It does not seem to be a network adapter issue either, as both wireless and direct connection are problematic. The next step to see if a program typically Anti Virus is causing issue. So lets boot the computer to safe mode with Networking and see if you can connect that way, lets just concentrate using a direct connection. Restart the computer, keep tapping the F8 Key, the computer will boot to the advanced boot options menu black screen with white letter. From the list presented to you, use the arrow key to select Safe Mode With Networking once selected hit enter on the keyboard. Now try to connect to only Google.com. Let us know if you can connect that way. Do not surf the internet in this mode. Please be sure to try another browser too maybe before doing all this above in case this is a silly internet explorer issue.. Joe

Try clicking Start/Control panel/Administrative tools/Computer management then click Disk Management on the left side to show all active drives/partitions on the right side. Does it show there? In case you do not know you can create partitions and format from this window - once you 'find' the drive of course. Is there room to place you fingers on top to see if it warms as it starts to spin? DO NOT touch anything else in there while the machine is running. If no room for your fingers bring the drive back out on the desk or a box if the wires are too short and restart, then it is easy to feel heat or sense it spinning.

Is it an HP? My son put 6 new hard drives in his HP laptop and they put in multiple motherboards in a 2 year period. It was a lemon from day one and I had to fight tooth and nail to get them to completely replace the computer. I kept escalating until they ran out of people to send me to - had a record of every call and the resulting lack of follow-up. I know every computer mfg has customers who love them and those who hate them. None of them are a bargain in the customer service arena as far as I'm concerned.

I have stacks of old computers. All of them recycles, freebies, rescues. Somebody found one setting next to a dumpster and brought it to me. It was a throw-away. And it was PACKED with dust. No wonder it didn't work. After I cleaned all the dust out of it, it started right up. Still had all the previous owner's info on it. My mother uses that computer to play solitaire and do jigsaw puzzles. I looked at Raspberry Pi computers. They won't do everything I need. I want to be able to go to a network's web page and watch back episodes of my favorite shows. But they are in .swf and RPi doesn't do .swf. I have a set top dual tuner PVR provided to me by the cable company. But I have no way to move video from/to the PVR. I have been recording WAY more than I have been watching. I don't use premium channels. I just need to record an HDMI or RCA signal from the cable box. And then be able to play video on the TV, either HDMI or RCA. For now, I have a USB dongle that I can use to record. I looked at refurbished computers at Newegg.com I'm weighing options now. I really need to inventory what useable hardware that I have.