. This might be useful if you ever get the same problem so here is the method I used from the Run box:-

cmd enter

netsh winsock reset catalog enter

netsh int ip reset resetlog.txt enter

Then reboot the system and it will then reset the winsock and you will be able to use the browsers again to surf the internet.