Dealing with Error Messages

Explore the Net with Internet Explorer/MSN
A Publication of The Cobb Group

Error messages can cause you frustration, but they're not impossible to overcome. In fact, you can avoid most error messages by using a few simple techniques. In this article, we'll catalog some of the most common Internet error messages and provide practical solutions that will prevent you from getting them.

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400 - Bad request
401 - Unauthorized
403 - Forbidden or Connection refused by host
404 - Not Found or Object Not Found
502 - Service Temporarily Overloaded
503 - Service Unavailable
Bad file request and Too many users
Cannot add form submission result to bookmark list
Failed DNS lookup
File contains no data
Helper application not found and Viewer not found
Host unavailable
Host unknown and Unable to locate host
Network connection was refused by the server and Too many connections - try again later
NNTP server error
Permission denied
Unable to locate the server
You can't log on as an anonymous user

400 - Bad request

This error message indicates that the server can't figure out the URL (Uniform Resource Locator) you requested. The problem often occurs because of incorrect URL syntax. If you typed the URL, check it for incorrect uppercase or lowercase letters, colons, and slashes. Try to type the URL again. If you still get an error, try to backtrack the URL to the directory the document resides in. If the error message persists, the problem might be with the document. Your only recourse is to contact the site's administrator.

401 - Unauthorized

This error usually occurs when an Internet site is protected and the server didn't receive the correct encryption ID or password for entry. If you're registered with the site, you can try your password again if you have the opportunity. As with URLs, passwords are often case-sensitive, so type the password carefully. You can also get this error from servers that deny access from certain domain types, for example, domain names ending in edu.

403 - Forbidden or Connection refused by host

This error is similar to the 401 error. It usually occurs when a server denies access because of your domain, because of security restrictions, or because you don't have a password. This error also occurs when you haven't signed up with a site that requires registration. You can try to register with the site or try your password again. You can also attempt to contact the site's administrator for a password.

404 - Not Found or Object Not Found

This error often appears as Not Found or Object Not Found, as shown in Figure A. This error is common and occurs when the host server can't find the specific HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) document you requested. A 404 error usually stems from a document name change or a document deletion. It can also occur when you've made a syntax error in the document name. Your best bet is to assume you made a mistake when you typed the URL. Backtrack by deleting the portion of the URL that follows the last slash. Then re-access the URL and look for it in the parent directory.

502 - Service Temporarily Overloaded

This error indicates that the server is experiencing high-traffic load and can't process the request. You can often access the site by trying to reload it. If the error persists, you may want to try again later.

503 - Service Unavailable

This error occurs when your access provider, gateway, or system is down or busy. Your only alternative is to wait a minute or two and try again.

Bad file request and Too many users

These error messages indicate a problem with HTML coding at the site. The problem may be that your browser doesn't support the form you're trying to access. You can try to bypass this problem by E-mailing the Web site administrator for help.

Cannot add form submission result to bookmark list

This error message appears when you try to save the results of a form-based search engine as a bookmark. The problem is that the URL of the query results is invalid—even though it may not appear to be. You can bypass this problem by printing the search results, or you can try to save them in an HTML document on your hard disk.

Failed DNS lookup

This error indicates that the Domain Name System (DNS) can't translate the URL into a valid Internet address. This DNS error message occurs in several situations. The server that you're trying to connect to may be overloaded with traffic or temporarily down. If the server is just busy, you can sometimes get through by trying to access the site again. If the server is temporarily down or offline, there's nothing you can do except try later. Unfortunately, there's no way for you to tell whether a server is down or just busy. You might have also incorrectly typed the URL.

If you're accessing the Internet via a modem and you get a DNS error for each Web site you try to access, chances are something is wrong with your connection. Try relaunching your browser and your required communication software. If the problem persists, contact your Internet service provider (ISP).

File contains no data

When you get this error, it means that you've accessed the right Web site, but the file you requested is empty. There's a possibility that the site administrator is updating the site, in which case you can try to access the document again later. You can also try to bypass this problem by retyping the URL with :80 before the last slash.

Helper application not found and Viewer not found

These errors occur when your browser doesn't recognize a file. This usually happens when you download a file that needs a specialized viewer, for example, a RealAudio sound file or a compressed ZIP file. If you don't have the helper application, your best bet is to save the file to a disk and then try to get the application that will let your browser read the file.

Host unavailable

This error usually occurs when the host server is down. You can try to access the site again by clicking the Reload button on your browser's toolbar.

Host unknown and Unable to locate host

These errors often occur for one of three reasons: the host server is down, you've lost your Internet connection, or you incorrectly typed the URL. Try clicking the Reload button first. If this method doesn't work, check the URL. If you still get the error message, check your Internet connection.

Network connection was refused by the server and Too many connections - try again later

These errors most often indicate that the server is too busy to handle more traffic. You can try the site again by clicking the Reload button or wait until a later time.

NNTP server error

An NNTP server error appears when you try to log on to a USENET newsgroup and can't gain access. This error signals several possible problems. As is often the problem, the host server may be down, or you may have incorrectly typed the URL. It's also possible that the newsgroup you chose isn't available through your Internet service provider (ISP), in which case you can't access the newsgroup unless you contact your ISP and get it to add the newsgroup. Another possible problem is that you may have incorrectly entered your browser's newsgroup preferences.

Permission denied

This message occurs when you're trying to upload a file to an FTP site. The message indicates that the site's administrator won't allow the upload, the site is too busy, or you've used the wrong syntax in the URL. Look at the URL syntax first and type it again. If the error message reappears, you should try again later. If the problem persists, you can try to E-mail the site's Webmaster for help.

Unable to locate the server

This error message indicates that your browser can't locate the server or that you incorrectly typed the URL. Look carefully at the server name in the URL and try retyping the URL.

You can't log on as an anonymous user

This error message appears when you try to access certain FTP sites. It indicates that the site allows access only to registered members, or that the site allows access to only a limited number of non-members, in which case the site is simply busy. You can try to access the site again later, or if you're a registered member, try entering your user ID and password manually using an FTP software package.

The article entitled "Dealing with Error Messages" was originally published in Explore the Net with Internet Explorer/MSN, February 1997. Copyright © 1997, The Cobb Group, 9420 Bunson Parkway, Louisville, KY 40220. All rights reserved. For subscription information, call the Cobb Group at 1-800-223-8720.

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