This article describes how to resolve a common error in Microsoft Internet Explorer 6. The article contains steps for general users and for advanced users.

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When you start Internet Explorer 6 or you try to access a Web site, you may receive the following error message:

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The problem may occur for many reasons. These reasons include, but are not limited to, the following:

•	Connectivity issues or network-related issues.
•	Third-party software or Internet connections settings issues.
•	Internet Explorer configuration settings.
•	Damaged or missing core Windows files.

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General users should resolve this issue by running Guided Help and by running the Network Diagnostics for Windows XP tool. For more information, see the "Use Guided Help to identify and fix connection problems" and the "Use Network Diagnostics for Windows XP tool to identify and fix connection problems" sections.

Use Guided Help to identify and fix connection problems

Guided Help is available to identify and to fix connection problems. Guided Help can automatically perform the steps for you. The actions that this Guided Help performs cannot be undone after Guided Help is finished. For more information about Guided Help, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: 915092 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/915092/) Description of Guided Help for Microsoft Knowledge Base articles Requirements to install and to use this Guided Help • You must be logged on to Windows by using a computer administrator account to install and to use this Guided Help. • You must be running Windows XP Home Edition, Windows XP Professional, Windows XP Media Center Edition, or Windows XP Tablet PC Edition to install and to use this Guided Help. You must first download Guided Help. To start, click the following link. Download Guided Help (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/326155/) To download Guided Help for another computer that does not have a working Internet connection, click Another Computer when you are prompted by Guided Help. Save the Guided_Help.exe file to a removable medium, such as a USB flash drive. Insert the removable medium in the other computer, and then run the Guided_Help.exe program file.

Use Network Diagnostics for Windows XP tool to identify and fix connection problems

You can use the Network Diagnostics for Windows XP tool to test network connectivity and to determine whether your network-related programs and services are working correctly. For more information about Network Diagnostics for Windows XP, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Advanced troubleshooting steps to identify and fix connection problems

This section is intended for advanced computer users. If you are not comfortable with advanced troubleshooting, you might want to ask someone for help or contact support. For information about how to do this, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

Where to start

The following steps will help determine which section within this article to start with. You will have to first verify the network connectivity and then run the network diagnostics tool.

Note You may have to follow all the steps in this article. However, depending on the results of the Network Diagnostic test, you may be able to start your troubleshooting steps in section 2 to resolve the "Page Cannot Be Displayed" issue.

Test other known good sites

Start Internet Explorer. Type one of the following addresses in the Address bar:

•	http://www.microsoft.com
•	http://www.msn.com
•	http://www.hotmail.com

If the problem does not occur when you type one of these addresses in the Address bar, we recommend that you contact the administrator of the site with which you are having a problem. The site may be temporarily down or updates may be occurring which are limiting access. If the problem does occur when you type one of these addresses in the Address bar, there may be a conflict with another application. Continue with the following steps.

Verify connectivity

Make sure that the cables that connect the computer to the modem (this includes cable, DSL and dial-up modems) are secure and that there is correct activity from the modem.

Note You may have to contact your Internet Service Provider or (ISP) to verify connectivity.

Run the Network Diagnostics Tool

The Network Diagnostics tool runs several tests on your computer to determine and report on network connectivity. To run the tool, follow these steps:

1.	Click Start, and then click Help and Support.
2.	Click Use Tools to view your computer information and diagnose the problem.
3.	Click Network Diagnostics.
4.	Click Set Scanning Options. Click to select every check box except the Verbose check box.
5.	Click Save Options, and then click Scan your System. Note This may take several minutes to run.
6.	Expand IP address. Make a note of the IP address that is listed. • If the IP address which starts with 169.x.x.x, Windows has assigned you an automatic IP because it did not receive one from your Internet service provider. This prevents you from accessing the Internet. • If there are any failures, or if you receive an Automatic Private IP address (APIPA) 169.x.x.x address, start with Section 1 because there may be a hardware configuration issue or a hardware issue. • If you do not receive an error, and you receive an IP address that starts with any other number, you may be experiencing a software conflict or a configuration issue. Start with Section 2.

Section 1: Connectivity issues or network-related issues

Part 1: Power cycle the modem or router

It is sometimes possible that your IP settings or configurations that you receive from your Internet service provider are misconfigured or have to be updated. Power cycling the modem or router updates these settings.

