I have an internet problem. Perhaps someone can help me.

[Danger Mouse]

I developed the strangest problem with my internet last night. For some reason, I cannot login to Yahoo messenger, AIM, or MSN Messenger. I cannot login to hotmail or Gmail. This happened after I downloaded an update for yahoo messenger. Suddenly, after that, nothing worked, except for the internet itself, obviously, since I am able to post on DU.
What on earth has happened to my internet?
Any ideas?

P.S. as an aside, my computer moniter finally keeled over and died while i was trying to restart my comp. it had been on its way out for awhile (it's not even two years old and it dies on me!), and it's kind of weird that it happened while all of this other stuff was going on, but i doubt it'd related.

incidentally, i used AVG and scanned for viruses...nothing showed up. i also used adaware and spybot. nothing overly suspicious came up.
it all started when i tried to update YM.
...

[Danger Mouse]

1. Don't all jump in to help at once!

:P

[fizzgig]

2. i have no idea

but i'll give this a nudge

[RevolutionaryActs]

3. I haven't fucking replied because I don't know the fucking answer!

All fucking right? Fucking A man! :P

[Danger Mouse]

4. some big fucking help you are.

gee whiz!

[JTG of the PRB]

5. Yep, there's your problem.

[Danger Mouse]

6. i knew it!!

curse you lolcat!!!!

[Omphaloskepsis]

7. Add/Remove Programs --> Yahoo Messenger

Remove it and see if the other stuff starts working..

[Danger Mouse]

8. it didn't work.

nothing has worked. :(

[Omphaloskepsis]

9. Try turning off the firewall..

Maybe the Yahoo installer borked the settings.

What OS are you using?

[Danger Mouse]

10. windows xp. i tried turning off zone alarm. did nothing.

still completely perplexed...

[Omphaloskepsis]

12. Is the built-in firewall on?

I think SP2 included one.. I'm on a Mac.. I'm running from memory here. I can't test anything out.

[Danger Mouse]

13. it's off. been off for awhile.

so yeah.
no luck in that regard.

[bridgit]

11. you should ask swag, he prolly knows the answer...

:)

[Danger Mouse]

14. well where is he, then?

:P
tell him to get over here!

[bridgit]

15. so what am i now? Gunga Din?

:P :P

[Danger Mouse]

16. you're my friend, and i'm asking for help...

HAAAALP :cry:

[bridgit]

17. oh, oh, but of course darling, lemme zap it round...

please stand-by :hug:

[Danger Mouse]

21. you're an angel.

:hug:

[swag]

18. I can't help, since I don't use those apps, but these people might have a clue:

http://answers.yahoo.com/dir/?link=over&sid=396546095

Sorry you're having problems. I looked around and nothing's documented for these symptoms that I can find.

[fizzgig]

19. you did a virus scan, right?

[Danger Mouse]

20. yes, and it turned up nothing.

:shrug:

[fizzgig]

22. i talked with dad again

check your pm

[idgiehkt]

23. when stuff like this happens

sometimes I'll just do a system restore. If you don't have anything you can't afford to lose that is. It's the easy way out, but sometimes it works.

[Danger Mouse]

24. that's actually not a bad idea.

i'll check and see when the last restore point is...

[Danger Mouse]

26. i have a restore point from 4 am friday...long before all this happened...

and nothing of consequence would necessarily be lost.
might not be a bad idea...

[blogslut]

25. Before you do a restore, try this software

http://ccleaner.com/

[Danger Mouse]

27. my computer and i travelled back in time to 4 am, Friday, August 10th....

and undid the damage done by yahoo.
the problem has been solved.
as i signed into yahoo messenger, within a few minutes, it once again encouraged me to install the 'latest update'
the one that caused all of this trouble to begin with.
a creepy winking face beckoned me to the darkness.
this time, this time i knew better than to click on it.
:)
but it said it contains a security update...
perhaps that was the culprit all along?
i am not exactly keen on finding out :P

[idgiehkt]

28. that is great news

kinda like Tron...man I wish I could pull a 'system restore' on my life and send myself back to about 25 years old, lol.

Glad to know you got it worked out. :) :hug: