OK! Problem: For a few minutes (2 or so) after startup, I can browse webpages (although more slowly than usual), and use programs that need the internet (like aim, CS:S). However, once these two minutes are up, I can not browse any new webpages and I can not use a program that needs the internet to work. For example, if I try to log into AIM 5 minutes after startup, then I get a server error. But, if I logged into AIM a minute after startup, then it works just fine. Same thing happens with Steam (program used to play counter strike source). As for web browsing, any site that I try to go to immediately says "Done" at the bottom left for mozilla firefox. I've done some research myself and it appears that ZoneAlarm might be causing this. I recently installed an uninstalled ZoneAlarm 6.5 pro and I read and followed (many times) on how to perform a clean uninstall. It didn't get better for me. I also read that McAffee clashes with zonealarm. I uninstalled McAffee. Still nothing. I have performed multiple spyware/antivirus/registry fixes on my system and still nothing. This is a recently reformatted computer (2 days) and I don't know what to try anymore. Any suggestions would be absolutely wonderful. I am open to any. Thank you for your time!!

Does re-booting fix the problem for another two minutes?

Did you use the McAfee uninstaller? If not, there will be lots of imbedded files still causing problems. You may also want to use RegCleaner http://www.majorgeeks.com/download4... and clean out any McAfee leftovers What you may try is to D/L Avast Free http://www.avast.com/eng/download-a... to your desktop. Turn off your present AV and install Avast and let it do a bootscan on reboot. That may find your problems. Many problems as soon as you go online are created by spyware. Make sure you use the standard free ones: Spybot S&D Adaware SE Spyware Blaster and I've been using Spyware Terminator for awhile and it's working great too for real-time protection. Also, if you by chance had Norton installed make sure to use their uninstaller...Norton and McAfee are 2 of the worst for conflicts after uninstallation. I refer many downloads to the majorgeeks site because they are usually more up-dated than other sites. Hopefully my advice will help you...Please post back with your results as it will help others.

hey guys thanks for the suggestions so far. max00: yeah, everytime i reboot it does the same thing: two minutes pass and i got problems again. XPuser4Real: i tried all your suggestions, nothing worked. it has to be some process or file or something associated with zonealarm that i'm not getting or something. i'm 99% sure it's nothing virus or spyware related. any more ideas?

ok i got it. a process called dvndla.exe was screwing everything up. found it by process of elimination and deleted it. thank you guys for your help!

Good work and thanks very much for posting back what you found. I certainly had no ideas. I did a Google search for 'dvndla.exe' and got no hits at all. Very strange!!!