Why is the 'S' missing?

Why am I having to add an 's' to the 'http' to get some of my sites to open? Have checked for Malware and re-downloaded my IE8 which also checked for problems.

You should not need to type the s for secure sites where the web address is prefixed with https.  The home page will practically always be a web page running under http.  Then, when you login to a secured account, such as with a banking or other financial site, the browser will know what to do based on its communication with the web server and will change the http to https.  Again, you don't need to type https, just as you don't need to type http for non-secured websites. 

So you say, but when I try to get into some sites I have to. Google for example, without the 's' will give me 404.  With the 's', I get straight in. Same with some other sites. Thanks for your reply, but I still am having to add the 's'.
.Pete.

Do you always type http or https in your browser to visit a website?

What part of Google are you talking about?  http://www.google.com/ or something else?

[Moderator]

Sounds like an infection to me...

Do you always type http or https in your browser to visit a website?

What part of Google are you talking about?  http://www.google.com/ or something else?

I never type in http or https until now. The correct one has always appeared as the site connects, but on these few sites, I have discovered the https does not come up, only the http and then I just get the 404 page.

Have run several checks including Windows own systems and Avast, Skybot and Quick Care, all getting the same results...Clean.

I never type in http or https until now. The correct one has always appeared as the site connects, but on these few sites, I have discovered the https does not come up, only the http and then I just get the 404 page.

Have run several checks including Windows own systems and Avast, Skybot and Quick Care, all getting the same results...Clean.

Please give an example of such a site, and how you are trying to get into it.

Please give an example of such a site, and how you are trying to get into it.

When I type in <www.google .co.uk> or <www.google.com> the address bar changes to < http://www.google.co uk> <or .Com> which results in Page 404.
When I type in < https://www.google.co.uk> the Google site opens straight away.  This happens even when I use a link that includes the Google Site. Note: I can, without any problem, open 'Google Earth. The above sites open without problem on my iPhone.  Peter.

What browser? Does it happen with a different browser?

Anyhow, Google.co.uk and Google.com are not https sites.

Something is wrong here.

What browser? Does it happen with a different browser?

Anyhow, Google.co.uk and Google.com are not https sites.

Something is wrong here.

Copy of what wil ONLY open Google for me. < https://www.google.com/ > (Copied and pasted from address bar)   Am using IE8 and have tried, with same result, Firefox.  Peter.

Are you using Google Apps?

I am using a Google account into which I am signed in.  Pete.

1. What other sites besides Google are affected?

2. Is that a 'no' to "Are you using Google Apps?"

1. What other sites besides Google are affected?

2. Is that a 'no' to "Are you using Google Apps?"

No, I am not using Google Aps.  Anothers site I could not get by using a link has been the <http://www.rspb.org.uk> I have to add the 's', then it opens with a window asking if I wish to open all or only secure sections of the site.

Pete.

Anyhow, Google.co.uk and Google.com are not https sites.

True, but only if you have created a Google account and are signed in.  Otherwise, they are http sites.  In other words, anyone, regardless of whether they have created an account with Google, can go to google.com and do a search, and the search results are still listed on an http page.

Have you tried a anti-malware program? E.g. Malwarebytes.

Several.

Sounds like an infection to me...

Seconded.

It's possible the hosts file might have been hijacked. Open the hosts file in notepad and post the contents or a screenshot of the file here.

I don't see any mention of what OS you're using, so here's where the hosts file can be found on various versions of Windows:
Windows 3.1, 95, 98, ME - c:\windows
Windows 2000, XP, Vista, 7 - c:\windows\system32\drivers\etc
Windows NT - c:\winnt\system32\drivers\etc

Seconded.

It's possible the hosts file might have been hijacked. Open the hosts file in notepad and post the contents or a screenshot of the file here.

I don't see any mention of what OS you're using, so here's where the hosts file can be found on various versions of Windows:
Windows 3.1, 95, 98, ME - c:\windows
Windows 2000, XP, Vista, 7 - c:\windows\system32\drivers\etc
Windows NT - c:\winnt\system32\drivers\etc

I am using Windows XP.  I have tried to open the file but get a message that states " this refers to a location that is unavailable".

I am

Have now managed to open the file. Found the 'Host' file. On opening it, it flashes for a second, is all black without any content at all. Pete.

Open the hosts file in notepad

This is what I now see in Notepad:

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g e t h

That's hostname.exe, the wrong file.

What version of Windows are you running?

XP Home Edition.

The file you are looking for should look something like this when you open it in Notepad:

# Copyright (c) 1993-2009 Microsoft Corp.
#
# This is a sample HOSTS file used by Microsoft TCP/IP for Windows.
#
# This file contains the mappings of IP addresses to host names. Each
# entry should be kept on an individual line. The IP address should
# be placed in the first column followed by the corresponding host name.
# The IP address and the host name should be separated by at least one
# space.
#
# Additionally, comments (such as these) may be inserted on individual
# lines or following the machine name denoted by a '#' symbol.
#
# For example:
#
#      102.54.94.97     rhino.acme.com          # source server
#       38.25.63.10     x.acme.com              # x client host

# localhost name resolution is handled within DNS itself.
#   127.0.0.1       localhost
#   ::1             localhost

For Windows XP, it should be located in:
c:\windows\system32\drivers\etc

The file is just called "hosts", it has no extension (like exe or ini, etc.).

The file that I sent is called 'HOSTNAME';  there are no others with 'host' in them at all.

What is in the folder c:\windows\system32\drivers\etc ?

There should be several files there. None of them have extensions and they all have short names like hosts, networks, protocols, etc.

Since they don't have extensions, clicking to open any of them will result in Windows asking you what to open them with. Choose Notepad.

