# How do I get back to a normal 404 error?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-back-to-a-normal-404-error/130551
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [October 2, 2002, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-back-to-a-normal-404-error/130551 "2002-10-02T16:25:36Z")
**Posts on this page:** 5
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)
#### Post date: [October 2, 2002, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-back-to-a-normal-404-error/130551/1 "2002-10-02T16:25:36Z")
I want to see a plain ol’ generic 404 error message when I go to a URL that doesn’t exist. With my new computer, a Dell with all sorts of Microsoft monstrosities pre-loaded, goes to an msn search page when I type in a URL that it doesn’t find. I’m in the midst of doing some technical writing, and I need a generic screen shot of a normal 404 error. How the #!@# do I turn off this MS bull\*\*\*\* so I get the normal error?
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### Author:  [@DarrenS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DarrenS)
#### Post date: [October 2, 2002, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-back-to-a-normal-404-error/130551/2 "2002-10-02T16:38:28Z")
Assuming you’re using Internet Explorer:
Tools | Options | Advanced,
“Searching”, select “Do not search from the address line.”
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### Author:  [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)
#### Post date: [October 2, 2002, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-back-to-a-normal-404-error/130551/3 "2002-10-02T17:04:32Z")
Yay! Thank you!
I had tried just about every other setting in the options… dunno why I didn’t try THAT one.
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### Author:  [@Urban\_Ranger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urban_Ranger)
#### Post date: [October 3, 2002, 7:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-back-to-a-normal-404-error/130551/4 "2002-10-03T07:19:51Z")
Another option is to use Mozilla.
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### Author:  [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)
#### Post date: [October 3, 2002, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-back-to-a-normal-404-error/130551/5 "2002-10-03T14:10:28Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Urban Ranger \*
> \*\*Another option is to use Mozilla. \*\*
Not really an option… as I said, I need this to do a screen shot for a textbook I’m working on. We’ve standardized on IE as the browser for screen shots, so I’m stuck with that.