Winsock fix for Windows computers

After removing spyware or malware, if you have problems connecting to the Internet, you may need to initialize your TCP/IP network settings. To restore your connection, follow the directions below for the type of Windows computer you use.

Windows XP computers

1. Right-click this link and choose Save Link As.
2. Save the file to your computer's desktop.
3. Double-click winsockfix.exe to execute the program. You should see a dialog box that looks similar to the following:
    
4. 
   
   
5. Click Fix.
6. Confirm that you want to apply the Winsock fix.
7. Wait for confirmation that the fix was successful.
8. Restart your computer.

Vista and Windows 7 computers

1. Click Start in the lower-left corner of the screen.
2. Click in the Start Search box and type the following command:
   
   cmd
   
   
3. When cmd.exe appears in the Programs box, right-click it and select Run as administrator as shown in the following graphic:
    
4. 
   
   
5. Click Continue if the User Account Control dialog box prompts you whether to run this program. In the window that appears, type the following command:
   
   netsh winsock reset
   
   The window should look similar to the following:
   
   
    
6. Press ENTER.
7. Restart your computer.