Article ID: 952031 - Last Review: May 6, 2008 - Revision: 1.0

You cannot access the Internet through a proxy server when you use a 32-bit version of Internet Explorer on a computer that is running a 64-bit version of Windows

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SYMPTOMS

Consider the following scenario. You are running a 32-bit version of Microsoft Internet Explorer on a computer that is running a 64-bit version of a Microsoft Windows operating system. You enable the Make proxy settings per-machine (rather than per-user) Group Policy settings. In this scenario, you cannot access the Internet through a proxy server.

CAUSE

This issue occurs because policy settings are not written to the following registry subkey:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings
This subkey is read by the 32-bit version of Internet Explorer. Therefore, Internet Explorer and other 32-bit browsers are not configured to use the correct policy settings.

32-bit programs that run on a 64-bit version of Windows operate in WOW64 mode. These programs access registry keys and values that are stored in the following registry subkey:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\WOW6432node

WORKAROUND

Important 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 Windows

To work around this issue, follow these steps:
  1. Create a script that reads the contents from the following registry subkey:
    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings
  2. In the same script, add code that writes the contents of the registry subkey in step 1 to the following registry subkey:
    HKLM\Software\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings
  3. Run the script.
  4. Make sure that you grant all users (everyone) the Set Value permission for the following registry subkey:
    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\Connections

APPLIES TO
  • Windows Server 2008 for Itanium-Based Systems
  • Windows Vista Ultimate 64-bit Edition
  • Windows Vista Home Premium 64-bit Edition
  • Windows Vista Enterprise 64-bit Edition
  • Windows Vista Home Basic 64-bit Edition
  • Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Enterprise x64 Edition
  • Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Standard x64 Edition
  • Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Datacenter x64 Edition
  • Microsoft Windows XP Professional 64-Bit Edition (Itanium)
Keywords: 
kbexpertiseinter kbtshoot KB952031
 

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