You receive an error message in Internet Explorer: "Internet Explorer cannot display the webpage"

General troubleshooting

This section is intended for a beginning to intermediate computer user. If these methods do not resolve your problem, you can try the methods in the "Advanced troubleshooting" section.

Note If you are using Internet Explorer 8 in Windows 7, follow Method 9 before you try the remaining methods.

Method 1: See whether you can view another Web page

To do this, follow these steps:

1. Start Internet Explorer.
2. In the Address bar at the top of the browser window, enter one of the following addresses:
   • http://www.microsoft.com (http://www.microsoft.com)
   • http://www.msn.com (http://www.msn.com)
   • http://support.microsoft.com (http://support.microsoft.com/)

If you do not receive a similar error message after you enter one of these addresses in the Address bar, contact the owner of the Web site where you see the problem. The site may be temporarily offline or experiencing other issues.

If you receive the same error message, go to the next method.

Method 2: Run the Network Diagnostics tool in Internet Explorer

To do this, follow these steps:

1. Start Internet Explorer, and then try to access the Web page that is displaying the error message.
2. On the page that displays an Internet Explorer error message, click the Diagnose Connection Problems link. The Network Diagnostics tool will run. When the tool has finished running, it will report one of the following results:
   • It was unable to find a problem.
   • It has detected a problem. 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
3. Click IP Address, and note the IP Address. You may need it for future troubleshooting.
4. Follow the steps in the Network Diagnostics tool to fix any connection problems.
5. Start Internet Explorer.

If you receive the same error message, go to the next method.

Note You cannot use this method in Windows 7. The Network Diagnostics tool has been improved upon and replaced with the Internet Troubleshooters. Follow Method 8 to run the troubleshooters.

Method 3: Reset the modem or the router

To do this, follow these steps:

1. Disconnect the cable that connects the computer to the modem.
2. Turn off the modem and the router.
   
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   Note	If the modem or the router does not have a power switch, disconnect the power to the modem or to the router.

3. Restart the computer.
4. After your computer has restarted, turn on the modem or the router, connect the cable from the computer to the modem or the router, and restart the computer.
5. Make sure that all network cables are securely connected.
6. Start Internet Explorer.

If you receive the same error message, go to the next method.

Method 4: Use the Delete Browsing History feature

If resetting the modem or the router did not resolve the problem, deleting your browsing history might help. Follow these steps to remove your temporary Internet files, history, and form data:

Internet Explorer 8

1. Start Internet Explorer.
2. On the Tools menu, click Internet Options.
3. Under Browsing history, click Delete.
4. Select the check box next to Preserve Favorites website data.
5. Select the check box next to Temporary Internet Files.
6. Select the check box next to Cookies.
7. Select the check box next to History.
8. Select the check box next to Form data.
9. Select the check box next to InPrivate Filtering data.
10. At the bottom of window, click Delete.
11. Close Internet Explorer, start Internet Explorer again, and then try to access the Web page.

Internet Explorer 7

1. Start Internet Explorer.
2. On the Tools menu, click Delete Browsing History.
3. Select the check box next to Temporary Internet Files.
4. Select the check box next to History.
5. Select the check box next to Form data.
6. Select the check box next to Cookies.
7. At the bottom of window, click Delete.
8. Close Internet Explorer, start Internet Explorer again, and then try to access the Web page.

Internet Explorer 6

1. Start Internet Explorer.
2. On the Tools menu, click Internet Options.
3. In the Temporary Internet Files section, click Delete files, and then click to select the Delete all offline content text box and click OK.
4. In the History section, click Clear history, and then click Yes.
5. Close Internet Explorer, start Internet Explorer again, and then try to access the Web page.

If you receive the same error message, go to the next method.

Method 5: Use the Internet Explorer (No Add-ons) mode

To do this, click Start, point to All Programs, point to Accessories, point to System Tools, and then click Internet Explorer (No Add-ons).

Note Internet Explorer (No Add-ons) mode is only available for Internet Explorer 7 and Internet Explorer 8.

