Error Message Appears When You Try to Start Internet Explorer
The information in this article applies to:
- Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.5 for Windows 2000 SP 1
- Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.5 for Windows 2000 SP 2
- Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.01 for Windows 2000 SP 1
- Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.01 for Windows 2000 SP 2
- Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0 for Windows 2000
- Microsoft Internet Explorer version 6 for Windows 2000
This article was previously published under Q308780
IMPORTANT: This article contains information about modifying
the registry. Before you modify the registry, make sure to back it up and make
sure that you understand how to restore the registry if a problem occurs. For
information about how to back up, restore, and edit the registry, click the
following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
256986 Description of the Microsoft Windows Registry
SYMPTOMS
When you start Internet Explorer (IE), you may receive the following error
message:
Page cannot be displayed
If you try to gain access to a Web site by entering the IP address of the
site in the address bar, you may receive the following error message:
Unable to locate server
CAUSE
This behavior can occur if the following registry key is corrupted:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\WinSock2
RESOLUTION
WARNING: If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may
cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating
system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that you can solve problems that result
from using Registry Editor incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.
To resolve this behavior, import a clean copy of the WinSock2
key into the registry:
- On a Windows 2000-based computer that is able to open IE with no error,
save a clean copy of the WinSock2 key:
- Start Registry Editor (Regedt32.exe).
- Locate the following key in the registry:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\WinSock2
- Insert a floppy disk into the floppy disk drive.
- Select the key, and then on the Registry menu, click
Save. Save the clean copy of the key onto the floppy
disk.
- Quit Registry Editor.
- On the Windows 2000-based computer that is experiencing the error,
import the clean copy of the key into the registry:
- Start Registry Editor (Regedt32.exe).
- Locate the following registry key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\WinSock2
- To delete the existing WinSock2 key, click the key,
and then on the Edit menu, click Delete.
- Insert the floppy disk into the floppy disk drive.
- On the Registry menu, click Restore.
Specify that you want to restore the clean key that you saved on the
floppy disk.
- Quit Registry Editor.
- Restart your computer.
| Last
Reviewed: |
9/24/2002 |
| Keywords: |
kbenv kberrmsg kbprb kburl
KB308780 |