DNS Cache Flush, Clear, or Reset in Vista, Windows 7, and Windows 8.
Contributed by Hack_Vista 
Tagged: Microsoft Vista Frequently web connection problems can be traced to a corrupted DNS cache. Flushing this cache is an easy fix to many of these problems. This is how to flush the cache in Vista, Windows 7, and Windows 8.
Here is how to fix that corrupted DNS cache.
1. Click the Microsoft Vista Start logo in the bottom left corner of the screen
2. Click All Programs
3. Click Accessories
4. RIGHT-click on Command Prompt
5. Select Run As Administrator
6. In the command window type the following and then hit enter: ipconfig /flushdns
7. You will see the following confirmation:
Windows IP Configuration
Successfully flushed the DNS Resolver Cache.
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Jimbo said on November 28, 2008
Thanks for the helpful tip :) I wasn’t sure if was the same as XP or not but it looks like it is.
adis said on December 8, 2008
thanks :-)
erik said on December 21, 2008
thank you for the help. Did not know about this. It did the trick though.
jason said on January 8, 2009
i need elevation to complete
c said on January 9, 2009
did not work it say requested operation requires elevation
Freaked said on January 10, 2009
you are not running as administrator if you are getting “requested operation requires elevation”. RUN IT AS ADMINISTRATOR as this guide recommends.
Pippin said on January 21, 2009
I experienced internet connection problems. While Skype and pinging ip numbers worked (even connecting to ip addresses in the web browser worked) just addresses like http://www.google.com often did not work.
After a lot of fiddling I found that disabling NetBIOS via TCP/IP helps. Go to the Network Center, Network Connections, properties of the connection (wireless or LAN, whatever you use for this connection). Then properties of the IPv4 protocol, Advanced, WINS tab. Select Disable NetBIOS via TCP/IP. For good measure I also enabled Use DNS suffix of this connection in the DNS registration (DNS tab). The latter I also did for the IPv6 protocol. In my experience the NetBIOS setting did the trick for me.
Maybe this helps some of you.
brian said on January 30, 2009
why does mine say “requires elevation”?
Roy said on February 4, 2009
Click on Vista start menu logo and start typing cmd. when you see it, right click and say “run as administrator” and verify by selecting okay and then type configuration.
KurodaShun said on February 6, 2009
My account was “Admin” type…
but when i tried flush dns,
the “Requested operation requires elevation” message still came out!!!
James said on February 15, 2009
I’m not some newbie. A+ certified. I’m starting to think half of my problems are some kind of HP specific BS settings. Nothing I run at the command line works normally on this computer. I use my (NON-HP) VISTA laptop and my results vary. I can’t even get Python to run correctly. DNS flush gave me all kinds of errors. Double checked my typing. Never buy another HP again. I’m building my next rig just like I did all of my previous rigs.
Evolex said on March 9, 2009
it writes: function execution error
mtsen.com said on March 17, 2009
fantastic ! some old dos stuff will never go away ..
mary said on March 22, 2009
i switches from verizon to comcast now on the pc which is an ibm older model the ip address is zeros i connect and work fine on my laptop with the comcast modem etc so any ideas i did ipconfig renew etc still zeros all the connectoons are fine it was foine on verizon the comcAST AND NO IP ADRESS WELL YAH BUT ZEROS??? ANY HELP APRECIATTED
wayne said on March 25, 2009
do you have a router conected if so reset the modem and the router and try to plug them back and see if that works if not pulg the modem and the,pc no router in between and check your ip if that dont wrork do and inetwiz if that dont work do a flushdns as check ur ip address. if you are a homenetworking comcast customer you need to call them and ask them for an static ip. I hope that by fallowing this steps you get what you need. Later
Dakota said on April 4, 2009
I flushed it out for Itunes and it didn’t work. I did everything sucessfully, and it still says that the internet couldn’t connect with the store and that I need to check my settings. I don’t understand!! I have done absolutely everything that there is to do. Please Help!!!!!
hege said on May 19, 2009
I tried this but got the message :”could not flush the DNS Resolver Cache: Function failed during execution”
Ryan said on May 29, 2009
I am having issues connecting to Server 2003 with Vista Ultimate. I keep getting the error :
“An attempt to resolve the DNS name of a DC in the domain being joined has failed. Please verify this client is configured to reach a DNS server that can resolve DNS names in the target domain.” Any help would be greatly appreciated
concerned guru said on June 7, 2009
thx this worked great
steph said on June 19, 2009
thanks a lot i worked with the XP one but didn’t know how to work the vista cmd.
p.s. the computer newbs are great to laugh at.
Munyi said on June 23, 2009
What if the message you get is “could not flush dns resolver Cache: Function failed during execution”
Kali said on July 6, 2009
The only difference between a “newb” and you is experience with a pc, Steph. Oh wait… you didn’t know how to work the Vista cmd…..
Jen said on July 9, 2009
Fantastic Fix! Thank you soooo much!!!
Anonymous said on July 14, 2009
Great Help, Tx!
Aryan Mughal said on September 27, 2009
Thanks :-)
From A Very Long Time I Am Searching For This
eric said on November 4, 2009
This does not work. I ran the command and got the confirmation message, but when I type : ipconfig /displaydns it still shows that everything is in the cache and nothing has been removed.