If this resolves the issue, follow these steps to isolate the browser add-on that is causing the issue:

1. Click Tools, and then click Internet Options.
2. Click the Programs tab, and then click Manage add-ons.
3. Click an add-on in the Name list, and then click Disable.
4. Repeat step 3 until you identify the add-on that is causing the issue.

If the methods in the "General troubleshooting" section did not resolve your issue, you can try to use the methods in the "Advanced troubleshooting" section. If you are not comfortable with advanced troubleshooting, you might want to ask someone for help or contact support. For information about how to contact support, please visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://support.microsoft.com/oas/default.aspx?prid=12357 (http://support.microsoft.com/oas/default.aspx?prid=12357)

Back to the top

Advanced troubleshooting

Method 1: Temporarily disable the Internet security suite or firewall

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:

1. Temporarily disable the Internet security suite or firewall. For instructions, see the product documentation, or contact the product manufacturer. See the "More information" section for contact information.
2. Start Internet Explorer, and check whether you receive the same error message.
3. Immediately re-enable the Internet security suite or firewall.
   
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   Caution

   Leaving your Internet security suite or firewall disabled 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 issue that you are experiencing, please contact the product manufacturer for help with resolving the issue. See the "More information" section for contact information.

If you receive the same error message, go to the next method.

Method 2: Check whether Windows assigned you an automatic IP address

To do this, follow these steps:

1. Check the IP address that you noted in step 3 of "Method 2: Run the Network Diagnostics tool in Internet Explorer" in the "General troubleshooting" section.
2. 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 the 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’re unable to determine the IP address from the steps listed above follow the steps listed below for your operating system:

Windows 7, Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 users

1. Click Start, and type cmd in the Start Search text area
2. Right-click Cmd.exe and select Run as administrator.
3. In the command prompt window type ipconfig and press the Enter key
4. Look in the resulting information for the IPv4 Address and take note of the IP address listed.
5. Close the command prompt window.

Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 users

1. Click Start, click Run, type cmd and then click OK
2. In the command prompt window type ipconfig and press the Enter key
3. Look in the resulting information for the IPv4 Address and take note of the IP address listed.
4. Close the command prompt window.

Method 3: Test Internet Explorer by using a safe mode startup option that enables networking

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Note

If you cannot connect to the Internet in safe mode, skip Method 3, and go to Method 4. You will be unable to 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 do not 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 XP and Windows Server 2003 users

1. Restart the computer. When the screen goes blank, press the F8 key repeatedly.
2. Click Safe Mode with Networking, and then press ENTER.
3. If you see a prompt to select a version of Windows, select the appropriate version, and then press ENTER.
4. After the computer has restarted in safe mode, start Internet Explorer, and see whether you receive the same error message.
   
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   Note	The result in step 4 determines which method to perform after you restart the computer in step 5. See the "For all users" section at the end of Method 3 for more information.

5. Restart the computer.

Windows 7 and Windows Vista users

1. Click Start, and then type msconfig in the Start Search box.
2. In the Programs section, click Msconfig.exe.
3. In the System Configuration dialog box, click the Boot tab.
4. Click to select the Safe boot check box, click Network, and then click OK.
5. In the System Configuration dialog box, click Restart.
6. After the computer has restarted in safe mode, start Internet Explorer, and see whether you receive the same error message.
   
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   Note	The result in step 6 determines which method to perform after you restart the computer in normal mode in step 7. See the "For all users" section at the end of Method 3 for more information.

7. Restart the computer in normal mode. To do this, follow these steps:
   1. Click Start, and then type msconfig in the Start Search box.
   2. In the Programs section, click Msconfig.exe.
   3. In the System Configuration dialog box, click the Boot tab.
   4. Click to clear the Safe boot check box, and then click OK.
   5. In the System Configuration dialog box, click Restart.

For all users

Able to connect successfully

If you were able to connect to the Internet successfully when the computer was in safe mode, a third-party service or program may be conflicting with Internet Explorer. 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 with the network adapter. Skip Method 4 and Method 5, and go to Method 6.

