Cannot access TinyURL.com

Cannot access TinyURL.com Firefox version: 2.0.0.16 Operating system: Windows XP

Author

Message

Pete
Firefox user

Start FF in Safe Mode, then see if you can go to Tiny, and for info. on Safe Mode, see Safe Mode

Ian
Firefox user

Thanks Pete, but I still get the same message.
I've also tried accessing it with Kaspersky closed and then with ZoneAlarm closed, with no change.
I've also tried Internet Explorer. That won't access TinyURL.com either. Instead of an error message, as with Firefox, it just stays on my home page. So maybe I'm on the wrong forum - but I don't know where else to go! I started Googling the problem and most of the links were to the Firefox home page!
So if anyone has any suggestions I still be grateful to hear from you,
Thanks in anticipation.

Pete
Firefox user

Your Firewall or anti-virus has to be the problem,,,,,,I think???

I use FF 3.0.1 and XP and have no problems, and I just went to IE and had no problem.

Pete
Firefox user

Did you start in Safe Mode and try?

cor-el

59410 posts

Did you check the HOSTS file?
See Error_loading_websites (MozillaZine KB)

Ian
Firefox user

I think its Spybot that's causing the trouble, but first I'll describe the other steps I took.

I did try running Firefox in Safe Mode from the Firefox menu and got the usual error message.
I also tried booting up in Safe Mode with Networking by pressing the F8 key while starting up. But I couldn't get an internet connection so that was no good either.

I've looked up the location of the Host file using Regedit to find the key cited in the Wikipedia entry and opened it in Notepad. Hosts has zillions of entries, mostly obvious malicious or other dodgy sites "inserted by Spybot - Search & Destroy". But they DO include tinyurl.com.
As I said before, I thought I'd removed this site from the blocked list within Spybot but it obviously didn't work. Unfortunately Notepad wouldn't let me re-save the Hosts file with this entry removed so I'm not sure what to do.
I could disable the pro-active Immunization feature of Spybot but that will leave me vulnerable being redirected to really scary-looking malware sites.

I'll try Spybot Help and report back.

Thanks everyone for your advice, much appreciated. If anyone has any more thoughts I'd still be interested though.

Ian
Firefox user

Fixed it! It WAS SpyBot's immunization feature.

I removed the Read Only attribute on Hosts by right clicking and then saved the Host file in Notepad with Tinyurl.com missing from the list.

This problem is recognized on the Spybot Forums and dates from the most recent update, so hopefully they'll delete tinyurl.com from their blacklist. Obviously, TinyUrl IS a bit of a threat as it hides the identity of the site visited, but we have to balance that against its convenience.

Special thanks to cor-el for the advice, but thanks too for everyone else who contributed. And apologies to the usual suspects at ZoneAlarm and Kaspersky.

For anyone else with this problem, the discussion at Spybot is at:

http://forums.spybot.info/showthread.php?t=32935&page=3

Perhaps I should have converted that to a Tinyurl....

cor-el

59410 posts

You're welcome

Ian
Firefox user

As a post-script, re-immunizing after the latest update to Spybot does NOT block tinyurl.com.
I was one of several who pointed out the error and it is corrected.
Sorted!

Bob
Firefox user

I an having the same problem. I use xp home.
When I use IE and have loged in I have to allow cookies is the problen in fiefoxe's coking handling.

Vedan
Firefox user

Try using http://turl.us tiny url service instead of tinyurl.com. This should solve your problem

drivedoctor
Firefox user

I had the same problem and discovered that my new version of Zone Alarm Pro included a program called ForceField.exe.

I opened my Task Manager with the old 3 finger salute (control-alt-delete) and in the Process section, I highlighted ForceField, did a right click and selected "End Process".

I was then able to access TinyURL.com links again.

I hope this helps.