Hi Jimbola
Check the following:
1.) HOSTS file located @/in %WinDir%\system32\drivers\etc
(Open it with Notepad.exe and see if those sites are equated to ANY IP
address - this is because this file can either speedup OR block sites.
Equating a site's URL to 127.0.0.1 will block that site, and/or possibly
equating it to a REAL IP address for the purposes of speeding up a site can
misfire IF the site owners change the IP address of that URL for said
concerned website)
The HOSTS file needs only 1 entry -
localhost 127.0.0.1
(And, you can get away without one period, IF your system is not attached to
a LAN/WAN network... a standalone system can operate without HOSTS period!)
2.) This area in the registry, for HOSTS file databasepath redirections:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Tcpip\Parameters
The default from Microsoft for the "DataBasePath" entry is
%WinDir%\system32\drivers\etc (as mentioned above in #1)... if it is
otherwise, change it to that, or (using C:\WINNT for Windows 2000 or
C:\WINDOWS for Windows XP/2003) to C:\WINDOWS\System32\Drivers\etc
IPSecurity Policies in secpol.msc - this can be used for the purposes of
blocking out sites, i.e.-> A "poor man's" firewall of sorts.
EDIT PART> Adding to #4, some sites NEED you to take their cookies and 3rd
party cookies too... you might want to look @ or OVERRIDE your cookies
policies in 'Internet Options' via Control Panel again & the Privacy tab
too!
IE Restricted Zones via Control Panel> Internet Options> Security
Tab> and clicking on the "Restricted sites" to highlight them and then edit
it
using the SITES button.
Try disabling the XP SP2 firewall and see if that helps.
Any firewall program you use – Zone Alarm, for instance/example, can
block out sites and their cookies (which some sites require for using their
stuff). If you have Zone Alarm Pro, go to the "Privacy Tab", Main, Options
and open
the Site List. You will find a number of sites that have various "cookie
controls" blocked. Unblock those on the sites you are getting the red X's.
However, this will allow 3rd party cookies and some other things you may not
want, but, it should eliminate the problem. SpyBot can also block cookies.
also...
How to troubleshoot problems accessing secure Web pages
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=870700
Other possibilities here:
http://inetexplorer.mvps.org/answers.htm#dns
http://inetexplorer.mvps.org/answers2.htm#secure_sites
Hope this helps
Jan
MS MVP - IE/OE
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