# Error - 403 **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [March 5, 2001, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/error-403/56839 "2001-03-05T18:21:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![TomH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/90db22/32.png) [@TomH](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TomH)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2001, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/error-403/56839/1 "2001-03-05T18:21:56Z")
> [@](#): > > Failed to read headers returned by server. > Headers were invalid or incomplete. I’m getting this a lot lately, mostly in the late afternoon and early evening (GMT). I don’t get it with any sites other than the SDMB. Is it a problem with the boards or a problem at my end? ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2001, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/error-403/56839/2 "2001-03-05T22:01:42Z")
During times of high activity at the SDMB (typically during 9AM - 3PM pacific standard time - USA), I have received several kinds of error messages (most often timeouts) when trying to bring up a thread, but I’ve never seen the error message you mention. ---
**Author:** ![TomH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/90db22/32.png) [@TomH](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TomH)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2001, 10:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/error-403/56839/3 "2001-03-06T10:09:21Z")
Thanks, Arnold. I used to get a lot of timeouts as well, but lately they’ve been replaced by this message. It does tend to coincide with the US peak usage, so I wouldn’t be surprised if it were something to do with the pressures on the Board, but I’m curious as to why I’m getting this peculiar message rather than a simple timeout.