IE 6.x on Server 2003 SP1 - blank white page

[Guest]

When I open IE on several Server 2003 SP1 servers I just get a blank white
page. If I choose the "Windows Update" icon on the task bar I get a error
saying

"Internet Explorer cannot download default.aspx from update.microsoft.com
Internet Explorer was not able to open this Internet site. The requested
site is either unavailable or cannot be found. please try later"

I have tried everything I can find in technet and newsgroups including
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=902932. I have also tried reapplying SP1
and also manually applied all updates running "Microsoft Baseline Security
Analyzer" against this server to see what was missing. (BTW: MBSA does will
not run locally on this system).

On another system installing IE7 beta fixed the problem however I have a
critical production server that I need IE on and I do not feel comfortable
putting beta software on it.

If I try running the latest ie6setup.exe I get the error "Setup has detected
a newer version of Internet Explorer already installed in this system"

How do I fix this? How do I manually reinstall IE to get this working?

Any ideas?

Thank you

 

[Robert Aldwinckle]

....

When I open IE on several Server 2003 SP1 servers I just get a blank white
page.

Have you checked (e.g. with View Source) that the page is "blank"?

If I choose the "Windows Update" icon on the task bar I get a error
saying

"Internet Explorer cannot download default.aspx from update.microsoft.com
Internet Explorer was not able to open this Internet site. The requested
site is either unavailable or cannot be found. please try later"

I have tried everything I can find in technet and newsgroups including
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=902932. I have also tried reapplying SP1
and also manually applied all updates running "Microsoft Baseline Security
Analyzer" against this server to see what was missing. (BTW: MBSA does will
not run locally on this system).

On another system installing IE7 beta fixed the problem however I have a
critical production server that I need IE on and I do not feel comfortable
putting beta software on it.

If I try running the latest ie6setup.exe I get the error "Setup has detected
a newer version of Internet Explorer already installed in this system"

That won't work. Your WS2003sp1 already has "IE6sp2" as a base
in the same way that XPsp2 has IE6sp2 "installed".

How do I fix this?

Have you tried using Automatic Updates instead?

How do I manually reinstall IE to get this working?

You don't. IE is not a separate application in your OS.

Any ideas?

<title>You receive a scripting error or a blank page
when you visit the Windows Update Web site or the Microsoft Update Web site</title>
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/836948/en-us

(MSKB Boolean search for
blank AND "windows update" AND XP
)


Try a newsgroup which specializes in your OS.
Perhaps switching from "registry hardening"
to "registry softening" would help?

Thank you

Good luck

Robert Aldwinckle
---

 

[Guest]

Have you checked (e.g. with View Source) that the page is "blank"?
- Yes - still a blank white page

Have you tried using Automatic Updates instead?
- server is 100% patched. I tried downloading everything manually and
installing.

You receive a scripting error or a blank page when you visit the Windows
Update Web site or the Microsoft Update Web site
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/836948/en-us

Installed this update - no affect

Perhaps switching from "registry hardening" to "registry softening" would
help?
- I do not know what this means but willing to try anything!

Thank you for your ideas..

So far the only thing that works is installing IE7 beta.

 

[Robert Aldwinckle]

Have you checked (e.g. with View Source) that the page is "blank"?
- Yes - still a blank white page

In that case I would try finding out what is happening using a packet trace.
Looks as if it might be a DNS problem (perhaps after a redirect.)
You would have to capture the URL that IE is trying to use for WU
(e.g. using netcap or Ethereal.)

Have you tried using Automatic Updates instead?
- server is 100% patched. I tried downloading everything manually and
installing.

So why do you need to go to Windows Update (on a server)?

You receive a scripting error or a blank page when you visit the Windows
Update Web site or the Microsoft Update Web site
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/836948/en-us

Installed this update - no affect

It wasn't just an "update". It was a troubleshooter.
Did you continue on to the KB818018 article too?

Perhaps switching from "registry hardening" to "registry softening" would
help?
- I do not know what this means but willing to try anything!

Oh. Sorry. Wrong keywords. "Internet Explorer hardening"
And apparently I had to use its more obscure alias name to find this
in an earlier discussion:


<title>How to convert your Windows Server 2003... to a Workstation!</title>
http://www.msfn.org/win2k3/ie.htm

(MSN search for
"internet explorer enhanced security configuration"
)

Thank you for your ideas..

So far the only thing that works is installing IE7 beta.

I wouldn't be surprised if installing it "softens" the registry. <eg>


I still think you should go to a newsgroup which specializes
in your OS. It's possible that all you need to do is put some
microsoft domain names into the (hardened) Trusted sites list.
I would expect that somebody who already has your OS working
properly and who understands how it works would be able to
assist better.


HTH

Robert
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