Description of General Internet Error Messages
Last reviewed: August 28, 1997
Article ID: Q151117
The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer version 3.01a for Macintosh
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer versions 3.01, 3.02a for Windows 3.1
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer version 3.02 for Windows 95
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer version 3.02 for Windows NT 4.0

SUMMARY

This article briefly describes the most common types of Internet error messages.

MORE INFORMATION

The five most common categories of Internet errors are:

  • Web browser errors
  • File Transfer Protocol (FTP) errors
  • Usenet errors
  • Gopher/Veronica errors
  • E-mail errors

Web Browser Errors

  • 404 Not Found

    The browser could not find the specific document that you requested on the host computer. To resolve this error, check the Uniform Resource Locator (URL) syntax (some URLs are case sensitive). In addition, the page may have been removed, had its name changed, or have been moved to a new location.

  • 403 Forbidden/Access Denied

    The Web site you requested requires special access permission (for example a password).

  • 503 Service Unavailable

    The host computer is too busy. Try viewing the page again after about 30 seconds.

  • Bad File Request

    The form or the Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) code for an online form has an error.

  • Cannot Add Form Submission Result to Bookmark List

    The results of a form (such as a WebCrawler search) cannot be saved as a bookmark. A bookmark can only be a document or an address.

  • Connection Refused by Host

    This is a version of the 403 error. The Web site you requested requires special access permission.

  • Failed DNS Lookup

    The Web site's URL could not be translated into a valid Internet protocol (IP) address. This error is common on commercial sites because the computers responsible for translating the IP addresses are overloaded. Try again later when there may be less Internet traffic. This can also be caused by a URL syntax error (the URL has incorrect format).

  • HTTP Server at Compressed <xxx>.com:8080 Replies:HTTP/1.0 500 Error from Proxy:

    This error is common with proxy servers (a server on a local area network that lets you connect to the Internet without using a modem). The proxy is either down, busy, or cannot interpret the command that was sent to it. You may want to wait for 30 seconds or more then try viewing the page again. If the problem persists, contact the network administrator of that proxy. Whatever is shown instead of <xxx>.com is usually your Internet service provider.

  • File Contains no Data

    The browser found the site, but nothing in the specific file. Try adding ":80" (without the quotation marks) to the URL just before the first slash, for example: http://www.microsoft.com:80/

  • Helper Application not Found

    You have attempted to download a file that needs a helper program, and your browser cannot find the program. On the browser's preferences or options menu, make sure the correct directory and file name are entered for the helper program. If you do not have a helper program, save the file to disk and obtain the helper program.

  • NTTP Server Error

    The browser could not find the Usenet newsgroup that you tried to access. Make sure the news server address is correctly listed in your browser's preferences or options menu and try again.

  • Not Found

    The link no longer exists.

  • Site Unavailable

    Too many users are trying to access the site, the site is down for maintenance, there is noise on the line, or the site no longer exists. This can also be caused by a user URL syntax error.

  • TCP Error Encountered While Sending Request to Server

    This error is caused by erroneous data on the line between you and the requested site. This may be hardware related. Report the error to your network administrator and try again later.

  • Too Many Users

    The site is busy. You may want to try again after about 30 seconds.

  • Unable to Locate Host

    The URL did not return anything, the site is unavailable, or the Internet connection was dropped. Check the hardware connections and URL syntax.

  • Cannot Connect to Server

    This error can occur if you are using Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) security ("https" at the beginning of the URL) when you are connecting to certain Web servers. This behavior has been seen on C2's StrongArm servers with Internet Explorer 3.x and 4.0 Beta 1 in Windows 95 and Windows NT.

FTP Errors

Because there are many FTP programs available, error messages may vary.

  • Invalid Host or Unable to Resolve

    This is the FTP equivalent of the Web browser's 404 error. The FTP program cannot find the site requested. This can also be caused by a URL syntax error.

  • Your FTP program connects then suddenly stops responding.

    NOTE: this is not an error message. If this occurs shortly after you log on, try using a dash (-) as the first character of your password. This turns off the site's informational messages, which may be causing a conflict with the FTP program.

  • Too many consecutive transmit errors

    NOTE: this is not an error message. This indicates that line noise has prevented the FTP program from continuing. This could be a hardware problem, the command string sent to your modem may be incorrect, or the modem may not be properly configured.

