System TipThis article applies to a different operating system than the one you are using. Article content that may not be relevant to you is disabled.
If you're a beginning-to-intermediate computer user, you can use the methods in this section to troubleshoot the error. If these methods do not resolve the problem, you can try the methods in the "Advanced troubleshooting" section.
Now verify the extent of the problem. Can you view any webpage? Can you view only a few webpages?. To test this, follow these steps:
Start Internet Explorer.
Click each link in the following list to see whether the error occurs. Or, enter each address, one at a time, in the Address bar in Internet Explorer, and press ENTER after each.
If you do not receive an error message when you try to view these websites, the problem is probably limited to the one affected website. In that case, contact the owner of the website that is generating the error message. The site may be temporarily offline, or it may be experiencing other issues. You can also click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
(http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2483955/
)
Troubleshoot problems accessing webmail using Internet Explorer
If you receive the same error message trying to view the websites listed above, go to the next method.
Method 2: Run the Network Diagnostics tool in Internet Explorer
The Network Diagnostics tool can detect and try to resolve networking issues. To run the Network Diagnostics tool, follow these steps:
Note You can't use this method in Windows 7. The Network Diagnostics tool has been replaced by the Internet Troubleshooters. If you are running Windows 7, follow Method 8 to run the troubleshooters.
Start Internet Explorer, and then try to access the webpage that displays the error message.
On the page that displays the error message, click the Diagnose Connection Problems link.
When the Network Diagnostics tool finishes, it will report one of the following results:
No problem was found.
A problem was detected. Additionally, the tool will provide guidance about the next steps to take to troubleshoot the problem.
Note Internet Explorer 6 users click Detect Network Settings.
Click IP Address, and then note the IP Address. You may have to know this for future troubleshooting.
Follow the steps in the Network Diagnostics tool to fix any connection problems.
Start Internet Explorer.
If you receive the same error message in Internet Explorer after you run the Network Diagnostic tool, go to the next method.
If resetting the modem or the router did not resolve the problem, try to delete your browsing history. Follow the steps for your version of Internet Explorer to delete your temporary Internet files, history, and form data.
Internet Explorer 8 or Internet Explorer 9
Start Internet Explorer.
Press Alt to show the menu bar.
On the Tools menu, click Internet options.
Under Browsing history, click Delete.
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Click to select all the check boxes, and then click Delete.
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At the bottom of the window, click Delete.
When the deletion is finished, exit Internet Explorer.
Start Internet Explorer, and then try to access the webpage.
Internet Explorer 7
Start Internet Explorer.
On the Tools menu, click Delete Browsing History.
Click to select the check box next to the following items:
Temporary Internet files
History
Form data
Cookies
Click Delete.
When the deletion is finished, exit Internet Explorer.
Start Internet Explorer, and then try to access the webpage.
Internet Explorer 6
Start Internet Explorer.
On the Tools menu, click Internet Options.
In the Temporary Internet Files section, click Delete files, and then click to select the Delete all offline content text box.
Click OK.
In the History section, click Clear history, and then click Yes.
When the deletion is finished, exit Internet Explorer.
Start Internet Explorer, and then try to access the webpage.
If you receive the same error message after you delete the browsing history, go to the next method.
Method 5: Use Internet Explorer in No Add-ons mode
Web browser add-ons add features (such as extra toolbars, animated mouse pointers, stock tickers, and pop-up ad blockers) to your web browser. Using No Add-ons mode starts Internet Explorer without loading any installed add-ons. When you restart Internet Explorer, you restore all your installed add-ons. To do this, follow these steps:
Click Start, and then type Internet Explorer in the Start Search box.
Click Internet Explorer (No Add-Ons). Internet Explorer opens without add-ons, toolbars, or plug-ins.
If disabling all add-ons resolves the problem, you might want to use Add-on Manager to disable all add-ons, and then turn on add-ons only as you want them. This lets you see which add-on is causing the problem. To do this, follow these steps:
Click Start, and then click Internet Explorer.