1.	Disconnect the cable that goes from the computer to the modem.
2.	Turn off the modem. If the modem does not have a power switch, disconnect the power.
3.	Wait several minutes. Then, turn on the modem, connect the cable from the computer to the modem, and restart the computer.
4.	Test your connection again and see whether you can browse the Internet.

Part 2: Verify firewall or router settings

If you connect to the Internet by using a router, it is possible that the configuration settings in the device have changed or have to be updated. To determine whether the router may be in conflict, you can connect your computer directly to the modem or Internet connection to bypass the router.

Note This will leave your computer vulnerable to attacks. Make sure that the Windows Firewall is enabled. To enable the Windows Firewall in Windows XP with Service Pack 2, follow these steps:

1.	Click Start, and then click Control Panel.
2.	Click Security Center.
3.	Click Windows Firewall.
4.	On the General tab, select the option to enable the firewall.

To enable the Internet Connection Firewall in Windows XP without SP2, follow these steps:

1.	Click Start, and then click Control Panel.
2.	If you are in Category View, click Network and Internet Connections.
3.	Click Internet Connections, right-click Internet Connection, and then click Properties.
4.	On the Advanced tab, click to select the To protect my computer and network by limiting or preventing access to this computer from the Internet. checkbox, and then click OK.

A padlock icon should now appear for the connection you selected. This means that the firewall has been enabled for this connection. If you have multiple connections and are not sure as to which should be selected, enable the firewall on all connections or contact your Internet service provider for more help in determining which is the appropriate connection.

For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

After your computer is connected directly, test Internet Explorer. If you can visit Web sites, contact the router's manufacturer for help in configuring the device. If you are still unable to visit Web sites, go to Part 3.

Part 3: Verify that the network adapter is enabled and working correctly

Make sure your network adapter is compatible with Windows XP. Use device manager to verify that your network adapter is installed correctly and is working correctly. Update the driver if you must.

For more information about how to determine whether your network adapter is compatible with Windows XP, click the following article numbers to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

If you find that the network adapter is not functioning or is incompatible with Windows XP, you may have to contact an independent hardware vendor to purchase a compatible card. If your card's driver is not installed correctly, you may have to contact the hardware manufacturer for the latest driver update.

To determine if your network adapter is not installed or detected correctly, verify the device in Device Manager. If there is a exclamation mark icon or a question mark icon appears next to the device, double-click the device, and then verify the error that appears. To access Device Manager, follow these steps:

1.	Click Start, click Run, type devmgmt.msc, and then click OK.
2.	Right-click My Computer, click Manage, and then click Device Manager.
3.	Right-click My Computer, click Properties, click the Hardware tab, and then click Device Manager.
4.	Type the following at a command prompt: start devmgmt.msc

To access Device Manager on a local or remote computer, follow these steps:

1.	Click Start, click Run, type mmc, and then click OK..
2.	Click File, click Add/Remove Snap In, click Add, and then click Device Manager.

A Device Manager shortcut is created.

The following list describes three common error codes and provides possible resolutions:

•	Code 10 This device cannot start. (Code 10) If the device has a FailReasonString value in its hardware key, that string appears as the error message. The driver or enumerator puts this registry string value there. If there is no FailReasonString in the hardware key, you receive the following error message: To resolve this problem, click Update Driver to update the drivers for this device. Click the General Properties tab of the device, and then click Troubleshoot to start the Troubleshooting Wizard.
•	Code 28 The drivers for this device are not installed. (Code 28) To resolve this problem, install the drivers for this device, click Update Driver. This starts the Hardware Update Wizard.
•	Code 1 This device is not configured correctly. (Code 1) To resolve this problem, update the driver by clicking Update Driver, which starts the Hardware Update Wizard. If updating the driver does not work, see your hardware documentation for more information.

For more information about Device Manager error codes or if you receive an error code that was not mentioned earlier, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: If no exclamation mark icons appear and the latest drivers are installed, go to Part 4.

Part 4: Repair the connection

The connection settings may have to be renewed or may be misconfigured. Repairing the connection will reset some configuration settings.

1.	Click Start, click Run, type ncpa.cpl, and then click OK.
2.	Right-click the appropriate network connection, and then click Repair.
3.	Test your connection.

For more information about repairing a connection, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: If you are still unable to visit Web sites, go to Part 5.

Part 5: Repair Winsock

These issues may occur if the Winsock registry keys are damaged or corrupted.