Usenet Errors

Usenet is the collection of computers and networks that share news articles. It overlaps with the Internet, but not identical to it

These type of errors are usually specific to your news reader.

  • Invalid Newsgroup

    This is caused by a URL syntax error, or the news server may not carry the newsgroup you are trying to access. See your network administrator for assistance.

  • No Such Message

    This message indicates an outdated message. The message you requested is still in the index, but has been removed from the server.

  • Could Not Connect to Server

    The news server is busy or is down, or you do not have access to the news server. Another possibility is that your browser or news reader program has been set up incorrectly.

  • The Message Appears Unintelligible

    NOTE: this is not an error message. This is caused by a binary (non-text) file, such as a picture, movie, or program, that has been encoded into text characters. Most news readers include automatic decoding of binary files. To decode a file, use a decoding program or purchase a news reader that supports automatic decoding.

Gopher/Veronica Errors

The Gopher protocol is a menu-based interface for opening resources on the Internet. The menus have the same function as hyperlinks on the Web. Gophers (and their search engine, Veronica) rarely return errors. The most commonly returned messages are "Can't find site" or "Too busy."

  • Xxxxx Does Not Exist

    This error occurs when a menu lists an item that longer exists. The item may have been moved or renamed. Gopher menus must be updated manually so they sometimes refer to outdated catalogs.

  • Your Search on Xxxyyyzzz Returned Nothing

    Your search term did not appear in the catalog or menu.

  • Sorry, But We Don't Allow Off-Site Access to this Server

    This error occurs when you have tried to access a network or site that has been set up strictly for local use. You cannot access the Gopher site unless you are considered part of that local network.

E-Mail Errors

Most mail errors are URL syntax errors. Commas and spaces are not allowed in e-mail addresses.

  • Unknown User

    This may be caused by a URL syntax error. The name was typed incorrectly or the address was typed incorrectly.

  • Mail for a mail list stops appearing

    NOTE: this is not an error message. This may be caused be a temporary problem at the site or on the Internet. You may have been involuntarily "unsubscribed" by the mail list program at the site. Or, the list may have been discontinued.

  • Warning: Message Still Undelivered After Xx Hours

    This is a warning indicating that the mail message may be delayed. The mailer will continue to send, depending on the configuration of the mailer.

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Microsoft Knowledge Base

Internet Explorer Err Msg: Could Not Open...

Article ID: Q153967 The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Internet Explorer versions 2.0, 3.0 for Windows 95

SYMPTOMS

When you try to use Internet Explorer to connect to a World Wide Web site after a connection to the Internet has been established, you may receive one of the following error messages:

Could not open http://. The Internet site was not found. Please make sure the address is correct. Could not open http://.

is the domain name of the site you are trying access.

CAUSE

These errors can occur for any of the following reasons:

Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) is not properly configured to use a Domain Name Server (DNS). •The Web site you are attempting to connect to is outside the domain of your Internet service provider (ISP), and TCP/IP is not properly configured to use a default gateway when accessing a remote network. •The Web site you are trying to connect to is not available. •One or more global TCP/IP setting conflicts with the TCP/IP settings for the connection used to connect to your ISP. •Internet Explorer is configured to connect to the Internet by using both Dial-Up Networking and a proxy server (a server on a local area network that lets you connect to the Internet without using a modem). With versions of Internet Explorer earlier than version 3.0, this behavior occurs when both the Use AutoDial and Use Proxy Server options in the Internet Properties dialog box are enabled. With Internet Explorer 3.0, this occurs when both the Connect To The Internet As Needed and Connect Through A Proxy Server options in the Internet Properties dialog box are enabled. •The Wsock32.dll file included with Windows 95 has been replaced by a third-party program. •Internet Explorer's cache is too full, or one or more of the files stored in the cache is damaged. •One or more TCP/IP components are not functioning properly.

RESOLUTION To work around this problem, use the PING command to determine if the problem is being caused by incorrect default gateway settings or incorrect DNS server settings. To do this, click Start, point to Programs, click Command Prompt, and type the following commands at the command prompt (press ENTER after each command)       cd \
      ping

where is the name of the folder in which you installed Windows and is the name of the domain you are trying to access, for example:

      www.microsoft.com

If a "Bad IP Address" error message is displayed, the error is likely being caused by incorrect DNS server settings. To work around this problem, see the "DNS Server Settings" section in this article.

