Hi Jeni
You don't mention which version of Windows the problem is occurring on ,
therefore, I can only take a guess.
How to open Multiple Browser Windows
http://navigators.com/multiple_browsers.html
and...
Back button in Internet Explorer becomes unavailable
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=KB;EN-US;q229684
Cannot Navigate Back to Previous Web Page
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=KB;EN-US;q298639
Back Button - "Page has expired" error when using back button
http://inetexplorer.mvps.org/answers_10.htm#back
Back Navigation on POST Causes Re-POST in Internet Explorer 6
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=KB;EN-US;q319792
Error Message: Warning: Page Has Expired: The Page You Requested..
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=KB;EN-US;q183763
and.......
When you are using IE to view various Web sites, the Back and Forward
buttons on the toolbar may become unavailable.
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=KB;EN-US;q229684 (Jul. 20,
2001) Cannot Navigate Back to Previous Web Page
Here's a bit of information that explains what can happen to cause this.
Back - Return to the page you just left
http://www.internet4classrooms.com/netscape_buttons.htm
or
http://www.soundfeelings.com/free/back.htm
also....
Internet Browsing
http://www.santarosa.k12.fl.us/parents/TechTips.htm
Grayed out Buttons and Menu Items that Don't Work:
It is a convention in many Windows programs and in the popular browsers to
"gray out" items that currently aren't applicable. So, if you think your
BACK button isn't working, it may be because in that particular instance it
isn't applicable. For example, if you just opened your browser and this was
the first page you viewed, then there isn't a page to go back to, so the
BACK button is grayed out.
Is it only a few sites, or all of them? Is the site or page opening in a
new window? Opening in a new widow can disable the Back button. In all
dominant browsers, webmasters using the <a target="_blank"> tag to force a
link to open in a new window breaks the Back button. The new window does
not retain the browser history of the previous window, so the "Back" button
is disabled. It does sound as it this might be what is happening on these
sites.
Try using the Refresh button and see if that lets you go back.
also....
Help Getting Back
http://www.soundfeelings.com/free/back.htm
Often you can open a link in a new window.
Then instead of using the Back button to return to the first page
just close the second window. Doing that has the additional advantage
that often you won't even lose your place on the previous page.
Another aspect on the matter:
As an additional note.....you should also be aware that webmasters can, and
many do, set up their website coding to prevent use of the back button,
which will create the Page has Expired situation, and there is nothing you
can do to correct or prevent this in IE. Once you are sure you have covered
all avenues on your end to be sure it is not IE related, you can send a
message to the webmaster and ask them to check or remove that part of their
coding. It is a widely used practice by many webmasters, but,
unfortunately, there seems to be no web policy to prevent this type of
entrapment, so to speak, other than peer pressure that it is not good form.
Sometimes, it is just that they have not kept up with the changes in XP or
SP2 that may affect how those users can access or view their website. It's
just another aspect of the problem many are not aware of
Hope this helps
Jan
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