Internet Connection "lost" on p.c. but fine on laptop?

[soulstar11]

My p.c. is connected to a BT Broadband router, which also wirelessly serves my laptop. I also have an ethernet cable from the router to the printer. All has worked well for a couple of years, but suddenly I have lost my internet connection on the p.c.. Oddly, a music sharing site I use on the p.c., still works, so there must be some kind of connection somewhere (?)

The laptop is unaffected.

I'm not the best with computers, but have checked the windows firewall, and made sure that BT Yahoo Broadband is an "exception", as is Google. I've also tried re-installing the broadand software, but when it gets to the "test" section, it can't find a connection.

I'm imagining it's not a cable or ardware problem as there is still information coming and going to the music site at the normal speed. However, I've disconnected all cables and re-connected them, removed the ethernet to the printer, but still no joy.

Does anyone have any ideas what could be going on here? The system is XP home (service pack 3). Any help would be much appreciated.
Cheers.

[ChuckFickens]

Run a full scan with your anti-virus and ant spyware software.

And unless it's a legit music sharing site stop using it, that will probably be where the problem has come from.

[Old_Geezer]

Also have you installed anything lately ?

start - programs - accessories - system tools - system restore can sometimes take you back to a time when it was working ok.

It seems unlikely to me that it's a hardware problem if you can get to the site you refer to.

[dizmouk2009]

Have you tried booting in safe mode with networking? see if it works like that?

[Dodger666]

If you can't solve your problem try post on this BT Help Forum.

https://www.beta.bt.c...orum.jspa?forumID=130

[soulstar11]

Thank you all very much for your really helpful suggestions. Old Geezer - I buy you a virtual pint - the restore point enabled me to at least get to a position where I could remove a non operative virus tool, and install a new one. Chuckfickens - I think you're right - was probably a virus from the music site whilst my virus software was down.
Thanks again.