If a "Reply from : Destination net unreachable" error message is displayed (where is the IP address of the site you are attempting to connect to), the error is likely being caused by incorrect default gateway settings. To work around this problem, see the "Default Gateway Settings" section in this article.

If the steps in the "DNS Server Settings" or "Default Gateway Settings" section in this article do not resolve the problem, see the "Additional Troubleshooting Steps" section in this article.

DNS Server Settings

If you are accessing the Internet using Dial-Up Networking, use the following steps:

1.Click Start, point to Programs, point to Accessories, and then click Dial-Up Networking.

2.Use the right mouse button to click the connection used to connect to your ISP, and then click Properties on the menu that appears.

3.Click Server Type, click TCP/IP Settings, and then enter the DNS server settings provided by your ISP.

If you are accessing the Internet using a proxy server or other LAN-based connection, use the following steps:

1.In Control Panel, double-click Network.

2.Click the TCP/IP protocol, and then click Properties.

3.Click the DNS Configuration tab, and then enter the DNS server settings provided by your ISP.

Default Gateway Settings

If you are accessing the Internet by using Dial-Up Networking, use the following steps:

1.Click Start, point to Programs, point to Accessories, and then click Dial-Up Networking.

2.Use the right mouse button to click the connection used to connect to your ISP, and then click Properties on the menu that appears.

3.Click Server Type, click TCP/IP Settings, and then click the "Use default gateway on remote network" check box to select it.

If you are accessing the Internet using a proxy server or other LAN-based connection, use the following steps:

1.In Control Panel, double-click Network.

2.Click the TCP/IP protocol, and then click Properties.

3.Click the Gateway tab, enter the IP address of the gateway provided by your ISP in the New Gateway box, and then click Add.

NOTE: If you are accessing the Internet using a proxy server, you may not need to configure the TCP/IP protocol to use a default gateway when accessing a remote network. To find out if your proxy server requires a default gateway, contact your system or network administrator.

Additional Troubleshooting Steps

To troubleshoot the problem further, follow these steps. After performing each step, check to see if the problem has been resolved.

1.Attempt to connect to another Web site to verify that the problem does not occur with another site. If the problem does not occur with another site, contact the administrator of the site to which you originally tried to connect to verify that the site is currently available.

2.Determine if the global TCP/IP settings conflict with the TCP/IP settings for the connection used to connect to your ISP. To do so, follow these steps:

NOTE: Make sure to make a note of any settings that you remove while performing the following steps. If your computer is connected to a network and you are using the TCP/IP protocol to access the network (in addition to the Internet), you may need to replace the settings after the problem has been resolved.

      a. In Control Panel, double-click Network.

      b. Click the TCP/IP protocol, and then click Properties.

      c. If the Specify An Address option is selected on the IP Address tab and an IP address has been entered in the IP Address box, remove the IP address from the IP Address box.

      d. Click the Gateway tab, and then remove all gateways from the Installed Gateways list.

      e. Click the DNS Configuration tab. If the Enable DNS option is selected, click Disable DNS.

If these steps resolve the problem, the global TCP/IP settings that you removed conflict with the TCP/IP settings for the connection used to connect to your ISP. If your computer is not connected to a network, or you are not using the TCP/IP protocol to access the network, you do not need to perform any additional steps to troubleshoot this problem. The TCP/IP settings that you removed do not need to be replaced.

However, if your computer is connected to a network and you are using the TCP/IP protocol to access the network, you may be unable to access the network until you replace the TCP/IP settings that you removed. To prevent this problem from reoccurring when you replace the settings, contact your system or network administrator to verify that the settings are accurate.

3.Verify that Internet Explorer is not configured to connect to the Internet using both Dial-Up Networking and a proxy server. To do so, follow these steps:

      a. Use the right mouse button to click the Internet icon on the desktop, and then click Properties on the menu that appears.

      b. If you are using a version of Internet Explorer earlier than version 3.0, verify that the Use AutoDial check box on the AutoDial tab and the Use Proxy Server check box on the Advanced tab are not both selected.

If you are using Internet Explorer 3.0, verify that the Connect To The Internet As Needed and Connect Through A Proxy Server check boxes on the Connection tab are not both selected.

