Internet locks after browsing servers

[Darkside55]

I've got a strange Steam problem going on. This past week, any time I try to use Steam's server browser, it "locks" all other internet activity except for Steam.

When I try to browse the internet (using IE), it locks while trying to contact the webpages. I get disconnected from IRC, and am unable to connect again. I cannot even use run>cmd>ping; all my requests time out.

I haven't changed any Steam or game settings within this past week, so I'm not sure why this is happening. I've tried logging off and logging on again, numerous restarts, refreshing my router connection...almost everything short of reinstalling Steam completely (hopefully it won't have to come to that).

Any ideas?

 

[Chris D]

As it only happened recently I'd recommend trying a System Restore if you have Windows XP.

Something has changed...

 

[Darkside55]

Tried it, didn't work.

Noted something interesting though. On my other computer (P3 450, Win98) this doesn't happen. On this computer (P4 3.0, WinXP Pro), it crashes my other internet apps. So whatever it is is on this computer, but I have no idea where to look. I run a very tight spyware/virus-free system, and I just got done checking all the files that've been created in the past week...but, I'm really not sure where to look. Bunch of new Source files created, mostly from CS:S (maps, dat files, the like), but I don't see why any of those would cause a problem.

Any more ideas, or do you think it's in my best interest to just reinstall everything? Alternatively I could leave it be because it's not a terribly big problem, but it is annoying (especially the IRC thing).

Edit: Whether it's a fluke or not it just started working ok just now. It hasn't worked in the past couple days and it wasn't working when I last wrote this post, less than 15 minutes ago, but now it's working. Eh, I don't get it...

 

[Chris D]

Ok, you run a very tight spyware/virus-free system but is there a good firewall on there?

Also, have you checked MSCONFIG start up items and Task Manager to see if there's anything loading in the background that might be causing this? If there's anything in there you're unsure of just type it into www.google.com and 9 times out of 10 it will tell you exactly what it is.