Out of ideas on this one. (Running Windows Vista.)

I have a program that accesses the internet to retrieve financial market data. One day it tells me that it can't log in -- timeout error. I check the documentation and it says must have a working copy of IE browser installed. I check IE (have IE9) and sure enough -- it just spins. No error message, not timeout, no 'try later' -- just spins -- as far as I can tell, indefinitely. Any page, any address. Even access to a localhost site just spins.

Chrome works fine. So does another program I have that fetches market data. Windows 'diagnose and repair' says my internet connection is working fine.

I tried uninstall/re-install of IE. Same spinning. I tried to install Windows Updates, and guess what? I can't. I comes up with error 80072efd; checked documentation for the error and it says I should check firewall blockage. Thing is, the only firewall I have is Windows Firewall, and obviously it wouldn't be blocking Windows Update. In contrast, Windows 'Help' in all programs has no problem accessing the Internet.

I had a filter on the internet connection, and this was updated just prior to first appearance of the problem. But I uninstalled the filter entirely (official, with passwd from the company's service rep) -- and no difference.

I'm guessing that a high level Windows network service file is corrupted -- used only by MS programs and their ilk, but how do I find it? I'd like to avoid having to do a clean install of Windows.

Much obliged for any insight. IG

Ramhound -- Thanks for reply. I'm familiar with virtual machines as in e.g. JVM or an emulator for an alternative architecture or (theoretical) Turing Machine equivalence. But I'm not familiar with the way you're using the term. Please clarify -- what one needs for this VM 'test' and why you expect it will provide an advantage of insight into the problem. And what sort of 'configuration issue' are you referring to? IG