CAN'T CONNECT TO INTERNET FROM INTERNET EXPLORER

Discussions related to using VirtualBox on Windows hosts.
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Broytsch
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Joined: 22. May 2021, 12:19

CAN'T CONNECT TO INTERNET FROM INTERNET EXPLORER

Post by Broytsch »

The VM is Windows XP (32-bit). The VBox settings appear correct. Control Panel > Network tells me that a LAN is set up.

I want to install an AV program into the VM, so i can connect to the internet as safely as is now possible with XP.

Any search that I attempt to make for such a program, by running the Internet Explorer which came with the XP fails to connect. The same long page of suggestions of what do do comes up every time. None of the suggestions allows me to connect. At the bottom of ,the page is "Cannot find server or DNS error".

The connection was set up for me by a helpline technician who installed VBox for me, and then found and downloaded a fine copy of XP. The helpline boss now says he shouldn't have done this for me because they don't deal with virtual environments!!

So I can'tnow get any help from that quarter!

The settings in VBox look correct.

What do you suggest, please?
birdie
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Re: CAN'T CONNECT TO INTERNET FROM INTERNET EXPLORER

Post by birdie »

1. THERE IS NO NEED TO USE CAPS LOCK
2. IE in Windows XP does not support modern SSL protocols and is unable to connect to most websites.
3. I don't know a single AV which still supports XP.

If you wanna use XP safely, do not use it or do not allow it on the Internet.

The last version of Firefox which supports XP is 52.9.0esr. It is not safe to browse the web using it.
Last edited by birdie on 15. Jun 2021, 17:34, edited 1 time in total.
Broytsch
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Joined: 22. May 2021, 12:19

Re: CAN'T CONNECT TO INTERNET FROM INTERNET EXPLORER

Post by Broytsch »

Thank for comments!

I didn't notice that it does seem to be the rule that topic headings are not in capitals. As a general rule (outwith at least this forum) it's pretty normal practice.

I'll bear your guidance in mind the next time I place a topic.

I'm well aware of the correctness of the points that you raise. I have several XP computers. Online is enabled on none, and won't be!

I need the VM to be able to go online because I run in it a piece of modern software that allows "legacy" programs in a virtual environment on a modern machine (W10 in my case) to be used to their full capability.

There is a problem with the operation of an aspect of this software.

So I need to generate a fault report, and send it to the program originator. The software program itself will do the latter, but needs to connect to the internet to do so.

The simplest way to do this should be to connect the VM XP to the internet. Indeed, it appears to be enabled to do (this was done for the reason that I gave in my previous message), but the connection does not work, and I can't see why.

If it can be made to work, my intention is to use it for this purpose, and this purpose only. But, first, I would install an AV program which at least claims to work with XP. I know that's a tall order, owing to MS having withdrawn support for this OS in 2014, but there are AV programs which claim to include XP, so, hopefully, it should allow me to do what I need to do without the OS getting infested with malicious etc stuff.

If I can't get the VM to connect to the internet I may not be able to send the error report that I need to send, so I am willing to take the risk involved.
scottgus1
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Re: CAN'T CONNECT TO INTERNET FROM INTERNET EXPLORER

Post by scottgus1 »

FWIW, if you can successfully ping 8.8.8.8 in the command prompt from within the XP VM, then you have internet access in the VM.

Birdie's comments for web-browsing are on point: XP's IE (all IE's?) is way too old for modern internet. The only browser I know of that can run in XP and have some semblance of accessing the web is Firefox version 52.0. Other browsers may be available, web-search this.

FWIW2, just "getting on the internet" is not necessarily going to open you for malware. It often requires going to a compromised website or having an insecure service running on XP that is open to the internet through an opened port. I personally feel that some in-program troubleshooting system that sends reports to the app developer's server is probably not going to be compromised (though if the US government couldn't keep the hackers out, where do smaller app producers have a hope? :shock: ).

