When trying to download a file found on the Microsoft downloads center that starts with, for example, http://download.microsoft.com/download/6/8/7/(some_GUID)/(some_file_name.ext) i get a timeout with "Internet Explorer cannot display the webpage".

More information says:

Internet connectivity has been lost. The website is temporarily unavailable. The Domain Name Server (DNS) is not reachable. The Domain Name Server (DNS) does not have a listing for the website's domain. If this is an HTTPS (secure) address, click Tools, click Internet Options, click Advanced, and check to be sure the SSL and TLS protocols are enabled under the security section.

Diagnose Connection problems says:

Windows cannot find the host name "download.microsoft.com" using DNS

Bear with me while i expand on the problem: It all started when i tried to download Windows XP mode for my Windows 7 machine. I went to the virtual PC site, then thru the motions of Windows Genuine Advantage which validated ok, but when it redirects to grab the file just times out with above error. (NB: i also tried with the latest Chrome and Firefox but no use due to the Genuine Advantage stuff, so i decided to stick with IE).

I am behind an ADSL2+ modem router connecting via wireless (Win 7 Pro laptop); so i hop over to the desktop connected via ethernet (Vista Business), and same result; begin to think site download.microsoft.com site is down. So i give it a break an read up on EDNS, flushing the cache, hosts file, etc...

Try again an hour later on the Win 7 machine, still no go; so i turn off the Win 7 (software) firewall, and lo and behold, i can connect and grab any files from download.microsoft.com; (...nice, so we have a Micro$0ft firewall preventing access to a Micro$0ft website, no wonder my auto-updates kept failing but that's another story).

But i still am not happy that the desktop connected via ethernet still cannot get to download.microsoft.com, even though i turned off all firewalls, defenders, anti-virus, etc. What is so special / specific about the url download.microsoft.com, any other site is ok, including www.microsoft.com.

Any networking guru know what's REALLY going on, and how can i get the desktop to connect?

Ping download.microsoft.com -> Ping request could not find host download.microsoft.com. Please check the name and try again.

Ping google.com or even www.microsoft.com works gives me an IP address.

NB: On the wireless laptop ping download.microsoft.com works, i get xxxx.ms.akamai.net [202.7.177.33].