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"Page cannot be displayed" error during SSL 3.0 Server session time-outArticle ID: 305217 - View products that this article applies to. This article was previously published under Q305217 On This PageSYMPTOMS When Internet Explorer version 5.5 Service Pack 1 or later
tries to POST data, GET data or set up an HTTPS connection with the connect command, Internet Explorer generates an error message that
indicates that the page could not be displayed. This problem does not occur in
Internet Explorer 5.5. CAUSE This problem can occur when the Web server issues an SSL
3.0 closure alert as the port is being closed on the server, because of a
possible session time-out. This closure alert is sent across as a Zero Byte
Encrypted packet, however, the complete closure message occurs by using 2
different packets. The closure alert arrives with the TCP Flags ".AP..." (Ack
Push) to instruct the program that the SSL 3.0 session is closing and another
packet with the TCP Flags ".A...F" (Ack Fin) to instruct the TCP layer to close
the port on the client computer. Because the closure alert arrives and the RESET and FIN TCP flags are not set within that packet, there is no way for Wininet.dll to determine that this is not program data, and because of this, the Keep-Alive port is left open on the client until the next Socket Receive call. This causes the problem to occur because Internet Explorer has two Keep-Alive ports open to the server and the Retry count is equal to 2. When the Socket Receive occurs after the first attempt to send data, the SSL 3.0 closure alert is processed and the TCP closure is processed causing the first Keep-Alive port to be closed and the Retry count to be decremented. Because the retry count is not 0, there is another POST attempt that uses the second Keep-Alive port. However, this too does not work because it has also been closed on the server (again the SSL 3.0 Closure Alert and the TCP Closure packets for this second port as processed on the Socket Receive for the port) and the retry count is decremented again. At this point the retry count is now 0 and the error message is generated that indicates that the page could not be displayed. RESOLUTIONService pack informationA code change has been created to try to reduce the number of failures that are seen with Internet Explorer and SSL 3.0 closure alerts. To take advantage of this change, obtain the latest service pack for Microsoft Windows 2000. For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:260910
(http://support.microsoft.com/kb/260910/
)
How to obtain the latest Windows 2000 service pack
Hotfix informationA mitigation hotfix is now available from Microsoft, but it is relevant only to the problem that is described in this article. Apply it only to systems that are experiencing this specific problem. This hotfix may receive additional testing. Therefore, if you are not severely affected by this problem, we recommend that you wait for the next Internet Explorer 6 service pack that contains this hotfix.To request this hotfix immediately, contact Microsoft Product Support Services to obtain the hotfix. For a complete list of Microsoft Product Support Services telephone numbers and information about support costs, visit the following Microsoft Web site: http://support.microsoft.com/contactus/?ws=support Note In special cases, charges that are ordinarily incurred for support calls may be canceled if a Microsoft Support Professional determines that a specific update will resolve your problem. The usual support costs will apply to additional support questions and issues that do not qualify for the specific update in question.
(http://support.microsoft.com/contactus/?ws=support)
Important Install the February, 2003 Cumulative Patch for Internet Explorer before you install this fix. For more information about this update, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: 810847 If you installed this fix before you installed the
February, 2003 Cumulative Patch for Internet Explorer, you must reinstall this
fix.
(http://support.microsoft.com/kb/810847/
)
February, 2003, Cumulative Patch for Internet Explorer
Internet Explorer 5.01 on Windows 2000 Service Pack 3The English version of this fix has the file attributes (or later) that are listed in the following table. The dates and times for these files are listed in coordinated universal time (UTC). When you view the file information, it is converted to local time. To find the difference between UTC and local time, use the Time Zone tab in the Date and Time tool in Control Panel.Date Time Version Size File name -------------------------------------------------------------- 13-Jan-2003 10:03 5.0.3513.1300 461,072 Wininet.dll Internet Explorer 5.5 Service Pack 2The English version of this fix has the file attributes (or later) that are listed in the following table. The dates and times for these files are listed in coordinated universal time (UTC). When you view the file information, it is converted to local time. To find the difference between UTC and local time, use the Time Zone tab in the Date and Time tool in Control Panel.Date Time Version Size File name -------------------------------------------------------------- 13-Jan-2003 10:34 5.50.4925.1300 482,064 Wininet.dll Internet Explorer 6The English version of this fix has the file attributes (or later) that are listed in the following table. The dates and times for these files are listed in coordinated universal time (UTC). When you view the file information, it is converted to local time. To find the difference between UTC and local time, use the Time Zone tab in the Date and Time tool in Control Panel.Date Time Version Size File name -------------------------------------------------------------- 13-Jan-2003 10:05 6.0.2725.1300 583,680 Wininet.dll Internet Explorer 6 Service Pack 1The English version of this fix has the file attributes (or later) that are listed in the following table. The dates and times for these files are listed in coordinated universal time (UTC). When you view the file information, it is converted to local time. To find the difference between UTC and local time, use the Time Zone tab in the Date and Time tool in Control Panel.Date Time Version Size File name -------------------------------------------------------------- 13-Jan-2003 09:34 6.0.2800.1157 585,728 Wininet.dll WORKAROUND To work around this problem, use either of the following methods:
183110
(http://support.microsoft.com/kb/183110/
)
WinInet limits connections per server
STATUSMicrosoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed in the "Applies to" section. MORE INFORMATIONImportant This section, method, or task contains steps that tell you how to modify the registry. However, serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly. Therefore, make sure that you follow these steps carefully. For added protection, back up the registry before you modify it. Then, you can restore the registry if a problem occurs. For more information about how to back up and restore the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: 322756
(http://support.microsoft.com/kb/322756/
)
How to back up and restore the registry in WindowsAfter you install the hotfix, you may still see failures. The hotfix is only a mitigation fix. In an attempt to resolve the failures that you may see after you install the hotfix, set the following DWORD keys in the Registry Editor to an equal value, such as 4:
Microsoft is currently reviewing this behavior and looking for a more viable solution in future products. To determine if you are seeing the SSL 3.0 closure alert issue with Internet Explorer, follow these steps:
PropertiesArticle ID: 305217 - Last Review: January 31, 2007 - Revision: 13.5 APPLIES TO
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