asked on

Inability to Log Onto AOL Homepage Via IE

When I attempt to log onto the AOL homepage via IE using desktop icons for that page, I receive a message telling m that I'm not authorized to view that page:

http://hp-laptop.aol.com/_cqr/login?sitedomain=hp-laptop.aol.com&authLev=0&siteState=OrigUrl%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fhp-laptop.aol.com%252F&lang=en&locale=us&mcAuth=%2FBcAG0eclK0AAK9PBgOTkkeclOkIBpdbiFHfkA0AAA%3D%3D

Please note that there is usually a redirect to hp-laptop (see above link), the computer I'm using.

I can access the AOL homepage via FireFox with no difficulty. I can also access the AOL mail sign-in via IE using a desktop icon.

Usually, but not always, if I attempt to to log into www.aol once online (via IE), I DO get to the AOL page without difficulty.

Help, please, and thanks.

war1

Hello arthurboehm,

1. Clear your DNS cache. Go to Start > Run and type CMD
and hit OK.
At the command prompt, type ipconfig /flushDNS
and hit OK.

2. Clear your cache. Go to Tools > Internet Options > General tab. Under Temporary Internet Files, click "Delete Files" button. Also click "Delete Cookies" button. Click OK.

3. If no joy, check if your PC is blocking the site. Do a search for HOSTS file and open it with an editor like Notepad. Delete any line that has the blocked site in it.

HOSTS file is located in
Windows XP = C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\DRIVERS\ETC
Windows 2K = C:\WINNT\SYSTEM32\DRIVERS\ETC
Win 98/ME = C:\WINDOWS

It is a hidden file. Go to any folder and select Tools > Folders Options > View. Check "Show hidden files and folders". Click OK.

4a. If you are using Internet Explorer, check if the site is restricted or blocked. Go to Tools > Internet Options > Security. Hightlight Restricted Sites and see if the blocked site is located there.

4b. Also under Content tab > Content Advisor, check if the site is restricted there. Remove it.

4c. Also, under Security tab, add the website to your trusted zone.

5. Check if antispyware, antivirus, or firewall is blocking the website.

Hope this helps!
war1

arthurboehm

ASKER

Hi, War, thanks. Will check and get back.

arthurboehm

ASKER

OK, War, followed all, but no luck.

Please note that clicking on www.aol.com, once in IE, gets me to the site's home page, but trying to open same from my desktop, which involves an "automatic" redirection to:

http://hp-laptop.aol.com

gets me the You Are Unauthorized....message.

So AOL appears be blocked only through this connection. Any help?

More thoughts?

Thanks.

war1

Your desktop shortcut may reflect an old page. Look in the properties of the shortcut. Make sure you are being sent to the correct URL, www.aol.com, not hp-laptop.aol.com

arthurboehm

ASKER

Well, changed the URL connected with the AOL desktop icon (but not that of the IE icon) to aol.com, clicked on the icon and got the homepage.

Exited therefrom and tried it again: back to the "unauthorized" message!

Wha!?!

Again, no problem gettting to the homepage via FireFox....

arthurboehm

ASKER

...and, now, when I click on the IE desktop icon, I get a "cannot find server..." message when attempting to get to the AOL homepage. No amount of refreshing helps...

Oh-- did I mention that this problem began only last night, though I've notice that recently, the connection to AOL from my desktop has more increasingly yielded the "can't find server..." message?

Refreshing, though, has usually brought me to the homepage....

Thanks.

war1

Create new shortcuts by draging the icon in address bar to Desktop.

arthurboehm

ASKER

Not sure what you mean by address bar....

war1

In IE, there there is an address bar at top of page. Go to the page that you want to create a shortcut. Drag the icon to the Desktop.

arthurboehm

ASKER

When I try to do that, I get a window that says, This folder already contains a file named "AOL.Com-Welcome to AOL. Would you like to replace he file with...." and two icons are pictured, one an AOL favicon, the other the IE icon.

Do?

war1

If you want to open AOL in IE, yes, replace the old shortcut with new shortcut.

arthurboehm

ASKER

Still, no dice....get the same error page.

(Am goingout for a bit; will reply to any further messages later....)

Thanks again.

arthurboehm

ASKER

Morning, War,

Problem persists. Any other thoughts?

Does it add anything to reiterate that the difficulty ocurs when trying to connect to the AOL homepage via icons, but can do so once online, from a page other than?

Also, can connect to the AOL sign-in page from a desktop icon I created without difficulty; it's just connection to the homepage that's not happening.

Thanks.

ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION

war1

membership

This solution is only available to members.

To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.

Start Free Trial

arthurboehm

ASKER

War, as of this writing, without having done anything new, I've had, suddenly, repeated success logging onto the AOL homepage with both AOL and and IE icons.

This leads me to believe that the problem has to do with the AOL server--what do you think?

In any case, I'm giving you the points for all the help, which, in my mind, amounts to a resolution of the difficulty.

Thanks again.

war1

arthurboehm, glad the problem is fixed. Yes, I agree the problem was with AOL server.