# Is www.microsoft.com working?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-www-microsoft-com-working/84942
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [October 2, 2001, 9:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-www-microsoft-com-working/84942 "2001-10-02T09:13:56Z")
**Posts on this page:** 9
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Hail\_Ants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hail_Ants)
#### Post date: [October 2, 2001, 9:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-www-microsoft-com-working/84942/1 "2001-10-02T09:13:56Z")
I have not been able to view their site for two days now. Is it just clogged with people trying to download IE 6? It doesn’t even try to open it, it just immediately displays the cannot open site message. Other sites work ok. I can even get to [http://www.microsoft](http://www.microsoft)\*\*.net\*\* but not .com!
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### Author:  [@techchick68](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/techchick68)
#### Post date: [October 2, 2001, 9:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-www-microsoft-com-working/84942/2 "2001-10-02T09:17:31Z")
Works for me.
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### Author:  [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)
#### Post date: [October 2, 2001, 9:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-www-microsoft-com-working/84942/3 "2001-10-02T09:49:13Z")
works for me and this is the thread it redirects to
[http://www.microsoft.com/ms.htm](http://www.microsoft.com/ms.htm)
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### Author:  [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)
#### Post date: [October 2, 2001, 10:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-www-microsoft-com-working/84942/4 "2001-10-02T10:06:45Z")
mmm, I sometimes get the message “sorry, the server is too busy, please try again later”
I wonder how that’s going to work when (as Microsoft wants) we don’t install applications locally anymore, but run them directly from the M$ server…
“sorry, the server is too busy for you to open ‘payroll.xls’, please try again later”
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### Author:  [@Chas.E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chas.E)
#### Post date: [October 2, 2001, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-www-microsoft-com-working/84942/5 "2001-10-02T13:38:37Z")
depends on what you consider “working.”
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### Author:  [@readonly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/readonly)
#### Post date: [October 2, 2001, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-www-microsoft-com-working/84942/6 "2001-10-02T13:48:38Z")
Could it be that your DNS is screwed up, i.e. the hostname [www.microsoft.com](http://www.microsoft.com) is not being translated to the proper IP address? Try using a direct IP address, say [http://207.46.230.220/](http://207.46.230.220/). If the direct IP works, then you’ve definitely got a problem with your hostname translation. Ping [www.microsoft.com](http://www.microsoft.com) and see what IP it translates to.
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### Author:  [@Hail\_Ants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hail_Ants)
#### Post date: [October 2, 2001, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-www-microsoft-com-working/84942/7 "2001-10-02T20:31:08Z")
**readonly:**
Well, the numeric IP address worked so I guess the DNS is screwed up. When I ping [http://www.microsoft.com](http://www.microsoft.com) I get unknown host. I’m using a DirecPC with dial-up return. Is there a quick way to fix this? Thanks.
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### Author:  [@Hail\_Ants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hail_Ants)
#### Post date: [October 2, 2001, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-www-microsoft-com-working/84942/8 "2001-10-02T20:35:09Z")
**readonly:**
Well, the numeric IP address worked so I guess the DNS is screwed up. When I ping [www.microsoft.com](http://www.microsoft.com) I get unknown host. I’m using a DirecPC with dial-up return. Is there a quick way to fix this? Thanks.
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### Author:  [@Hail\_Ants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hail_Ants)
#### Post date: [October 2, 2001, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-www-microsoft-com-working/84942/9 "2001-10-02T21:38:51Z")
Cleared the DNS settings & re-entered the original one. Seems to work. Thanks.