Mark Bunds said on November 15, 2009
My Vista installation corrupts the DNS cache so frequently that I wrote a batch file and placed on my desktop.
Anonymous said on November 28, 2009
I found that a DOUBLE ipconfig /flushdns seemed to do the trick (and it doesn’t waste cyber-water) to resolve the Vista DNS problem.
Anonymous said on December 1, 2009
This didn’t work in my case. Tried several times, but never got response in DOS window or any change whatsoever. Funny thing…the “instructions” for how to fix this on the Microsoft website pretty much say you need to reset the dns functions, and that the “error” message MUST be the result of the dns processor being “not on automatic” and yet when you look at the system functions it IS what it says it should NOT be.
Frustrating
Anonymous said on December 8, 2009
right click it then click run as admistrator….( i think thats what you name your computer/user…)
Anonymous said on December 15, 2009
yeah i did that and now when i have to do a system restore to even use my internet exploerer,so i can’t shut off my computer at all or i’ll have to do a system restore
steve said on December 31, 2009
ipconfig /flushdns doesn’t always work under all circumstances with Vista, unfortunately. sometimes you need to do a restart of the cache: net stop dnscache, net start dnscache (or use the services snapin to restart DNS Client)
Anonymous said on January 10, 2010
Hi,
I just wanted to share this information so that it may help others who have a had my issue.If you have tried the various other fixes and vista is still not working then please try disabling your IP Flood Detection in the router. This did the job for me.
Anonymous said on March 9, 2010
hi try ipconfig /flushdns press enter then put in (net stop dnscache) wait for that to stop then put in (net start dnscache) press enter see if that works for you
Anonymous said on May 2, 2010
Hi, I’ve been on the phone with mu ISP over some trouble with my DNS. We tried alot of different things including:
ipconfig /release
ipconfig /renew
ipconfig /flushdns
unfortunatly nothing has worked.
The problem is that my DNS isn’t reading hosts but only IP adresses. I’m really stuck and about to smash my Acer off the ground : )
Any help would be great
-Cillían
Anonymous said on May 8, 2010
yours is the first that worked! bravo!
Luisa said on May 20, 2010
I am having trouble with logins. I have the correct login info and it doesnt prompt me that I have incorrect user or password however it will keep asking me for login info.
Brian Pace said on May 31, 2010
Thanks, worked great. This, indeed, was the problem.
HB said on June 7, 2010
very helpful tip
i was looking this….
Anime said on July 24, 2010
Ah, awesome. I tried doing it without running as Administrator, but it kept giving errors. Who’d have known the fix was so simple? lol
Matt said on July 25, 2010
should there be something in the command window already?
I dont want to add something and screw up vista any more than it already is.
I have no idea when it comes to working with dos,dag,dog,or whatever other abbreviations there are.
takizo said on July 26, 2010
You can type another command “registerdns” after flush, it will do query to the DNS server again.
Alice said on August 4, 2010
I have a 2008 Dell Inspiron running windows vista and i tried SOOOO many things to make it work and this ended up being the deal breaker. Thanks for the info!
Radutwitter said on August 4, 2010
I have a lot of weird websites that I see when doing : ipconfig/displaydns. Sites that currently are redirecting some of my requests to them. What a hell should I do to erase those ?
Dmiretti said on August 9, 2010
Thanks for the tip! Worked like a charm. Didn’t realize that quirk about Vista..just another reason why Vista is like a lump of coal in the proverbial stocking.
Falken751 said on August 26, 2010
worked perfectly.
Trish said on September 15, 2010
OMG! your a genius! Hugz for huggy! Thanks.
Shanenagg said on September 23, 2010
thanks this worked 4 me
Seo said on October 11, 2010
thanks. but does not work
newbie said on November 4, 2010
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/919746
These instructions solved my problems…because the DNS client service was not set up to run at start up and it wasn’t enabled.
BrandonL said on January 10, 2011
Hello. I have completed the flushdns and went back to displaydns and it shows all the cache that was there originally. I tried doing it twice in a row and it still comes up. I also did a restart of the cache: net stop dnscache, net start dnscache. What are my next options? Thanks!!!
Kdouat said on March 12, 2011
That’s what I just did. Now, I am waiting…. Thanks for the validation!
Blake said on March 24, 2011
Thank you so much. I have been searching online for a solution. You’re the man!
JOSH said on May 12, 2011
DID you ever resolve this
Dave said on November 20, 2011
I try to do this but can’t. When I click Acessories to expand it, the start menu I have open closes before I try to click anything in the accessories. Also every 2 seconds the screen is sort of refreshing or changing focus to another program or something because the title bar is flashing in and out of focus.
online alışveriş said on December 13, 2011
thanks for share.very nice post
araç takip said on December 13, 2011
hi try ipconfig /flushdns press enter then put in (net stop dnscache) wait for that to stop then put in (net start dnscache) press enter see if that works for you
Best Blogging Tips said on December 25, 2011
thanks for this useful information I was looking for it
brian said on January 4, 2012
I have a reseller hosting site, to login to the cpanel I was always promted with: – SSL encryption is required for access to this server, I could login using this. But now when I trying to login using this I got connection to this server was interupted, now I just get can not connect. I have the flushdns and several of the remidies on this page but unable to resolve. Any suggestions would be mutch apprechated.
thanks
Brian