FWIW3, if you back up the VM by fully shutting down the VM (not save state) and copy the VM folder and all VM disk files to other media, that is a complete backup of the VM. If your troubleshooting report attempt by some strange chance happens to get you compromised, simply overwrite the VM with the backup and you'll be back to clean.
Broytsch
Posts: 39
Joined: 22. May 2021, 12:19

Re: CAN'T CONNECT TO INTERNET FROM INTERNET EXPLORER

Post by Broytsch »

Running the C:\ping 8.8.8.8 produces what seems to be a positive response, although I don't understand it!

Thanks very much for your interest and help.

I have made a screenshot of the C:\ prompt report window and saved it, as normal in XP, to Paint.

I copied the file onto a USB stick and then pasted it onto the desktop of my Windows 10 Host machine.

But your system wouldn't allow me to attach it, saying that it is too large. So it is now a zipped file. You will have to unzip it and run it in Paint.

I imagine that you need to see the info that the ping produced before confirming the status of the connection in my VM and advising me how to proceed.

Thanks in advance!
Attachments
untitled.zip
(26.27 KiB) Downloaded 30 times
scottgus1
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Re: CAN'T CONNECT TO INTERNET FROM INTERNET EXPLORER

Post by scottgus1 »

Thanks for the screenshot. FWIW, screenshots saved as .bmp are really big. XP's MSPaint can save as .png, which is a lot smaller file. Also, if you crop to the pertinent part of the screen instead of sending the entire screen, even a .bmp might fit.

The screenshot's Pings to an internet website 8.8.8.8 show good replies, meaning internet is present in the VM. So Virtualbox's network is working, and there's nothing else we can do to fix your issue. The rest of your connection has to be set up between XP's settings or 3rd-party software. Or screenshots. PNG's...
mpack
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Re: CAN'T CONNECT TO INTERNET FROM INTERNET EXPLORER

Post by mpack »

Broytsch wrote: But your system wouldn't allow me to attach it, saying that it is too large.
It would be far less large if it was in PNG format, and also if it only included the relevant portion of the XP desktop, i.e. the command console window.

See below - this PNG is less than half the size of your zip, and only <<1% of the size of your BMP. It can be created using the Snipping Tool of your Windows 10 host.
untitled.png
untitled.png (10.46 KiB) Viewed 5238 times
BMP is a poor distribution format.

Regarding Internet access from XP, your realitic options are an old FireFox version as mentioned, and I've also had good results with the "Atom" version of the Pale Moon browser, which I believe is more up to date than the old Firefox app.
Broytsch
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Joined: 22. May 2021, 12:19

Re: CAN'T CONNECT TO INTERNET FROM INTERNET EXPLORER

Post by Broytsch »

Thanks, but I can't connect to the internet at all in order to download a suitable browser.

Internet Explorer troubleshooter persistently reports "cannot find server or DNS error".

I have ticked all the advised ports and left the Windows firewall ON.

What more can I do?
scottgus1
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Re: CAN'T CONNECT TO INTERNET FROM INTERNET EXPLORER

Post by scottgus1 »

Rather a chicken and egg situation, huh? "I can't browse the internet to download a browser so I can browse the internet." :lol:

1. Install Guest Additions in the VM so you can use a Virtualbox Shared Folder. See section 4 in the manual.
2. Download the browser installer on the host. I just noticed that Birdie has a link to Firefox 52's installers, separated by language.
3. Put the installer in the folder on the host OS you shared through the Virtualbox settings.
4. You may need to enable File and Printer Sharing in XP. Web-search how to do this.
5. Open Run... in XP, run this command:

\\vboxsvr

That will open a folder window where your host shared folder is located. Open it, copy the Firefox installer to the XP Desktop, then run it.

Any further trouble getting the app's troubleshooting service to access the company's server will have to be handled by the company's support channels.
mpack
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Re: CAN'T CONNECT TO INTERNET FROM INTERNET EXPLORER

Post by mpack »

Broytsch wrote:Thanks, but I can't connect to the internet at all in order to download a suitable browser.
You download the new browser installer using the host PC or some other PC, then make the installer available to the guest via a shared folder.