Click Tools, and then click Manage Add-ons.
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Click an add-on in the Name list, click Disable, and then click OK.
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Repeat step 3 until you identify the add-on that is causing the problem. When you want to enable an add-on, click an add-on in the Name list, and then click Enable.
Method 6: Reset Internet Explorer configuration settings
Caution When you use the Reset All Settings feature in Internet Explorer, you turn off all the browser add-ons. Therefore, you must turn on (re-enable) the add-ons that you want to use after you complete these steps. Typically, an add-on is not re-enabled when you reinstall it. You must manually re-enable the add-on.
To reset Internet Explorer settings to the default setting, follow these steps:
Start Internet Explorer, click Tools, and then click Internet Options.
Click the Advanced tab, and then click Reset.
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In the Internet Explorer Default Settings dialog box, click Reset.
In the Reset Internet Explorer Settings dialog box, click Reset. In Internet Explorer 6, click Restore Defaults , and then click OK.
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After the settings are reset, click Close, and then click OK two times.
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Close Internet Explorer, and then reopen it. The changes take effect the next time that you open Internet Explorer.
Video: How to reset settings in Internet Explorer 9
If the methods in the "General troubleshooting" section did not resolve your problem, you can try to use the methods in the "Advanced troubleshooting" section. If you are not comfortable with advanced troubleshooting, ask your system administrator for help or contact Microsoft support at:
Important These steps may increase your security risk. These steps may also make the computer or the network more vulnerable to attack by malicious users or by malicious software such as viruses. We recommend the process that this article describes to enable programs to operate as they are designed to or to implement specific program capabilities. Before you make these changes, we recommend that you evaluate the risks that are associated with implementing this process in your particular environment. If you decide to implement this process, take any appropriate additional steps to help protect the system. We recommend that you use this process only if you really require this process.
To do this, follow these steps:
Temporarily disable the Internet security suite or firewall. For instructions about how to do this, see the product documentation or contact the product manufacturer. See the "More information" section for contact information.
Start Internet Explorer, and check whether you receive the same error message.
Immediately re-enable the Internet security suite or firewall.
Caution If your Internet security suite or firewall is left disabled, this may make the computer or the network more vulnerable to attack by malicious users or by software, such as viruses.
If this method resolves the problem that you are experiencing, contact the product manufacturer for help to resolve the problem. See the "More information" section for contact information.
Start Internet Explorer to check whether you continue to receive the error message. If you still receive the message, go to the next method.
Method 2: Check whether Windows assigned you an automatic IP address
Check the IP address that you noted in step 3 of Method 2 in the "General troubleshooting" section.
Select from the following scenarios:
If the IP address starts with 169.x.x.x: Windows has assigned you an automatic IP address (Automatic Private IP address) because your Internet server provider (ISP) did not provide an IP address. This configuration prevents you from accessing the Internet. In this case, there may be a hardware configuration issue. Contact your ISP for help. See the "More information" section for contact information.
If the IP address does not start with 169.x.x.x: You may be experiencing a software conflict or a configuration issue. Go to Method 3.
Note If you can't determine the IP address from the previous steps, follow the appropriate next steps for your operating system.
Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows Server 2008
Click Start, and then type cmd in the Start Search box.
Right-click Cmd.exe, and then select Run as administrator.
At the command prompt, type ipconfig, and then press ENTER.
Look in the resulting information for the IPv4 address, and note the IP address that's listed.
Close the Command Prompt window.
Windows XP and Windows Server 2003
Click Start, click Run, type cmd, and then click OK.
At the command prompt, type ipconfig, and then press ENTER.
Look in the resulting information for the IPv4 Address, and note the IP address that's listed.
Close the Command Prompt window.
Method 3: Test Internet Explorer by using a safe mode startup option with networking
Note
If you can't connect to the Internet in safe mode, skip Method 3, and go to Method 4. You can't connect to the Internet in safe mode if the following conditions are true:
You have a Point-to-Point Protocol over Ethernet (PPPoE) connection that requires a user name and a password. This is true for most DSL and dial-up connections.