NOTE: If you connect to the Internet using a Dial-Up Networking connection, you cannot access Web sites if the Use Proxy Server or Connect Through A Proxy Server check box is selected. If you connect to the Internet using a proxy server, you may be able to access Web sites if the Use AutoDial or Connect To The Internet As Needed check box is selected, but configuring Internet Explorer in this manner is not recommended.

If you access the Internet using a proxy server and the steps described in this article do not resolve the problem, the problem may be caused by incorrect proxy server settings. For information about trouble- shooting proxy server settings, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

      ARTICLE-ID: Q139546

      TITLE : Troubleshooting Internet Explorer and Proxy Servers

4.Extract a new copy of the Wsock32.dll file from your original Windows 95 disks or CD. The Wsock32.dll file is located in the Win95_11.cab cabinet file on the CD-ROM or in the Win95_12.cab cabinet file on disk 12.

For information about using the Extract tool, type "extract" (without quotation marks) at a command prompt, or see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

      ARTICLE-ID: Q129605

     TITLE: Using the Windows 95 Extract Tool (Extract.exe)

5.Empty Internet Explorer's cache. To empty the cache if you are using a version of Internet Explorer earlier than version 3.0, click Options on the View menu in Internet Explorer, click the Advanced tab, and then click Empty in the Cache area. To empty the cache if you are using Internet Explorer 3.0, click Options on the View menu in Internet Explorer, click the Advanced tab, click Settings in the Temporary Internet Files area, and then click Empty Folder.

6.Use the PING command to verify that the TCP/IP protocol is functioning properly. To do this, click Start, point to Programs, click Command Prompt, and type the following commands at the command prompt (press ENTER after each command)

      ping 127.0.0.1
      ping (address)

where (address) is the IP address of your computer. If the TCP/IP protocol is functioning properly, four lines that appear similar to the following lines are displayed

      Reply from (address): bytes=32 time=1ms TTL=32

where (address) is the IP address that you used with the PING command. If a "Request timed out" or other similar error message is displayed, the TCP/IP protocol may not be functioning properly and may need to be reinstalled.

NOTE: If you do not know the IP address of your computer, click the Start button, click Run, type "winipcfg" (without quotation marks) in the Open box, and then click OK. When the IP Configuration dialog box appears, click PPP Adapter in the list of adapters. Your computer's IP address appears in the IP Address box.

MORE INFORMATION

The error message stated above can also occur if you have the PPP/SLIP Adapter from FTP Software installed in Network properties. Removing this adapter and TCP/IP stack resolves the problem. If you later decide you want to use the PPP/SLIP Adapter from FTP Software, you can add it again in Network properties.

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How to relocate the cache in IE3.0X

1.Create a new folder to store the files. For example, if you want to store the files in a folder named Ietemp on drive D, create the following folder:

        D:\Ietemp

For information about how to create a folder, click Start, click Help, click the Index tab, type "new folder" (without quotation marks), and then double-click the "New Folders" topic.

2.Start Internet Explorer.

3.On the View menu, click Options.

4.Click the Advanced tab, and then click Settings.

5.Click Move Folder.

6.Click the folder you created in Step 1.

7.Click OK.

8.Restart your computer.

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The IE3 Internet Mail program often gives "TCP/IP error" messages which aren't necessarily that.

The "354 Enter mail, end with "." on a line by itself" message is misleading. That's a normal message from the SMTP mail server. It indicates that it is ready for the message body. The mail program is to send a period on a line by itself when it has sent to whole message in order to tell the mail server that it is done. What has happened is that something went wrong during the send, but the mail program doesn't know what. The mail program reports that last message from the server as the explanation.

Check the Server Timeout in Mail, Options, Server, Advanced. Increasing the value there may help when sending attachments.

You might also try changing from MIME encoding to Uuencode (Mail, Options, Send, Plain Text, Settings) and see if it makes any difference.

Also check with your ISP to see if there is a maximum message size that you can send. If so, specify this limit in:

  • Internet Mail: Mail, Options, Send, Break Apart messages
  • Outlook Express: Tools, Accounts, Mail, Properties, Advanced, Break Apart

    This could also be a problem with your ISP's SMTP server. If the server is having capacity problems, this is more likely to show up when you send attachments.

    Thanks to Michael Santovec.

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