Alternatively, you can go to Start->Run... and copy and paste this into it:
c:\windows\system32\drivers\etc\hosts

What is in the folder c:\windows\system32\drivers\etc ?

There should be several files there. None of them have extensions and they all have short names like hosts, networks, protocols, etc.

Since they don't have extensions, clicking to open any of them will result in Windows asking you what to open them with. Choose Notepad.

Alternatively, you can go to Start->Run... and copy and paste this into it:
c:\windows\system32\drivers\etc\hosts

This is what I did and I got the result as shown above.

If you copy and paste that into the run box like I said, you would not get the result shown above. You got the result above likely by searching for "host" and finding "hostname.exe" which is in a completely different directory with a different file name. Copy and paste that last line I posted into the run box and you will be able to open the hosts file. That's "hosts", with an 's', not "host".

c:\windows\system32\drivers\etc\hosts

Hope this is the one:

# Copyright (c) 1993-1999 Microsoft Corp.
#
# This is a sample HOSTS file used by Microsoft TCP/IP for Windows.
#
# This file contains the mappings of IP addresses to host names. Each
# entry should be kept on an individual line. The IP address should
# be placed in the first column followed by the corresponding host name.
# The IP address and the host name should be separated by at least one
# space.
#
# Additionally, comments (such as these) may be inserted on individual
# lines or following the machine name denoted by a '#' symbol.
#
# For example:
#
#      102.54.94.97     rhino.acme.com          # source server
#       38.25.63.10     x.acme.com              # x client host

127.0.0.1       localhost
# Start of entries inserted by Spybot - Search & Destroy
127.0.0.1   www.007guard.com
127.0.0.1   007guard.com
127.0.0.1   008i.com
127.0.0.1   www.008k.com
127.0.0.1   008k.com
127.0.0.1   www.00hq.com
127.0.0.1   00hq.com
127.0.0.1   010402.com
127.0.0.1   www.032439.com
127.0.0.1   032439.com
127.0.0.1   www.0scan.com
127.0.0.1   0scan.com
127.0.0.1   1000gratisproben.com
127.0.0.1   www.1000gratisproben.com
127.0.0.1   1001namen.com
127.0.0.1   www.1001namen.com
127.0.0.1   100888290cs.com
127.0.0.1   www.100888290cs.com
127.0.0.1   www.100sexlinks.com
127.0.0.1   100sexlinks.com
127.0.0.1   10sek.com
127.0.0.1   www.10sek.com
127.0.0.1   www.1-2005-search.com
127.0.0.1   1-2005-search.com
127.0.0.1   www.123fporn.info
127.0.0.1   123fporn.info
127.0.0.1   123haustiereundmehr.com
127.0.0.1   www.123haustiereundmehr.com
127.0.0.1   123moviedownload.com
127.0.0.1   www.123moviedownload.com
127.0.0.1   123simsen.com
127.0.0.1   www.123simsen.com

This seems to be only a tiny part of it. It seems to be miles long!.

The long list is under and above 'spybot search and destroy'

Below hundreds of those entries is the following in full:


74.55.76.232 www.google.com
178.17.165.3 www.google.com
74.55.76.232 www.google.com.au
178.17.165.3 www.google.com.au
74.55.76.232 www.google.be
178.17.165.3 www.google.be
74.55.76.232 www.google.com.br
178.17.165.3 www.google.com.br
74.55.76.232 www.google.ca
178.17.165.3 www.google.ca
74.55.76.232 www.google.ch
178.17.165.3 www.google.ch
74.55.76.232 www.google.de
178.17.165.3 www.google.de
74.55.76.232 www.google.dk
178.17.165.3 www.google.dk
74.55.76.232 www.google.fr
178.17.165.3 www.google.fr
74.55.76.232 www.google.ie
178.17.165.3 www.google.ie
74.55.76.232 www.google.it
178.17.165.3 www.google.it
74.55.76.232 www.google.co.jp
178.17.165.3 www.google.co.jp
74.55.76.232 www.google.nl
178.17.165.3 www.google.nl
74.55.76.232 www.google.no
178.17.165.3 www.google.no
74.55.76.232 www.google.co.nz
178.17.165.3 www.google.co.nz
74.55.76.232 www.google.pl
178.17.165.3 www.google.pl
74.55.76.232 www.google.se
178.17.165.3 www.google.se
74.55.76.232 www.google.co.uk
178.17.165.3 www.google.co.uk
74.55.76.232 www.google.co.za
178.17.165.3 www.google.co.za
74.55.76.232 www.bing.com
178.17.165.3 www.bing.com
74.55.76.232 search.yahoo.com
178.17.165.3 search.yahoo.com
74.55.76.232 uk.search.yahoo.com
178.17.165.3 uk.search.yahoo.com
74.55.76.232 ca.search.yahoo.com
178.17.165.3 ca.search.yahoo.com
74.55.76.232 de.search.yahoo.com
178.17.165.3 de.search.yahoo.com
74.55.76.232 fr.search.yahoo.com
178.17.165.3 fr.search.yahoo.com
74.55.76.232 au.search.yahoo.com
178.17.165.3 au.search.yahoo.com
74.55.76.232 www.google-analytics.com
178.17.165.3 www.google-analytics.com

There you go! 

And I also can see your problem. Your hosts file has been hijacked, as I suspected, which would indicate a malware infection of some sort.

First, follow the instructions here:
http://www.computerhope.com/forum/index.php/topic,46313.0.html

Then start a new topic and post the logs in this area:
http://www.computerhope.com/forum/index.php/board,53.0.html

One of the malware guys will help you clean that up. 

Thank you Quaxo;  Have taken your advice and posted on the other section. thanks for being so patient with me and being so helpful.  Pete. Southampton, UK.