You don't have a persistent connection to the Internet, such as a cable connection.
To test Internet Explorer in safe mode, follow these steps, as appropriate for your situation.
Windows 7 and Windows Vista users
Click Start, and then type msconfig in the Start Search box.
In the Programs section, click Msconfig.exe.
In the System Configuration dialog box, click the Boot tab.
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Click to select the Safe boot check box, click Network, and then click OK.
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In the System Configuration dialog box, click Restart.
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After the computer restarts in safe mode, start Internet Explorer to check whether you receive the same error message.
Note The result you get in step 6 determines which method that you perform after you restart the computer in normal mode. For more information, see the "For all users" section at the end of this method.
Restart the computer in normal mode. To do this, follow these steps:
Click Start, and then type msconfig in the Start Search box.
In the Programs section, click Msconfig.exe.
In the System Configuration dialog box, click the Boot tab.
Click to clear the Safe boot check box, and then click OK.
In the System Configuration dialog box, click Restart.
Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 users
Restart the computer. After the screen goes blank, press the F8 key repeatedly.
Use the arrow keys to select Safe Mode with Networking, and then press ENTER.
If you are prompted to select a version of Windows, select the version that you use, and then press ENTER.
After the computer restarts in safe mode, start Internet Explorer, and see whether you receive the same error message.
Note The result you get in this step determines which method that you perform after you restart the computer in normal mode. For more information, see the "For all users" section at the end of this method.
Restart the computer in normal mode.
For all users
Able to connect successfully
If you were able to connect to the Internet successfully when the computer was in safe mode, the problem may be caused by a third-party service or program that conflicts with Internet Explorer. In this case, go to Method 4.
Unable to connect successfully
If you were unable to connect to the Internet successfully when the computer was in safe mode, there may be a problem that affects the network adapter. In this case, skip Method 4 and Method 5, and go to Method 6.
Method 4: Determine whether a third-party service conflicts with Internet Explorer
To determine whether a third-party service conflicts with Internet Explorer, follow these steps:
Click Start, click Run, type msconfig, and then click OK.
Click the Services tab, disable all non-Microsoft services, and then click OK.
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Restart the computer, and test Internet Explorer.
Depending on the result that you receive, go to the "The connection works" section or go to the "The connection still does not work" section.
The connection works
If the connection works, the problem may be that a third-party service conflicts with Internet Explorer. To determine which service is causing the conflict, follow these steps:
Click Start, click Run, type msconfig, and then click OK.
In the System Configuration dialog box, click the Services tab.
Click to clear approximately half the listed items, and then click OK.
Restart the computer.
Test Internet Explorer.
Repeat steps 1 through 5 as many times as required until you identify the service that conflicts with Internet Explorer. To do this, follow these guidelines in step 3:
If the problem still occurred in step 5, click to clear half the remaining list of selected services.
If the problem didn't occur in step 5, click to reselect the services that you previously cleared, and then click to clear the services that you previously left selected.
After you determine the conflicting service, restore all the services in System Configuration. To do this, click to select all the check boxes on the Services tab, and then restart the computer.
If you are not using the conflicting service, we recommend that you remove it, or configure it not to start when the computer starts.
Note You may have to contact the developer of the service for information about how to remove it or to configure it not to start. See the "More information" section for contact information.
The connection still does not work
If the connection still does not work, re-enable all services, and then go to Method 5. To re-enable all services, follow these steps:
Click Start, click Run, type msconfig, and then click OK.
Click the Services tab, enable all the services, and then click OK.
Method 5: Check whether a third-party program is conflicting with Internet Explorer
To check whether a third-party program conflicts with Internet Explorer, follow these steps:
Click Start, click Run, type msconfig, and then click OK.
Click the Startup tab, disable all the programs, and then click OK.
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Restart the computer, and then test Internet Explorer.
Depending on the result that you receive in step 3, go to the "The connection works" section or to the "The connection still does not work" section.
