Unable to access Amtrak.com for two days

[dlagrua]

Bratkinson nailed it. It was Kaspersky. Tried the steps outlined in the above post and sure enough Amtrak.com is back. It should be noted that the s and / added to Amtrak.com web address is necessary so if you add the trusted URL it must read https//:www.amtrak.com/

Thanks to Bratkinson and all that replied here trying to help. This adjustment seems to be necessary only with Firefox.. IE and Chrome on my android didn't require any adjustments to the anti-virus software.

 

[Ryan]

Actually, the url should be https://www.amtrak.com/(you missed the slashes at the beginning).

I'd still uninstall that crap. No useful benefits in exchange for headaches like this and allowing a hostile foreign power to make use of your computer.

 

[dlagrua]

Actually, the url should be https://www.amtrak.com/(you missed the slashes at the beginning).

I'd still uninstall that crap. No useful benefits in exchange for headaches like this and allowing a hostile foreign power to make use of your computer.

Adjusted URL and the changes worked once but we are back to square one. As for Kaspersky I can appreciate the concern but the reason I use it is because it is fast, inexpensive and unlike Norton not a resource hog. Maybe I will go to PCMatic as that's a 100% American.company but note that many Anti-virus software companies are based abroad. I will change but don't know how deep Kaspersky has worked its way into my registry. .

 

[Ryan]

Or you can uninstall all of that gibberish and use your computer in a responsible fashion without fear.

 

[jebr]

Or you can uninstall all of that gibberish and use your computer in a responsible fashion without fear.

Agreed, at least if you're running either Windows 8.1 or Windows 10 (or Mac, perhaps, but I'm not a Mac guy.)

Here's an article about how, at least according to a developer who used to work on Firefox, Windows Defender is all you really need. I've read it a few other places as well and generally agree with the sentiment. I've been running with just Defender + AdBlock for quite a while, though I did download Norton Antivirus just to try it out recently as it comes free with my ISP's internet service.

(I have a love-hate relationship with AdBlock software, personally. I love seeing less ads and reducing my exposure to rogue ads from third party ad networks which can download malware, but I hate the overall economic trend where, if everyone used AdBlock, the funding for a lot of websites would dry up. I compromise by enabling the "un-intrusive ads can display" option on AdBlock Plus (while ABP receives funding from that mechanism, they do vet them to ensure that it'll be safe and unobtrusive) and often either white-listing or donating to sites that I visit frequently.)

 

[daybeers]

Agreed, at least if you're running either Windows 8.1 or Windows 10 (or Mac, perhaps, but I'm not a Mac guy.)

Here's an article about how, at least according to a developer who used to work on Firefox, Windows Defender is all you really need. I've read it a few other places as well and generally agree with the sentiment. I've been running with just Defender + AdBlock for quite a while, though I did download Norton Antivirus just to try it out recently as it comes free with my ISP's internet service.

(I have a love-hate relationship with AdBlock software, personally. I love seeing less ads and reducing my exposure to rogue ads from third party ad networks which can download malware, but I hate the overall economic trend where, if everyone used AdBlock, the funding for a lot of websites would dry up. I compromise by enabling the "un-intrusive ads can display" option on AdBlock Plus (while ABP receives funding from that mechanism, they do vet them to ensure that it'll be safe and unobtrusive) and often either white-listing or donating to sites that I visit frequently.)

Compared to ABP, uBlock Origin is a much less resource-intensive ad blocker. Available for all major browsers.

 

[dlagrua]

The problem not being able to access Amtrak.com on my laptop continues. Cleared cache, added it to trusted URL on my anti-virus program, tried turning off ad blocker, still nothing. The website use to load until two weeks ago. Amtrak must have recently changed something on its home page. Since Amtrak loads on IE it must be something to do with how Firefox accesses web pages. No other problems accessing any other website except Amtrak..

 

[tricia]

I had a similar problem recently. Perhaps the thread that helped me resolve that will suggest something to you: http://discuss.amtraktrains.com/index.php?/topic/72247-amtrakcom-website-down-since-yesterday-125-midday/

My problem also was ONLY with Amtrak's website--other pages worked just fine. Something wacky or sub-standard with Amtrak's website programming?

 

[pennyk]

The problem not being able to access Amtrak.com on my laptop continues. Cleared cache, added it to trusted URL on my anti-virus program, tried turning off ad blocker, still nothing. The website use to load until two weeks ago. Amtrak must have recently changed something on its home page. Since Amtrak loads on IE it must be something to do with how Firefox accesses web pages. No other problems accessing any other website except Amtrak..

Dennis, I have been uable to access Amtrak.com on my desktop (WIndows 7 in Chrome) for the last month. I can access it on my other devices and on internet explorer, so I am not fretting. I have partially cleared my history but not my cache (which I do not want to do at this time), with no results - so I am either using other devices or IE on my desktop.