Method 4: Check whether a third-party service is conflicting with Internet Explorer

To check whether a third-party service is conflicting with Internet Explorer, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, click Run, type msconfig, and then click OK.
2. Click the Services tab, disable all non-Microsoft services, and then click OK.
3. Restart the computer, and 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 service may be conflicting with Internet Explorer. To identify the conflicting service, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, click Run, type msconfig, and then click OK.
2. Click the Services tab.
3. Click to select half of the listed items, and then click OK.
4. Restart the computer.
5. Test Internet Explorer.
6. Repeat steps 1 through 5 until you identify the service that is conflicting with Internet Explorer.
7. If you are not using the conflicting service, we recommend that you remove it, or configure it not to start when the computer starts.
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   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:

1. Click Start, click Run, type msconfig, and then click OK.
2. 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 is conflicting with Internet Explorer, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, click Run, type msconfig, and then click OK.
2. Click the Startup tab, disable all the programs, and then click OK.
3. Restart the computer, and 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:

1. Click Start, click Run, type msconfig, and then click OK.
2. Click the Startup tab.
3. Click to select half of the listed items, and then click OK.
4. Restart the computer.
5. Test Internet Explorer.
6. Repeat steps 1 through 5 until you identify the program that is conflicting with Internet Explorer.
7. If you are not using the conflicting program, we recommend that you remove it, or configure it not to start when the computer starts.
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   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:

1. Click Start, click Run, type msconfig, and then click OK.
2. 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

To do this, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, click Run, type devmgmt.msc, and then click OK.
2. Double-click Network Adapters.
3. If no exclamation mark icons appear, and the latest drivers are installed, this method will not work for you. In this case, skip the remaining steps in Method 6, and go to Method 7.
4. If an exclamation mark icon or a question mark icon appears next to the network adapter in Device Manager, double-click the device, and then note the error message that appears. The following list describes three common error messages that appear together with possible resolutions.
   • Code 10
     This device cannot start. (Code 10)
     1. Click Update Driver to update the drivers for this device.
     2. 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)
     1. Install the drivers for this device.
     2. Click Update Driver. This starts the Hardware Update Wizard.
   • Code 1
     This device is not configured correctly. (Code 1)
     1. Update the driver by clicking Update Driver. This starts the Hardware Update Wizard.
     2. If updating the driver does not work, 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, and obtain updated drivers or a compatible network adapter. See the "More information" section for contact information.

If you test Internet Explorer, and you receive the same error message, go to the next method.

Method 7: Run System Restore

If you are still unable to resolve the issue, and the problem is a recent one, you can perform a System Restore. Although this method may not help identify the issue, it will restore the operating system to its previous working state.

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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 the operating system to a previous state in Windows XP

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 issue, you can try to select an earlier date as the restore point. Or, you can follow the steps in these articles to undo the restoration.

If you test Internet Explorer, and you receive the same error message, go to the next method.

Method 8: Reset Internet Explorer configuration settings

Caution When you use the Reset All Settings feature in Internet Explorer, you will disable all browser add-ons. Therefore, must re-enable the add-ons that you want to use afterward. Typically, an add-on is not re-enabled when you reinstall it. You must manually re-enable the add-on.

To perform this method, follow these steps:

1. Start Internet Explorer, click Tools, and then click Internet Options.
2. Click the Advanced tab, and then click Reset.
3. In the Internet Explorer Default Settings dialog box, click Reset.
4. In the Reset Internet Explorer Settings dialog box, click Reset.
   In Internet Explorer 6, click Restore Defaults , and then click OK .
5. When the settings have been reset, click Close, and then click OK to restart Internet Explorer.

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Note	If issues are not resolved when you reset Internet Explorer, you can also reinstall Internet Explorer 8 to make sure that it is installed correctly.

Method 9: Windows 7 – Troubleshooters

To runn Internet Explorer Troubleshooter, follow these steps:

1. Close all programs.
2. Click Start, and then click Control Panel.
3. Under System and Security, click Find and fix problems.
4. On the task pane on the left, click View All.
5. Click Internet Explorer Performance. This opens a new window.
6. Click Next.
7. The troubleshooter will run and fix all identified issues automatically. Click Close.

After the troubleshooter has successfully run, try to browse to the Internet again.

If the issue is not fixed follow the steps in Method 9 to run Internet Explorer Safety troubleshooter.