If you can't do any of those things then you are in trouble.
Broytsch
Posts: 39
Joined: 22. May 2021, 12:19

Re: CAN'T CONNECT TO INTERNET FROM INTERNET EXPLORER

Post by Broytsch »

All now resolved. Many thanks for help, especially from Birdie (suitable version of Firefox) and Scottgus1 (noble attempt to make me jump through hoops of a size and complexity beyond my ken). And to mpack for being as deflationary as usual (does no harm, may even do good!) and for the suggestion of a second browser suitable for XP.

As regards scottgus1's attempt to guide me through the circles of hell, I couldn't create the guest account link between the VM and the Host because the Guest Additions enabling procedure in VBox would not complete itself. I tried it twice. Each time it stuck when the progress bar was about 65% of the way across - when it claimed to be in the process of running the facility, but never did so. i tried to create a shared file. That did show in the VM's C:\, but not in the Host. And, as it was not an authorised guest, I suppose, VBox still showed 0 shared files.

So there was, of course, no shared file in VirtualBox in the Host for me to place the Firefox installation activated by using birdie's link.

The next day (yesterday) I attacked the morass with a semblance of renewed vigour. I remembered having encountered the problem many years ago of having an XP computer which, for some reason I don't remember, had lost its sole browser. I used my original XP laptop to install the version of Chrome recommended at the time for XP, custom-installing it on a USB stick rather than in the default location. I plugged the stick into the XP computer and copied and pasted the Chrome file into drive C. That worked fine.

So i now tried the same procedure with Firefox 52, custom-installing it using birdie's link onto one of the two USB sticks that are ticked in VBox to be used by the VM.

BUT (there's got to be a threatened dead end when I try to do anything with the VM!) when I copied the two firefox files from the stick to drive C of the VM XP, and created the shortcut on the desktop, firefox would not run - owing to "missing files". I compared the contents of the app between what i had pasted-in and what showed in the copy INSTALLED on the stick. There were lots of files missing from the pasted-in copy. Aha, firefox don't want an installed version copied, I concluded!

So I created a shortcut from the app installed on the stick onto the desktop, and firefox ran. It was very slow to load but, once loaded, it ran fine. But, for the shortcut to find the app, the stick had to be in place.

I went on to download AVG (free copy at this stage). That sets me up for the limited use of the VM online that I need to make, Wow!

Today I had another go at firefox. I used the app on the stick to run your Forum, and used birdie's link a second time to install firefos 52 in the VM, now choosing Standard installation (onto drive C:\). I had to remove the stick, and delete the shortcut from the desktop, before it would complete its installation, but it then created a new shortcut of its own on the desktop, and now loads very fast.

I am curious to know why the facility to enable Guest addition to the VM in VBox did not complete its installation, but, as far as I can see, I should not now need a link of this kind between the VM and the Host
scottgus1
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Re: CAN'T CONNECT TO INTERNET FROM INTERNET EXPLORER

Post by scottgus1 »

Broytsch wrote:I am curious to know why the facility to enable Guest addition to the VM in VBox did not complete its installation
Frankly, considering how you reported trying to get Firefox into XP:
Broytsch wrote:I used my original XP laptop to install the version of Chrome recommended at the time for XP, custom-installing it on a USB stick rather than in the default location. ... when I copied the two firefox files from the stick to drive C of the VM XP, and created the shortcut on the desktop, firefox would not run - owing to "missing files". I compared the contents of the app between what i had pasted-in and what showed in the copy INSTALLED on the stick. There were lots of files missing from the pasted-in copy. Aha, firefox don't want an installed version copied, I concluded!
It is uncertain whether you used the normal method for installing a program when you tried to install Guest Additions. It has been a long time since merely copying a folder from one OS to another is sufficient for the program to work. For more modern programs there's lots of registry keys to make and dlls to register.

The usual method for installing a program is to copy the installer then run it, not run the installer on a different PC then copy the installed files. Since you had the USB stick channel to get files into the VM, I don't understand why you didn't just put the installer file on the USB stick then copy it to the VM drive and simply run it?

Seeing this process, I am not sure what process you may have used to attempt installing Guest Additions.
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