Why can't I access certain websites?

Adjusted points to 200

Hi RD?  
I find this happens usually because of your ISP connection, not necessarily IE.  If I disconnect, then reconnect I can usually visit the site that previously did that.  Sometimes you just have to reboot the connection.

Do you (or someone) have the content level set up so you can't veiw certain pages?
Go into IE properties and look under the content tab then click on settings and see if any restrictions are set there

Tane, since you are a relative newcomer here please try and observe the protocol that all of us techs observe, in that if you do not have what can be reasonably as a solution, after even reasonable troubleshooting, post your information as a comment, not as an answer. By blocking the question with a "maybe" proposed answer, you block the question for review by other techs unless they happen to be reviewing answered questions.

In this particular instance, advising RDCohen that it may be his/her ISP or that he or she should disconnect and reconnect is not a resolution.

RDCohen, here are just a few reasons for this to occur and what you may be able to check to resolve it. Please feel free to reject the proposed answer in order that other techs may review this issue as well.

Dennis
===========================================  

The page cannot be displayed
 
   The page you are looking for is currently unavailable. The Web
   site might be experiencing technical difficulties, or you may
   need to adjust your browser settings.
 
 - or -
 
   Possible DNS name resolution error or DNS Server error.
 
CAUSE
=====
 
This error message can occur for any of the following reasons:
 
 - Multiple copies of the Wsock32.dll file are installed on your computer.
 
 - An incorrect version of the Wsock32.dll file is installed on your
   computer.
 
 - If you try to view a file (file://) you do not have permissions to
   view.
 
 - Intermittent connection problems, low system resources, and dropped
   connections while attempting to load the Web page.
 
 - You are using America Online as your Interent service provider,
   and there is not a Dial-Up Adapter installed along with the AOL
   Adapter.
 
- Unable to resolve the DNS name, or the DNS server returned an error.
 
RESOLUTION
==========
 
To resolve this issue, use the appropriate method:
 
Verify DNS Server Settings
--------------------------
 
Verify your DNS Server settings with your network administrator, and make sure the DNS servers are working properly.
 
Rename the Additional Wsock32.dll Files
---------------------------------------
 
1. Click Start, point to Find, and then click Files Or Folders.
 
2. In the Named box, type "wsock32.dll" (without quotation marks), and
   then click Find Now.
 
3. Rename any copy of the Wsock32.dll file that is not located in the
   Windows\System folder.
 
   For information about how to rename a file, click Start, click Help,
   click the Index tab, type "renaming" (without quotation marks), and
   then double-click the "Renaming files" topic.
 
Replace the Wsock32.dll File
----------------------------
 
1. Restart Windows 95, press the F8 key when you see the "Starting Windows
   95" message, and then choose Safe Mode Command Prompt Only from the
   Startup menu.
 
   For Windows 98, restart your computer, press and hold down the CTRL key
   after your computer completes the Power On Self Test (POST), and then
   choose Safe Mode Command Prompt Only from the Startup menu.
 
2. Rename the Wsock32.dll file in the Windows\System folder to
   Wsock32.old by typing the following line, and then pressing ENTER
 
      ren <drive>:\<windows>\system\wsock32.dll wsock32.old
 
   where <drive> is the drive letter on which the Windows folder is
   located, and <windows> is the name of the folder in which Windows is
   installed. For example:
 
      ren c:\windows\system\wsock32.dll wsock32.old
 
   NOTE: This procedure assumes you do not have a file named Wsock32.old.
   If you do have a file by this name, use a file name extension that is
   not currently in use.
 
3. Restart Windows 95/98 normally.
 
4. Extract a new copy of the Wsock32.dll file from your original Windows
   95/98 CD-ROM or floppy disks into the Windows\System folder. To do this,
   use the appropriate method:
 
Windows 95 CD-ROM:
 
a. Click Start, point to Programs, and then click MS-DOS Prompt.
 
b. Type "cd\" (without quotation marks), and then press ENTER.
 
c. Insert the Windows 95 CD-ROM into the CD-ROM drive, and then close
   the Windows 95 screen if it appears.
 
d. Type the following line at the command prompt, and then press ENTER
 
      extract /a <drive>:\win95\win95_02.cab wsock32.dll /l
      c:\<windows>\system
 
   where <drive> is the drive letter assigned to your CD-ROM drive, and
   <windows> is the name of the folder in which Windows is
   installed.
 
e. Type "exit" (without quotation marks), and then press ENTER to
   return to Windows.
 
Windows 95 Floppy Disks:
 
a. Click Start, point to Programs, and then click MS-DOS Prompt.
 
b. Type "cd\" (without quotation marks), and then press ENTER.
 
c. Insert disk 12 of the Windows 95 disks into the floppy disk drive.
 
d. Type the following line at the command prompt, and then press ENTER
 
      extract /a <drive>:\Win95_12.cab wsock32.dll /l c:\<windows>\system
 
   where <drive> is the drive letter assigned to the floppy disk drive
   the Windows 95 floppy disk is located in, and <windows> is the
   name of the folder in which Windows is installed.
 
e. Type "exit" (without quotation marks), and then press ENTER to
   return to Windows.
 
Windows 98:
 
Extract a new copy of the Wsock32.dll file from your original Windows 98
CD-ROM into the Windows\System folder using the System File Checker tool.
To start the System File Checker tool, click Start, click Run, type
"sfc.exe" (without quotation marks) in the Open box, and then click OK.
 
For information about how to use the System File Checker tool to extract a
file, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
 
   ARTICLE-ID: Q129605
   TITLE     : How to Extract Original Compressed Windows Files
 
5. Restart your computer.
 
Viewing a File (file://) You Do Not Have Permissions to View
------------------------------------------------------------
 
Contact your system administrator to obtain permissions to view the
appropriate file.
 