The connection works
If the connection works, a third-party program may be conflicting with Internet Explorer. To identify the conflicting program, follow these steps:
Click Start, click Run, type msconfig, and then click OK.
Click the Startup tab.
Click to select half of the listed items, and then click OK.
Restart the computer.
Test Internet Explorer.
Repeat steps 1 through 5 until you identify the program that is conflicting with Internet Explorer.
If you are not using the conflicting program, we recommend that you remove it, or configure it not to start when the computer starts.
Note You may have to contact the developer of the program for information about how to do this. See the "More information" section for contact information.
The connection still does not work
If the connection still does not work, re-enable all programs, and then go to Method 6. To re-enable all programs, follow these steps:
Click Start, click Run, type msconfig, and then click OK.
Click the Startup tab, enable all the programs, and then click OK.
Method 6: Use Device Manager to verify that the network adapter is working correctly
Click Start, click Run, type devmgmt.msc, and then click OK.
Double-click Network Adapters.
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Look for an exclamation mark or question mark to be displayed next to the network adapter icon. If you don't see any such mark, and if you have the latest drivers installed, the problem does not involve this device. In this case, skip the remaining steps in this method, and go to Method 7.
If an exclamation mark or a question mark icon appears next to the network adapter icon, double-click the device name, and then note the error message that is displayed. The following list of common error messages provides possible resolutions to these specific errors.
Code 10
This device cannot start. (Code 10)
Click Update Driver to start the Hardware Update Wizard 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)
Install the drivers for this device.
Click Update Driver to start the Hardware Update Wizard for this device.
Code 1
This device is not configured correctly. (Code 1)
Click Update Driver to start the Hardware Update Wizard for this device.
If you can't resolve the problem by updating the driver, see your hardware documentation for more information.
If the network adapter does not work correctly, or if the network adapter is incompatible with Windows, contact an independent hardware vendor to obtain updated drivers or a compatible network adapter. See the "More information" section for contact information.
Start Internet Explorer to check whether you continue to receive the error message. If you still receive the message, go to the next method.
If you can't resolve the problem, and the problem started recently, you can perform a System Restore. Although this method may not help you identify the cause of the problem, it will restore the operating system to its previous working state.
Note When you restore the system to a previous state, any programs or updates that have been installed since that date will be removed.
For more information about how to restore the system to a previous working state, click the following article numbers to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
306084
(http://support.microsoft.com/kb/306084/
)
How to restore Windows XP to a previous state
936212
(http://support.microsoft.com/kb/936212/
)
How to repair the operating system and how to restore the operating system configuration to an earlier point in time in Windows Vista
Note Follow the same steps for Windows 7.
If a System Restore does not resolve the problem, you can try to select an earlier date as the restore point. Or, you can follow the steps in the linked articles to undo the restoration.
Start Internet Explorer to check whether you continue to receive the error message. If you still receive the message, go to the next method.
For information about how to contact the vendor, click the appropriate article number in the following list to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
65416
(http://support.microsoft.com/kb/65416/
)
Hardware and software vendor contact information, A-K
60781
(http://support.microsoft.com/kb/60781/
)
Hardware and software vendor contact information, L-P
60782
(http://support.microsoft.com/kb/60782/
)
Hardware and software vendor contact information, Q-Z
Microsoft provides third-party contact information to help you find technical support. This contact information may change without notice. Microsoft does not guarantee the accuracy of this third-party contact information.
For more information about how to troubleshoot connectivity problems in Internet Explorer 7, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
936211
(http://support.microsoft.com/kb/936211/
)
How to troubleshoot network connectivity problems in Internet Explorer
For more information about how to use Reset Internet Explorer settings, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
923737
(http://support.microsoft.com/kb/923737/
)
How to use Reset Internet Explorer Settings (RIES)
936213
(http://support.microsoft.com/kb/936213/
)
How to optimize Internet Explorer
For more information about how to troubleshoot problems that affect Internet Explorer 8, visit the following Microsoft Help and Support website:
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