IE6 jumps offline with bad URL

[Guest]

I have finished setting up a new machine with XP-MCE. I have downloaded and installed all 15 updates to OS, programs (including IE6), drivers to bring everything up to date. (Retired IT manager and Security Officer - wouldn't use a machine without latest security fixes!)
THE PROBLEM: When I enter an incorrect URL in Address space in IE6, instead of getting the good old 404 message, I get the popup asking if I want to dial a connection to the Internet. ((I'm using cable/broadband, with dialup in case no network (cable) detected (for my FL condo use, usually.)) Lo and behold, IE is now "working offline", so I go to File and uncheck "work offline" then try the URL again (which I thought was correct), and it goes offline again.
It took me many errors over the course of several days to recognize that it is only on an URL/address error that this occurs, and thus, I came to MS site to see if FAQ, previously reported, etc., and finally, posting this plea for help or guidance. Until then, I'll just consider the popping offline as the equivalent of a 404 error, and correct the URL, but this is frustrating.

 

[Frank Saunders, MS-MVP]

I have finished setting up a new machine with XP-MCE. I have
downloaded and installed all 15 updates to OS, programs (including
IE6), drivers to bring everything up to date. (Retired IT manager
and Security Officer - wouldn't use a machine without latest security
fixes!)
THE PROBLEM: When I enter an incorrect URL in Address space in IE6,
instead of getting the good old 404 message, I get the popup asking
if I want to dial a connection to the Internet. ((I'm using
cable/broadband, with dialup in case no network (cable) detected (for
my FL condo use, usually.)) Lo and behold, IE is now "working
offline", so I go to File and uncheck "work offline" then try the URL
again (which I thought was correct), and it goes offline again. It
took me many errors over the course of several days to recognize that
it is only on an URL/address error that this occurs, and thus, I came
to MS site to see if FAQ, previously reported, etc., and finally,
posting this plea for help or guidance. Until then, I'll just
consider the popping offline as the equivalent of a 404 error, and
correct the URL, but this is frustrating.

First eliminate any scumware.
See
Dealing with Unwanted Spyware, Parasites, Toolbars and Search Engines
http://mvps.org/winhelp2002/unwanted.htm

Note that AdAware and SpyBot S & D will each catch some things the other
won't. Also, each needs to be updated before every use, even when just
downloaded. There's also a lot more to do than just those two programs.
CWShredder is also available here:
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/regs_edits/cwshredder.zip
**Post your HijackThis log to
http://forums.spywareinfo.com/ or the Spyware forum at
http://forum.aumha.org/ for expert analysis, not here.**
Alternative download pages for Ad-Aware, Spybot, HijackThis and CWShredder
may be found on this page:
http://aumha.org/a/parasite.htm.
If trying everything at that site does not fix the problem please post back
in the same thread.

--
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/

 

[Guest]

Thanks for your suggestion (and the references) BUT --- I have none of the cited "scumware" (yet). Only thing between IE and INternet is McAfee AV (as installed on the PC by vendor (HP) and my addition of Zone Alarm (set giving IE free reign)
Any further thoughts/help will be appreciated.

 

[Frank Saunders, MS-MVP IE/OE]

Thanks for your suggestion (and the references) BUT --- I have none
of the cited "scumware" (yet). Only thing between IE and INternet is
McAfee AV (as installed on the PC by vendor (HP) and my addition of
Zone Alarm (set giving IE free reign). Any further thoughts/help will
be appreciated.

No other ideas.
Where did you post your HijackThis log?

--
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/

 

[jadler]

I am also experiencing the same problem. I haven't found any solution
yet, but I can also say that I have run both Spybot and AdAware, on to
of having ZoneAlarm set up. I have also gone through the registr
manually and have not found any suspect entries anywhere in the window
startup. One clue that I can offer is that I recently ran the networ
setup wizard to enable file sharing on my computer, and I'm wonderin
if the system made changes to the network settings that have cause
this behavior. I've never been a fan of having a wizard make setting
changes instead of making them manually, and now I know why. Anyway
is anyone able to outline the specific changes that this wizard i
making to the network settings, and does this spark any new ideas


-
jadle

 

[Guest]

I do not have any network sharing set up, so I can't
suspect that in my case. I may have said earlier that it
happened when I used a bad URL. Well, today I had two
instances where it popped offline in the middle of
displaying a simple e-mail message (Webmail in Comcast).
I quickly went to File and unchecked "work Offline"
(after first killing the message box) and no other
problems with any other e-mail in same session. It's
enough to make me simply go back to Netscape as browser
of choice. And just when I was giving Microsoft a break!

 

[NatM]

Note: the annonymous posting of 4/1 is mine, I forgot to
put name in. Someone in the WinXP/MCE discussion
suggested that this problem might be a timing issue, with
possible setting somewhere in registry that could be
changed to increase latency before IE thinks the
cable/DSL connection does not exist and asks if you want
to dial up connection (after noting that the session is
now "working offline". Can anyone comment on this and/or
suggest where and what change to make in registry if this
is the possible problem???
Thanks for still looking at thsi issue.
Nat

 

[Robert Aldwinckle]

Requoting from first post:

< THE PROBLEM: >
When I enter an incorrect URL in Address space in IE6,
instead of getting the good old 404 message, I get the popup asking
if I want to dial a connection to the Internet. ((I'm using cable/broadband,
with dialup in case no network (cable) detected (for my FL condo use, usually.))
Lo and behold, IE is now "working offline", so I go to File and uncheck "work offline"
then try the URL again (which I thought was correct), and it goes offline again.

Someone in the WinXP/MCE discussion
suggested that this problem might be a timing issue,

That's likely but they may have ignored some of your symptom.
That is the answer that we would give to users who get
the Work Offline or Try Again dialog.
(I don't think that that is what you meant by "popup" but if it is
and you are not clicking on the Try Again button
that could explain your problem.)

Some broadband users who have PPPoE connections have exactly
the same issue to deal with that Dial-up users who only want to connect
manually have. If they try to connect before "dialing" IE has to ask them
what it is that they want to do: Work Offline or do a manual dial and then
select Retry? Usually in the case of a PPPoE connection no manual
intervention is required; so those users can just select Retry and by that
time the link will be established.

My guess is that you have your default Dial-up Connections settings
set with something other than Never dial a connection
(e.g. Dial whenever a network connection is not present).
Then instead of the Work Offline/Try Again dialog you would
perhaps be getting a Dial-up connection prompt for your "popup".

Otherwise I agree with Frank that the details you have provided suggest that
your symptoms could be caused by a third-party program--call it what you will.
Did you try doing a HijackThis! scan and submitting the log for analysis?

If you really are getting Work Offline set automatically you might be able
to detect the culprit module by using RegMon, filtering with GlobalUserOffline

AFAIK IE never sets GlobalUserOffline unless it is in response
to a user's manual request (in various ways) to set Work Offline.

FWIW I have seen the opposite case: users notice that they appear to be prevented
from setting Work Offline but it is the same cause: third-party programs which
want to do things their way.


HTH

Robert Aldwinckle