Whenever I try to access Microsoft's home page or product
page I get the "can't find this page" error message. I
can access Windows update and support pages. I've checked
my trusted sites settings and certificates. I'm running
Windows ME and IE 6.0.

Any suggestions?

Thanks

"mike" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:1344d01c41994$40c91270$(E-Mail Removed)
> Whenever I try to access Microsoft's home page or product
> page I get the "can't find this page" error message. I
> can access Windows update and support pages. I've checked
> my trusted sites settings and certificates. I'm running
> Windows ME and IE 6.0.
>
> Any suggestions?
>
> Thanks

Check for a file named HOSTS with no extension (not Hosts.sam). It may be a
hidden file. Open it with Notepad and remove any line referencing the site.
Or, rename HOSTS to OLDHOSTS

--
Frank Saunders, MS-MVP, IE/OE
Please respond in Newsgroup. Do not send email
http://www.fjsmjs.com
Protect your PC
http://www.microsoft.com/security/protect/

Thanks much, that fixed it. What is this "HOST" file and
what's it's purpose?

>-----Original Message-----
>"mike" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
>news:1344d01c41994$40c91270$(E-Mail Removed)
>> Whenever I try to access Microsoft's home page or
product
>> page I get the "can't find this page" error message. I
>> can access Windows update and support pages. I've
checked
>> my trusted sites settings and certificates. I'm running
>> Windows ME and IE 6.0.
>>
>> Any suggestions?
>>
>> Thanks
>
>Check for a file named HOSTS with no extension (not
Hosts.sam). It may be a
>hidden file. Open it with Notepad and remove any line
referencing the site.
>Or, rename HOSTS to OLDHOSTS
>
>--
>Frank Saunders, MS-MVP, IE/OE
>Please respond in Newsgroup. Do not send email
>http://www.fjsmjs.com
>Protect your PC
>http://www.microsoft.com/security/protect/
>
>
>.
>

"mike" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:1804101c41a83$f4f436e0$(E-Mail Removed)
> Thanks much, that fixed it. What is this "HOST" file and
> what's it's purpose?
>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> "mike" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
>> news:1344d01c41994$40c91270$(E-Mail Removed)
>>> Whenever I try to access Microsoft's home page or product
>>> page I get the "can't find this page" error message. I
>>> can access Windows update and support pages. I've checked
>>> my trusted sites settings and certificates. I'm running
>>> Windows ME and IE 6.0.
>>>
>>> Any suggestions?
>>>
>>> Thanks
>>
>> Check for a file named HOSTS with no extension (not Hosts.sam). It
>> may be a hidden file. Open it with Notepad and remove any line
>> referencing the site. Or, rename HOSTS to OLDHOSTS
>>
>> --
>> Frank Saunders, MS-MVP, IE/OE

The hosts file stores the IP addresses for sites. IE checks there before
doing a DNS lookup. This can save a few hundred milliseconds.

It can also be used to block sites by putting in the local machine IP
address (127.0.0.1) like this:
127.0.0.1 ads.offeroptimizer.com

--
Frank Saunders, MS-MVP, IE/OE
Please respond in Newsgroup. Do not send email
http://www.fjsmjs.com
Protect your PC
http://www.microsoft.com/security/protect/