can't connect to url's with https, clik, ssl, clickbank in address

I've searched and searched but found nothing. The problem is happening at the software level I believe due to a missing file that affects all internet connections. At least, only specific url's are affected as already described. There are plenty of https sites I can access as long as they don't contain ssl, clicks.aweber, or clickbank.net. I forgot I had an Apr 16th Macrium backup so rather than waste more time that is next. I'll lose about 6 software additions or upgrades but that is very manageable but really wished I could actually solve the issue. Cheers.

Caledon Ken said:

if you go to your c: drive, then Windows, System32, Drivers, ETC and then open your Hosts file with notepad are all the lines commented out, that is they all start with a "#" sign?

Thank you Caledon Ken. I was about to unregister and reregister a number of dll's with regsvr32 but needed to go shopping this morning so just got back to it within the last hour. I did check the host file in jv16 Powertools by Macecraft and I had exempted the two problematic ones, but nothing seemed to happen. I opened up the host file in Win as you suggested and searched for those two names and commented them out, then tried the web sites and they opened perfectly. PROBLEM SOLVED. I have to look at the relation of the jv16 host file to the win10 file.

What I don't understand is how they essentially became blacklisted in the hosts file as I've went to plenty of clickbank sites in the past paying for software and other stuff. Glad I delayed doing a restore. Now, if I run into other odd sites that don't resolve I know where to go. It's obvious now that this file affects all browsers on your system so that is why all browsers were having the same issues. Many thanks.

Caledon Ken said:

Great. My host file has no active lines, all are commented out.
The important thing is yours is working.

Exactly. I've browsed the host file again and a lot are not commented out but look like they should be. However, I'd rather leave it that way and edit from time to time if I find unreachable websites. still puzzling why they got changed in the first place, or what would do it. Well, that's for another time. Cheers.