Warning Programs that access or monitor the Internet, such as antivirus programs, firewall programs, and proxy clients, may be negatively affected when you run the netsh winsock reset command. If you have a program that no longer functions correctly after you follow these steps, reinstall the program. On computers that are running Windows XP with Service Pack 2, follow these steps:

1.	Click Start, click Run, type netsh winsock reset, and then click OK.
2.	When the Command Prompt flashes, restart the computer.

On computers that are running Windows XP without Service Pack 2, follow these steps.

Note Editing the registry can cause serious problems with the operating system and could lead to an unstable environment. Make a backup of the registry key that you are editing before you make any changes.

Note We recommend that you back up the keys before you continue. To back up the key, right-click it and select export. This will prompt you for a name and save it. By default, it is saved in the My Documents folder. You can delete this file after you confirm that the system is working correctly.

Step 1: Delete registry keys

1.	Click Start, click Run, type regedit, and then click OK.
2.	In Registry Editor, locate the following keys: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Winsock HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Winsock2
3.	Right-click each key, and then click Delete
4.	When you are prompted to confirm the deletion, click Yes.
5.	Restart the computer.

For more information about Winsock, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Step 2: Install TCP/IP

1.	Right-click the network connection, and then click Properties.
2.	Click Install.
3.	Click Protocol, and then click Add.
4.	Click Have Disk.
5.	Type C:\Windows\inf, and then click OK.
6.	On the list of available protocols, click Internet Protocol (TCP/IP), and then click OK.
7.	Restart the computer.

If you are still unable to visit Web sites, go to Part 6.

Part 6: Reset TCP/IP

TCP/IP may have become damaged or some configurations may have been changed. Resetting TCP/IP should reconfigure these settings appropriately. To reset TCP/IP, follow these steps:

1.	Click Start, click Run, type cmd, and then click OK.
2.	At the command prompt, type the following information, and then press Enter: netsh int ip reset filename.txt

For more information about resetting Winsock and TCP/IP, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Part 7: Verify the Hosts files

Hosts files have been used to redirect Web site names to IP addresses. Some malicious software, such as malware and spyware, can add entries in this file that can prevent you from browsing.

Note In some cases, legitimate entries are added by system administrators. Alternatively, you may have added entries yourself. If you rename a Hosts file, the redirections in it will no longer work. For more information, contact your system or network administrator.

To determine whether the problem is caused by entries in Hosts files, look for Hosts files on the local computer, and then rename all the Hosts files that you find. To do this, follow these steps:

1.	Click Start, point to Search, and then click For Files and Folders.
2.	In the All or part of the file name box, type hosts.
3.	In the Look in list, click the hard disk, and then click Search.
4.	Click all the Hosts files that are found. If more than one Hosts file is found, select them all.
5.	Press F2.
6.	Type a new name. For example, type oldhosts, and then press ENTER.

Make a note of the new file name. You may have to change the name back if this does not resolve the issue.

For more information about renaming multiple files in Windows XP, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

If you are still unable to browse the Internet, go to Section 2.

Section 2: Third-party software or Internet connections settings issues

The following should help identify and resolve any software related issues which may be causing the error.

Part 1: Test in Safe mode with Networking

One thing to note is that any PPPOE connections that require a user name and password will not work from Safe Mode. Most DSL connections and dial-up connections are PPPOE. Therefore, they will not work unless they are persistent connections to the Internet, such as a cable connection. To start the computer in Safe mode, following these steps:

1.	Restart the computer. Press the F8 key repeatedly when the screen goes blank.
2.	Click Safe Mode with Networking, and press ENTER.
3.	If you are presented with an option to select a version of Windows, select the appropriate version, and then press ENTER.
4.	After the computer has started in Safe mode, test your connection.

If you can connect when the computer is in Safe mode, there is usually a third-party tool or program conflict. A clean boot may help you resolve the conflict. Restart the computer in Normal mode and go to Part 2.

If you cannot browse the Internet when the computer in Safe mode, there may be a problem with the network adapter. Go to Section 1. If you have already tried the procedures in Section 1, and the network adapter is working correctly, continue with the following sections.

For more information about Safe Mode options, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Part 2: Clean boot Windows XP

If you are running a third-party firewall program, a configuration setting may have changed or may have to be updated. Alternatively, another third-party program may be misconfigured and may be conflicting with Internet Explorer. Follow these steps to identify a conflicting program.

