Can't access HTTP web pages -- HTTPS are OK.

[Jay Somerset]

For the past week or so, I have not been able to access the web consistently
-- same behavior with IE6 and Netscape. Secure pages (HTTPS) work all the
time. Unsecure pages work for a few hits, and then my computer seems to
stop recognizing replies. HTTPS pages continue to work.

A reboot will usually correct the problem, but only for a very short time.

I was running Win2K SP3, with all the pre-SP4 critical updates, and
everything worked fine. The problem appeared to start only after installing
the latest few critical (as of 10 days ago). I tried uninstalling the last
few, but the problem persisted. These updates were all identified as "SP4"

Don't really know whether these updates caused the problem or not, but the
timing seems suspicious. Has anyone else noticed this sort of behavior? Or
has anyone any idea how to fix things (apart from a complete reinstall of
WIN2K)?

Thanks.

 

[Enkidu]

For the past week or so, I have not been able to access the web consistently
-- same behavior with IE6 and Netscape. Secure pages (HTTPS) work all the
time. Unsecure pages work for a few hits, and then my computer seems to
stop recognizing replies. HTTPS pages continue to work.

HTTPS pages are usually not cached. HTTP often are.

A reboot will usually correct the problem, but only for a very short time.

Do you have a proxy between you and the Internet? Does your ISP run a
proxy? This may be the problem.

I was running Win2K SP3, with all the pre-SP4 critical updates, and
everything worked fine. The problem appeared to start only after installing
the latest few critical (as of 10 days ago). I tried uninstalling the last
few, but the problem persisted. These updates were all identified as "SP4"

Don't really know whether these updates caused the problem or not, but the
timing seems suspicious. Has anyone else noticed this sort of behavior? Or
has anyone any idea how to fix things (apart from a complete reinstall of
WIN2K)?

Cheers,

Cliff

 

[Jay Somerset]

HTTPS pages are usually not cached. HTTP often are.
Do you have a proxy between you and the Internet? Does your ISP run a
proxy? This may be the problem.
Cheers,

Cliff

Thanks for the reply. The problem only exists with my laptop -- my desktop
system is fine. Both seem to be set up exactly the same way, but may have
different WIN2K patches.

 

[Enkidu]

HTTPS pages are usually not cached. HTTP often are.

{snipped - I suggested proxies as the cause]

Thanks for the reply. The problem only exists with my laptop -- my desktop
system is fine. Both seem to be set up exactly the same way, but may have
different WIN2K patches.

I don't think it's a patch problem. Of course it could be, but it's
not one that I've heard of!

What settings do you have for Temporary Internet Files (TIFs)? Another
idea I had was that maybe the TIF cache is corrupted. Could you (a)
delete everything in the TIF cache, (b) if you can, move the TIFs to
another volume. You'll have to stop and start the browser of course.

Cheers,

Cliff

 

[Jay Somerset]

For the past week or so, I have not been able to access the web consistently
-- same behavior with IE6 and Netscape. Secure pages (HTTPS) work all the
time. Unsecure pages work for a few hits, and then my computer seems to
stop recognizing replies. HTTPS pages continue to work.

HTTPS pages are usually not cached. HTTP often are.

A reboot will usually correct the problem, but only for a very short time.

{snipped - I suggested proxies as the cause]

Thanks for the reply. The problem only exists with my laptop -- my desktop
system is fine. Both seem to be set up exactly the same way, but may have
different WIN2K patches.

I don't think it's a patch problem. Of course it could be, but it's
not one that I've heard of!

What settings do you have for Temporary Internet Files (TIFs)? Another
idea I had was that maybe the TIF cache is corrupted. Could you (a)
delete everything in the TIF cache, (b) if you can, move the TIFs to
another volume. You'll have to stop and start the browser of course.

Cheers,

Cliff

TIFs are not involved, as the problem exists with not only IE6, but also
with Netscape and Mozaic, which use a completely different cache base.
Caches are regularly cleared in eny event.

It seems to be a Windows problem, not just a browser problem. Any other
idea? I've certaily run out of them.