Why a reboot can fix problems
Q. Many times when I am having a computer problem my IT guy will tell me to reboot my computer. And most of the time this will actually fix the problem. Why is that?
A. As a computer is running and being used by the operator, resources on the computer allocated to the processes and those same resources are released when the process is complete.
In an ideal world, this would be very routine and work very well all the time. But in reality, computer processes can run away and resources like RAM and CPU get gummed up.
In my experience, the most common first step in correcting a computer issue is to simply turn the computer off and on again.
Q. I am no longer able to browse the Web on one of my Windows computers. How can I fix this?
A. The most common cause of Web browsing issues tends to be a result of a virus or spyware.
If you don’t already have Malwarebytes installed, you will need to use another computer that can access the Web and download the installer to a portable USB drive so you can then connect to the affected computer and install the program. Go ahead and scan the computer and remove anything the program detects and then reboot.
If you are still unable to connect you will need to reset your TCP/IP Stack and your WINSOCK as they may have been damaged as a result of malware.
Start by clicking on the Search icon and typing in CMD. When the Command Prompt icon shows up, right click it and select “Run As Administrator.”
Now, at the command prompt, type “netsh winsock reset catalog” and hit enter. You will see some text scroll by and the final message will say you have to reboot the computer. Don’t reboot just yet. Next, type in “netsh int ip reset reset.log” and hit Enter.
You will again see a message about rebooting. When it boots back up you should be able to use your Web browsers.