 

[Ryan]

The problem not being able to access Amtrak.com on my laptop continues. Cleared cache, added it to trusted URL on my anti-virus program, tried turning off ad blocker, still nothing. The website use to load until two weeks ago. Amtrak must have recently changed something on its home page. Since Amtrak loads on IE it must be something to do with how Firefox accesses web pages. No other problems accessing any other website except Amtrak..

Open an incognito browsing window in Firefox and I’ll bet it works.

It isn’t the website, it’s crappy software on your end.

 

[bratkinson]

GOOD RIDDANCE, KASPERSKY!!!!

Yeah, you read that right! After literally 'extolling' the benefits of Kaspersky, they got me good and pissed off, so as of 30 minutes ago, THEY ARE GONE!!! Never mind I still have 6 months to go on my subscription, THEY ARE GONE!!!

After getting everything squared away and able to access www.Amtrak.com without a problem, on Sunday, I 'just wanted to check' and guess what? Amtrak is blocked AGAIN!!! I double-checked my Kaspersky settings per the directions I pasted above, and everything looked OK. So...I resurrected their 'case file' (last email to me) and explained the problem. The response I got told me to check if I was running the 2018 version and, if not, upgrade to the 2018 version.

So I did the upgrade. After it booted up, I couldn't even access my home page...WWW.GOOGLE.COM!!!!! So, I added Google to my list of 'trusted' sites. Then I went to www.Amtrak.com...NO ACCESS AGAIN!!! So, I sent them a FLAMING EMAIL describing my problems, including a screen print of the attempted Amtrak screen, with a notation that this will be the LAST TIME I respond to them. Either they get it fixed or they're gone! Today, I got an email from them outlining a rather extensive list of steps to provide them with a boatload of debugging information, including running routines to identify what is and is not running on my computer, etc. Ain't gonna happen folks!! (of note is that I have disabled a number of useless Windows services as well 'aggressive' software that demands being startup tasks, etc. And everything to do with remote control or remote <anything> of my computer is specifically disabled. NOBODY gets control of MY computers! My usual boot up time from power on is 25-27 seconds!)

So, after doing a quick check of a number of Internet Security product web sites, I settled on Bitdefender. After REMOVING Kaspersky, I started the download and installation. So far, I've put it on my desktop computer and am presently installing it on my laptop. My Android cell phone is next.

I hope that Bitdefender is as fast and trouble free as Kaspersky used to be. If not, I may go through it all again. After over 50 (yes, fifty!) years of computers in my life as an mainframe analyst/programmer and PC builder/repairer, I decided to invoke my number one rule of computers and software: It must work first time, every time, all the time, or it's fixed or GONE!

 

[Ryan]

Great move.

I still wonder what you benefits you are deriving from running this stuff.

 

[bratkinson]

Great move.

I still wonder what you benefits you are deriving from running this stuff.

Scroll up to my post dated 02 March 2018 - 07:24 PM (2nd from the top on this page) for why I liked Kaspersky.

 

[Ryan]

I read it at the time you posted it, and I went back and reread it just now.

Other than “doesn’t slow your computer down” and “didn’t make me auto-renew”, it gives no indication of why you feel it’s necessary to waste money infecting your computer with software that provides no benefits (that you’ve described) and has caused an endless parade of problems.

So, I ask again. What benefits do you think your getting from running this crap? I’ve managed to keep the same level of security by keeping a decorative rock on my desk, and that has the added benefits of keeping tigers away as well.

 

[dlagrua]

I read it at the time you posted it, and I went back and reread it just now.

Other than “doesn’t slow your computer down” and “didn’t make me auto-renew”, it gives no indication of why you feel it’s necessary to waste money infecting your computer with software that provides no benefits (that you’ve described) and has caused an endless parade of problems.

So, I ask again. What benefits do you think your getting from running this crap? I’ve managed to keep the same level of security by keeping a decorative rock on my desk, and that has the added benefits of keeping tigers away as well.

IMG_5450.jpg

There must be a reason why people purchased anti-virus software. My computer was infected several years back and since I have been using anti-virus software all is ok. As for no benefits then how do you prevent malware/adware/tracking?

Just shut down Kaspersky completely and low and behold Amtrak is easily accessed again. Put the URL into the settings as an excepted/trusted site and it still rejects it. At least now we know where the problem lies.

 

[Ryan]

People waste money all the time.

As Jeb mentioned upthread, Windows pretty much comes with what you need. Combined with a little bit of common sense hygiene (don’t visit dodgy websites, don’t click on random links you get in emails, don’t run random untrusted software) and paying money to break your computer seems like a pretty foolish move.

Ads get blocked at using DNS across the network here, too. It’s great. I do also use ghostery, but that’s free and doesn’t break my computer.

It’s worked for me for 25 years...

 

[jis]

I have not had this problem with Symantec, McAfee, or Microsoft’s anti-virus software. Generally I have not had enough of an issue with any of those to feel compelled to bother with something else. I really have better things to do with my time than fiddle around with my computer just to use it to do day to day stuff.

Sent from my iPhone using Amtrak Forum