1.	Click Start, click Run, type msconfig, and then click OK.
2.	Click the General tab, click Selective Startup, click to clear all the check boxes except the Load System Services check box.
3.	Click the Services tab, and then click Hide all Microsoft Services.
4.	Click Disable all. Note By disabling third-party services, antivirus and firewall software may be disabled. To keep the computer as secure as possible in this state, we recommend that you enable the Internet Connection Firewall or Windows Firewall before you try to connect again. See Part 2 of Section 1 for more information about how to do this.
5.	Click OK, and select the option to restart.
6.	After the computer has restarted, test the Internet connection.

If the connection works, there is a conflict with an program or tool that is loads when the computer starts. To identify the program or tool that is causing the conflict, use the Msconfig tool.

Note Be aware that if you disable all the Microsoft services and restart the computer, the System Restore tool will be disabled. You will lose all your restore points. Therefore, we do not recommend that you disable all the Microsoft services when you troubleshoot by using Msconfig.

Check to see if a third-party service may be causing the conflict

1.	Click Start, click Run, type msconfig, and then click OK.
2.	Click the Services tab, enable all the services, and then click OK.
3.	Restart the computer and test the connection again.

1.	Click Start, click Run, type msconfig, and then click OK.
2.	Click the Services tab.
3.	Enable half the services on the list, and then click OK.
4.	Restart the computer and test the connection.
5.	Continue this process until you identify the service that is conflicting with Internet Explorer. We recommend that you remove or disable the service. Note You may have to contact the developer of the program for information about how to do this.

Check to see if a third-party program may be causing the conflict

1.	Click Start, click Run, type msconfig, and then click OK.
2.	Click the Startup tab. Because of the number of entries that may be listed, we recommend that you find the conflicting program by using a process of elimination.
3.	Click to select half of the items that are listed, and then click OK.
4.	Restart the computer, and then test the connection.
5.	Continue this process until you have identified the conflicting program.
6.	We recommend that you remove the program if you are not using it or configure the program so that it does not start when the computer starts. Note You may have to contact the developer of the program for information about how to do this.

If a clean boot process does not identify or resolve the issue, change the settings in the tool so that the computer starts in Normal mode.

Note We recommend that you enable Windows Firewall or Internet Connection Firewall before disabling any third-party services as this will disable any antivirus and Firewall software leaving the computer in a vulnerable state.

Part 3: Test by using a new user account

If you still cannot browse the Internet, there may be some corruption with the user account you are currently using. If you have multiple user accounts on your computer, test this by logging in as a different user. If this resolves the problem, we recommend that you create a new user account and transfer your settings and files to that new account. For more information about how to do this, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: If this does not resolve the problem, go to the next step. If you created a new user account and want to remove it, see Microsoft Knowledge Base article 279783.

If this resolves the problem, transfer your settings from the old account to the new account by copying the files from the old user's My Documents folder or by using the File and Settings Transfer Wizard.

Warning If you copy your files from the My Documents folder, you will not necessarily transfer all the files that you have created or that you use. You may have saved files to a different location. Also, note that your settings, such as your favorites, will not be transferred when you use this method. We recommend that you verify that all your files and settings have been transferred before you delete the old account.

For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Part 4: Run antivirus software and antispyware software

If you have antivirus software or antispyware software installed, update it and run the software. To download third-party antivirus trial software, visit the following Web site: For more information about virus software and other malicious software, visit the following Web site: After you have determined that your system does not have malicious software installed, test to see if the problem is resolved. If it is not resolved, go to Section 3.

Section 3: Internet Explorer configuration settings

Part 1: Optimize Internet Explorer

By optimizing Internet Explorer, you can clear old files and settings that may be causing conflicts and may be preventing you from connecting to the Internet. To optimize Internet Explorer, follow these steps:

1.	In Internet Explorer, click Tools, and then click Internet Options.
2.	Click the General tab.
3.	Under Temporary Internet files, click Delete Files.
4.	Click to select the Delete all offline content check box, and then click OK.
5.	Click Delete Cookies. When you are prompted to confirm this selection, click OK.
6.	Click Settings.
7.	Click View Objects.
8.	Click View, and then click Details.
9.	If Damaged appears in the Status column for any program file, remove that program file.
10.	Close the Downloaded Program Files dialog box.
11.	In the Settings dialog box, click OK .
12.	Under History, click Clear History, and then click Yes when you are prompted to confirm the selection.
13.	In the Internet Options dialog box, click OK.
14.	Try to browse the Internet.

