No internet after virus/malware removal? Try a winsock reset Windows XP/Vista/7/8/10

Have you recently removed a program/virus/malware and all of the sudden you cant access the internet anymore?

This issue has been going on for a number of years and during my support days at a large ISP this was a common issue during the Windows XP era.

If you have a valid IP address and can ping a web page via its IP address but not by its FDQN then you may have a windsock issue.

Disclaimer:

Please be advised that use the information below at your own risk. I am not responsible for any damages these commands may inadvertently cause.

Winsock Reset in Windows XP

1. Click the Start button in the bottom left-hand corner of the screen.
    
2. Click the Search option in the right-hand column.
    
3. Type “cmd” in the search box and then hit the Enter key on your keyboard.
    
4. Right-click on cmd in the search results for Programs, and select Run as administrator. Depending on your computer settings, you may be asked to provide an administrator password before you can continue.
    
5. A black box with a flashing cursor will open; this is the Command Prompt. Type “netsh winsock reset” and then hit the Enter key on your keyboard.
    
6. Wait for the Command Prompt to run through the reset. Once it’s complete, you’ll see the message “Winsock reset completed successfully”.
    
7. Restart your computer to finish.

Winsock Reset in Windows Vista

To reset Winsock in Vista: 

1.Click the Windows Start button. 

2. Type Cmd in the Start Search text box and press Ctrl-Shift-Enter (keyboard shortcut to run Command Prompt as Administrator). Click Continue to allow elevation request. 

3. Type netsh winsock reset in the Command Prompt shell, and then press the Enter key. 

4. Type netsh int ipv4 reset in the Command Prompt shell, and then press the Enter key. 

5. If you use ipv6, type netsh int ipv6 reset in the Command Prompt shell, and then press the Enter key. 

Note: you may need to run Network Diagnostics afterwards to "repair" your connection after this.

Winsock Reset in Windows 7

1. Open the Start menu by clicking the orb in the bottom left-hand corner of the screen.
    
2. Type “cmd” in the search bar at the bottom of the menu.
    
3. Right-click on cmd in the search results for Programs, and select Run as administrator. Depending on your computer settings, you may be asked to provide an administrator password before you can continue.
    
   
    
4. A black box with a flashing cursor will open; this is the Command Prompt. Type “netsh winsock reset” and then hit the Enter key on your keyboard.
   
    
5. Wait for the Command Prompt to run through the reset. Once it’s complete, you’ll see the message “Winsock reset completed successfully”.
    
6. Restart your computer to finish.

Winsock Reset in Windows 8

1. Move the mouse to the upper right-hand corner of the screen to make the vertical menu bar appear. Click Search.
    
2. Type “cmd” in the search bar and hit the Enter key on your keyboard. 
    
   
    
3. Right-click on cmd in the search results for Programs, and select Run as administrator. Depending on your computer settings, you may be asked to provide an administrator password before you can continue.
    
4. A black box with a flashing cursor will open; this is the Command Prompt. Type “netsh winsock reset” and then hit the Enter key on your keyboard.
   
    
5. Wait for the Command Prompt to run through the reset. Once it’s complete, you’ll see the message “Winsock reset completed successfully”.
    
6. Restart your computer to finish.

Winsock Reset in Windows 10

1. Click the Search icon (magnifying glass) in the bottom left-hand corner of the screen and type "cmd" into the search bar.
    
   
    
2. You'll see the Command Prompt app as the best match at the top of the list. Right-click on it and select Run as administrator. Depending on your computer settings, you may be asked to provide an administrator password before you can continue.
   
    
3. A black box with a flashing cursor will open; this is the Command Prompt. Type “netsh winsock reset” and then hit the Enter key on your keyboard.
    
   
    
4. Wait for the Command Prompt to run through the reset. Once it’s complete, you’ll see the message “Winsock reset completed successfully”.
    
5. Restart your computer to finish.