Youtube connection refused on all browsers

[Simwiz]

Hey everyone,

I've got a weird issue with one of the PC's in my home.  It suddenly stopped being able to access youtube.com.  It gives me a ERR_CONNECTION_REFUSED

I can ping youtube.com from cmd.  And the other devices (iphones, TV, other desktop) can browse to youtube just fine.  I can browse all other sites fine, just youtube is a problem.

 

The only abnormal thing about this PC is it runs my Emby server.  But I tried shutting down the server just in case and still nothing.

 

I've tried:

• erasing browser data and cache
• tried 3 browsers (chrome, Edge, Firefox)
• tried windows connection troubleshooter (no issues found)
• flushed my DNS cache in windows
• changed DNS to google 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4
• rebooted my router
• disabled and re-enabled my network card

 

I've run out of things to check and this is really confusing.  Any suggestions?

[emosun]

pop in a bootable linux distro and eliminate the entire os as a possibility. least then it can be narrowed down to software or hardware

[Simwiz]

Just now, emosun said:

pop in a bootable linux distro and eliminate the entire os as a possibility. least then it can be narrowed down to software or hardware

Good idea!  Any suggestions?  It's been a while since I've used one.

[emosun]

Just now, Simwiz said:

Good idea!  Any suggestions?  It's been a while since I've used one.

i have no idea really , im sure theres gotta be one good enough to check internet connectivity. last time i did this was in the xp days and it ran off a cd

[Simwiz]

Just now, emosun said:

i have no idea really , im sure theres gotta be one good enough to check internet connectivity. last time i did this was in the xp days and it ran off a cd

Same!  I had some crazy CD that had like 5-6 different bootable distros and recovery tools on it.  I don't think I even have a CD drive on any machines anymore...lol!

[emosun]

maybe this?

https://www.linuxliteos.com/

[StDragon]

Create a bootable USB stick with Ubuntu. You don't need to install it on the PC, just boot from the stick and open a browser on the desktop loaded in RAM.

[Simwiz]

On 10/2/2022 at 7:46 PM, emosun said:

maybe this?

https://www.linuxliteos.com/

Ubuntu can get to youtube.com, so it is a windows issue.

[Simwiz]

I just figured it out.  I had a memory of a hosts file in C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc.  Opened it in notepad and sure enough it has youtube.com pointed to 127.0.0.1 for some reason.  I have no idea why.  I don't recall setting it that way.  So weird.