"Invalid Syntax" Connecting to Microsoft Windows Update Web Site

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This article was previously published under Q217115

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SYMPTOMS

When you navigate to the Microsoft Windows Update Web site (http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com), you may receive the following error message:

Microsoft Internet Explorer
Internet Explorer cannot open the Internet site web address
Invalid syntax

When you connect to other Internet sites containing scripts, you may receive the following error message:

Internet Explorer Script Error
An error has occurred in the script on this page.

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CAUSE

This behavior can occur if Internet Explorer is set to an invalid default code page. To detect an invalid default code page:

Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.
Double-click Internet.
On the General tab, click Fonts.
If the Default charset line displays "(def charset here)," Internet Explorer's default code page is invalid.

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RESOLUTION

To resolve this issue, in Internet Properties, click Fonts, choose Western under Character Sets, click Set as Default, click OK, and then click OK.

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