Possible Solution to Google Search Bar Not Working/Safari Not Loading Pages

Hello Apple Forums,
I have recently encountered a possible solution to a problem with Safari. The one in which Safari fails to load any page associated with www.google.com. Especially the Google Search Bar—a feature I use frequently.
After browsing through the forums about the Google Search Bar issue, I took my knewly gained knowledge, and decided to do some diagnosing for myself.
This is what I have done so far to try and solve this issue:
Run Daily, Weekly, and Monthly Cron Scripts
Cleared the following caches:
System Local Computer Cache
System VM (Swap) Files
Curent User Cache
Current User Icon Cache
Internet Explorer Download Cache
Page History
Web Site Cache
Temporary Files
Safari Downloads List
Form Values
Page History
Recent Searches
Site Icons
Web Site Cache
User Cookies (used by Safari)
Finder Recent Applications
Recent Documents
Recent Folders
Recent Servers
Recent Files of AppleWorks 6
Disk Utility Disk Images
Preview
QuickTime Player Favorites/Recent
REALbasic Projects
TextEdit
VideoLanClient
and Other caches of Acquisition Current Downloads
Acquisition Recent Searches
MSN Conversation History
Vicomsoft FTP Client Icon Cache
All of the above runnings of Cron scripts and clearings of Caches were done using Mac Pilot version 1.1.5 (yes the one on the site is an updated version, but I have not downloaded it yet). If you decide to use this program to clear caches, I advise not clearing the Installer Receipts under the System section as Installer Receipts are used to correctly repair permissions. I do not clear Find File Indexes either, because I use the Find File feature quite frequently on my computer and I do not want to have it re-index files all the time (perhaps I'll do it every few months or so to refresh what I've got on the harddrive). Remember, all the information given in this paragraph is relative to Mac Pilot version 1.1.5.
In addition, I have also repaired permissions using Disk Utility 10.4.4 (v145.7) (make sure you restart your computer after you repair permissions). I have taken out items in /harddrive/library/StartUpItems as well as taking out items in /harddrive/library/Internet Plug-Ins and in /user/library/Internet Plug-Ins and in user/library/Caches (restart your computer after taking out or putting in items in these locations).
As of now, all the information mentioned above about trying to fix this problem have NOT worked.
What HAS WORKED for me was tinkering with my 3rd party firewall—Norton Personal Firewall Version 3.0 (48). Under the Protection Settings, I HAD Enable Active FTB support, Enable Stealth mode, Enable suspicious activity protection (with Deny outgoing suspicious traffic and Deny incoming suspicious traffic selected), Enable UDP Protection (with Protect outgoing UDP connections, Allow access to essential services, and Protect a range of UDP ports 1 through 1023 selected).
What I CHANGED in Protection Settings was DESELECT Enable suspicious activity protection (with Deny outgoing suspicious traffic and Deny incoming suspicious traffic DESELECTED). Upon deselecting that information the Google Search Bar feature in Safari WORKED practically instantaneously. Before hand, anything I inputted into Safari and after hitting Return on the keyboard just wound up hanging there.
Just to be sure, all tests were performed on:
IMac G4 800 Mhz SD Mac OSX 10.3.9 with ALL the latest Software Updates, Except Apple Remote Desktop Client version 1.2.4 and iPod Updater 2006-01-10
I have a cable internet connection with ISP Time Warner Cable (RoadRunner) using a SurfBoard SB4100 Cable Modem on an AirPort Extreme Base Station (Apple Base Station V5.6)
Interesting side note: I have a PowerBook G4 15" 1 Ghz Mac OSX 10.3.9 Laptop running on the same network (although it has an airport extreme card as opposed to the regular airport card in the iMac) with ALL the same latest Software Updates, Except iPod Updater 2006-01-10. The Apple Remote Desktop Client version 1.2.4 does not come up on Software Update on the Laptop and I can not find it on the harddrive using a name search in the Finder Find feature. It does not show up in Applications folder, so I do not know if it is on or active on the Laptop.
The LAPTOP IS ABLE TO USE ALL GOOGLE FEATURES without DESELECTING Enable suspicious activity protection (with Deny outgoing suspicious traffic and Deny incoming suspicious traffic DESELECTED). Why this is apparent I have not officially confirmed.
What I do know is that I have tried to Uninstall Norton Personal Firewall Version 3.0 (48) with the appropriate uninstaller but it FAILS during the uninstall (I wanted to uninstall and reinstall, it appears the program became corrupted). What I did to possibly circumvent this was to search for the phrase 'Personal Fire" using the Finder's Find feature (Search for items whose name contains 'Personal Fire') and deleted all the files that came up related to Norton Personal Firewall Version 3.0 (48). I then reinstalled Norton Personal Firewall Version 3.0 (48) since then, and it continues to have the problem with Enable suspicious activity protection (with Deny outgoing suspicious traffic and Deny incoming suspicious traffic selected).
What I have not done:
Updated Prebinding
Run TechTool Pro version 4.1.2
Install Combo OSX 10.3.9
Initialize HardDrive with complete reinstallation of OSX 10.3.9
To Summarize Possible Solution
I've tried many possible solutions, what appears to work best as of now is to DESELECT Enable suspicious activity protection (making sure Deny outgoing suspicious traffic and Deny incoming suspicious traffic are deselected) under Protection Settings in Norton Personal Firewall Version 3.0 (48).
One could try deselecting something similar in any firewall application other than Norton Personal Firewall Version 3.0 (48), to see if it is suspicious activity settings in firewalls that cause the problem.
Any comments/feedbacks are extremely welcome.
Hope It Helps!
iMac G4 800Mhz SD 10.3.9 & PowerBook G4 15" 1 Ghz 10.3.9    
iMac G4 800Mhz SD    
iMac G4 800Mhz SD    
iMac G4 800Mhz SD    
iMac G4 800Mhz SD    
iMac G4 800Mhz SD    

Hello tr:
Welcome to Apple discussions and thank you for your very very thorough post.
Your instincts to delete anything named "Norton" were right on the mark. Norton software is POISON to Macs running OS X. An additional software firewall is, IMHO, completely unnecessary. Turn on the built-in firewall in OS X - it is robust. In fact, if it is already on, there may be a conflict.
Go to Symantec's web site and use the uninstaller you should find there to get rid of the Norton stuff. After you do that, do a "find" on Norton and Symantec to be sure it is all gone - the stuff hides everywhere.
Barry

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