[R] internet routines cannot be loaded, R 3.5.0

[LMH]

Hello,

I recently upgraded my version of R and find I need to reinstall packages
(unless there is some method to import my old profile and files). I have set
my repository to CRAN and set my CRAN mirror to US, NY. If I select
"packages > install packages" in the R console, I get a message, "no
packages were specified". I thought this command gave me a list of packages
available to install.

If I select, "packages > update packages", I get the message,

Warning: unable to access index for repository
https://mirrors.sorengard.com/cran/src/contrib:
  internet routines cannot be loaded
Error in gzfile(file, mode) : cannot open the connection
In addition: Warning message:
In gzfile(file, mode) :
  cannot open compressed file
'C:\DOCUME~1\BASIC_~1\LOCALS~1\Temp\RtmpqiUPQX/libloc_185_34943e0b.rds',
probable reason 'No such file or directory'

I have done a search on, "internet routines cannot be loaded" and don't find
anything that looks relevant.

i have installed some packages manually from local zip files, but many
packages have a large number of dependencies and it would take forever to
download them all.

Can someone help me to get this working?

Thanks,

LMH