Connection Problems, Low Resources, Dropped Connections
-------------------------------------------------------
 
If you have connection problems, or dropped connections, try again until
you successfully establish a good connection. If your computer's
system resources are low, close uneeded programs, or restart your
computer.
 
MORE INFORMATION
================
 
The Windows 95 Wsock32.dll file is 65K in size and has a date stamp of
7/11/95. In some versions of Windows 95 OEM Service Release 2 (OSR2), the
Wsock32.dll file may have a different date stamp. The Windows 98
Wsock32.dll file is 40K in size and has a date stamp of 5/11/98.
 
For more information about this issue, see the following article in the
Microsoft Knowledge Base:
 
   ARTICLE-ID: Q175039
   TITLE     : Err Msg: A Connection to the Server Could Not Be
               Established

This error message can also occur for the following reason:
 
 - The PCT (Private Communications Technology) 1.0, SSL (Secure Socket
   Layer) 2.0, or SSL 3.0 security check box is not selected.
 
RESOLUTION
==========
 
To correct this behavior, use the appropriate method:
 
Method 1
--------
 
1. Click Start, point to Settings, click Control Panel, and then double-
   click Internet.
 
2. Click the Advanced tab.
 
3. Under Security, click one of the following check boxes to select it:
 
    - PCT 1.0
    - SSL 2.0
    - SSL 3.0
 
4. Click OK
 
Method 2
--------
 
1. In Internet Explorer, click Internet Options on the Tools menu.
 
2. On the Connectiones tab, click LAN Settings.
 
3. Under Proxy Server, click Advanced.
 
4. Type the appropriate proxy server address and port in the Secure box,
   click OK, click OK, and then click OK again.
 

The proposed resolution has already been repeatedly tried.  The problem occurs using different ISPs and different browsers, e.g. Netscape Navigator or Opera.   The problem therefore does not appear to be either ISP-specific or Browser-specific.  I was advised by Dell Technical Support and the technical support department of my ISP (not AOL)that the problem appears to be a registry problem and that the only solution is to reinstall Windows 98.   I was hoping to find a less radical solution.

You know I had this problem myself...what it was was that I had a beta version of IE 5.0.. Where did you get IE 5.0 and around what date...

In IE check the version by going to Help>About IExplorer

Write down what the complete version of it is..

Hope this helps,
Sebastian

Have you at least tried the solution methods posted?

I have seen the same problem occur due to corrupted files stored in the temporary internet files folder. Try right clicking on internet explorer and choose properties. Delete all files and clear your history. After doing that, open windows explorer and look in the temporary internet files folder. If there are still files in any of the sub-folders, delete anything you find. After doing this, try accessing your sites again. Let us know what happens.

It's a fluke with IE5 in that there are ads that are not being displayed properly...not the website...and as the ads are trying to load and don't, you will get that message.  Do this...In IE click View\Options\Security\Custom Level  now scroll down to Scripting, and DISABLE Active Scripting.  There will be certain sites that this has to be re-enabled, such as certain chatrooms and the MS UPdate site, but if you know ahead of time you are going to either of them, re-enable Active Scripting just before going there.  It will take effect immediately without having to reboot the system so just go to that site.  When you are finished there, reset it to DISABLE and surf away without the error display page anymore.

Toni

Didn't work.   Resulted in gray screen instead of "This page cannot be displayed" message but no web page appeared.

Can you view any pages or do you get "This page cannot be displayed" on them all? What page can you see and what pages can't you see (just give us a sample)

Cannot view "altavista.com", "marketwatch.com", "800.com", "bigstar.com".

No problem viewing "yahoo.com", "msnbc.com", "wsj.com".

RDCohen, last time I'm going to ask, have you worked through the methods noted above?

ALSO, have you updated your video driver lately? You will need to do so if these pages are written for ASP.
Dennis

I tried the above named sites and the only one I had trouble with was marketwatch.com and when it started to load and it asked me if I would allow cookie to be set I clicked no, i did it again and clicked yes and it loaded no problem, the others I clicked yes and they loaded fine, so my question to you is do you have the cookies blocked somehow?

Reply to dew associates: I did try your methods.   The DNS settings were supplied by the technical support department of my ISP.   Moreover, this problem occurs regardless of which ISP I use.  As to renaming and replacing the "wsock32.dll" file, I was unable to restart Windows 98 normally after renaming the file to "wsock32.old"; received error message that "dll file needed to start Windows was missing".  Had to reverse renaming in Safe Mode and revert to original file name to restart in Normal Mode.  I apologize for not replying soon but your proposed solutions were the most time consuming of all those offered.  As to your recent query as to whether I have updated my video drivers lately, the answer is not that I'm aware of unless they were automatically updated through Norton Live Update.  I will try doing this.

Reply to rayt333: No, I have not blocked cookies as there are cookies active on other websites I visit.

Sorry about that RDC, I thought you were aware of the procedures. I should have pointed you specifically to that section dealing with Windows 98.

Start at the section stating:

Windows 98:
 
Extract a new copy of the Wsock32.dll file from your original Windows 98
CD-ROM into the Windows\System folder using the System File Checker tool.

I have had this problem and sometimes just hitting refresh
brings the page up. Hope this helps

Doesn't help.

What doesn't help?

Reply to dew_associates: fat_eric1's suggestion to reoload doesn't help.

Okay, then try and implement the fixes that I mentioned, but make sure you adhere to the Windows 98 portion only.

Problem fixed after updating video driver.  Thanks to dew_associates.