Part 2: Reset default settings in Internet Explorer

Setting security settings too high may prevent Internet Explorer from displaying a Web site. Therefore, we recommend that you set these settings to a default level and test whether these settings are causing a conflict. To do this, follow these steps:

1.	In Internet Explorer, click Tools, and then click Internet Options.
2.	Click the Security tab.
3.	Click Internet, and then click Default Level .
4.	Click Intranet, and then click Default Level.
5.	Click the Advanced tab, and then click Restore Defaults.
6.	Close Internet Explorer, reopen Internet Explorer, and then try to browse the Internet.

If this does not resolve the problem, you can return restore Internet Explorer to its previous security level.

Part 3: Disable third-party browser extensions

Browser extensions are used by some Web sites to provide additional content, such as Flash movies. It is possible that one of these extensions is damaged or is conflicting with Internet Explorer. To disable all third-party browser extensions, follow these steps:

1.	Click Start, right-click Internet Explorer, and then click Internet Properties.
2.	Click the Advanced tab.
3.	Click to clear the Enable third-party browser extensions (requires restart) check box.
4.	Click Apply, and then click OK.
5.	Start Internet Explorer, and then try to browse the Internet.

For more information about how to manage add-ons in Internet Explorer 6 Service Pack 2, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Part 4: Register Internet Explorer DLLs

Some core Internet Explorer files may have been unregistered. This means that a required file may no longer have its location identified in the registry. Reregistering Internet Explorer DLLs replaces any missing links in the registry for these files.

Note For the file to be correctly registered, make sure that you press ENTER or click OK after each entry.

1.	Click Start, click Run, and then type each of the following commands. Press ENTER after you type each command. regsvr32 urlmon.dll regsvr32 shdocvw.dll regsvr32 msjava.dll regsvr32 browseui.dll regsvr32 mshtml.dll regsvr32 jscript.dll regsvr32 vbscript.dll
2.	Test to see if the problem is resolved. If it is not resolved, go to step 3.
3.	Click Start, click Run, and then type each of the following commands. Press ENTER after you type each command. regsvr32 urlmon.dll regsvr32 /n /i wininet.dll regsvr32 wintrust.dll regsvr32 initpki.dll regsvr32 dssenh.dll regsvr32 rsaenh.dll regsvr32 gpkcsp.dll regsvr32 sccbase.dll regsvr32 slbcsp.dll regsvr32 cryptdlg.dll regsvr32 softpub.dll

Registering these DLL files should resolve the problem if it is being caused by unregistered DLL files. However, the following DLL files may also cause the problem if they are unregistered.

actxprxy.dll	mobsync.dll
asctrls.ocx	msapsspc.dll
cdfview.dll	mshta.exe
comcat.dll	mshtmled.dll
comctl32.dll	msident.dll
corpol.dll	msieftp.dll
cryptdlg.dl	msnsspc.dll
digest.dll	msr2c.dll
dispex.dll	msrating.dll
dxtmsft.dll	msxml.dll
dxtrans.dll	occache.dll
hlink.dll	oleaut32.dll
iepeers.dll	plugin.ocx
iesetup.dll	pngfilt.dll
imgutil.dll	proctexe.ocx
inetcpl.cpl	scrobj.dll
initpki.dll	sendmail.dll
inseng.dll	setupwbv.dll
licmgr10.dll	tdc.ocx
mlang.dll	webcheck.dll

After you have registered all of these DLL files, try again to browse the Internet. If the problem is not resolved, and you have not tried the procedures in Section 2 or Section 3, try those first. If you have followed the procedures in those sections, go to Section 4.

Section 4: Damaged or missing core Windows files

Part 1: Run System File Checker

This problem may occur if some core system files have been removed or replaced. To resolve this problem run System File Checker (SFC) scan to identify missing system files. Then, replace these files. To run SFC, follow these steps:

1.	Click Start, click Run, type cmd, and then click OK.
2.	Type sfc /scannow, and then press ENTER.

For more information about System File Checker and Windows File Protection, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Part 2: System Restore

If no other step that was mentioned earlier has resolved the issue and the problem has only started recently, a System Restore may be performed to restore the operating system to a previous working state.

Note This step will not necessarily help identify the problem, but it will set the computer to a previous, working state.

Note When you restore the system to a previous state, any programs or updates that have been installed since that date are be removed.

To restore the system to a previous working state, see the following article: For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

This article also provides steps that you can use to undo the restore if the restore point that you select does not resolve the problem. If the System Restore does not resolve the issue, you can select an earlier date as the restore point.

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Additionally, you should try the following related articles. For more information, click the following article numbers to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:




If you still experience the problem, contact Microsoft Support.

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