# Why CAN'T the page be displayed?? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 11, 2001, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-the-page-be-displayed/92702 "2001-11-11T00:05:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![vivalostwages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d07c76/32.png) [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2001, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-the-page-be-displayed/92702/1 "2001-11-11T00:05:09Z")
Almost every time I log on through MSN (just got 'em a few months ago after dumping CWIA) and go to either of my Hotmail accounts, I get the old “page can’t be displayed” message. I have to refresh repeatedly–which actually makes it worse and worse–until somehow I finally get things back to normal. Any idea what’s up? ---
**Author:** ![xash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/c6cbf5/32.png) [@xash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xash)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2001, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-the-page-be-displayed/92702/2 "2001-11-11T05:29:11Z")
what OS do you use ? which browser are you on ? etc. ? it might be that the page is stored incorrectly in your cache and that’s why it’s not displaying properly. ---
**Author:** ![vivalostwages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d07c76/32.png) [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2001, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-the-page-be-displayed/92702/3 "2001-11-12T04:18:17Z")
I’m using Windows '98 SE and an Internet Explorer Browser. ---
**Author:** ![xash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/c6cbf5/32.png) [@xash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xash)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2001, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-the-page-be-displayed/92702/4 "2001-11-12T04:39:14Z")
try tools/internet options/temporary internet files/settings/check for newer versions of stored pages, set it to “every visit to the page”. then in the previous menu, click on delete temporary internet files. then shut down your browser, restart and try again. if problem persists, we’ll look at alternatives… ---
**Author:** ![vivalostwages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d07c76/32.png) [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2001, 6:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-the-page-be-displayed/92702/5 "2001-11-12T06:32:35Z")
Okay, I’ve done it. Will shut the browser down and see hot it does. I also went into the advanced menu earlier and checked Use Fortezza and the others beneath that. Seems to be doing better now, except for the occasional red x where an ad would be, but what the heck, I’d rather miss a few ads than not have my page display properly. Thank you for your help. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![vivalostwages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d07c76/32.png) [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2001, 6:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-the-page-be-displayed/92702/6 "2001-11-12T06:33:41Z")
I meant “how it does,” not “hot it does.” 😉 ---
**Author:** ![phartizan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ba8739/32.png) [@phartizan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phartizan)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2001, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-the-page-be-displayed/92702/7 "2001-11-12T17:53:14Z")
I’m using Windows '98 and Internet Explorer 5.0, and I since about 24 hrs ago, can’t get to the hotmail log on screen on either of the different computers & connections I use, either via [http://www.hotmail.com](http://www.hotmail.com) or through [msn.com](http://msn.com). As **xash** suggested, I set newer versions of stored pages to “every visit to the page”, and click on delete temporary internet files, shut off my browser, and even rebooted, all to no avail. (I know, Microsoft has told members of its free Hotmail service that their [e-mail accounts will be closed](http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1005-200-7745178.html) if they do not use them at least once a month, but I use it all the time). ---
**Author:** ![xash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/c6cbf5/32.png) [@xash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xash)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2001, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-the-page-be-displayed/92702/8 "2001-11-12T21:22:38Z")
**phartizan** , try logging on through [http://lc1.law13.hotmail.passport.com/cgi-bin/login](http://lc1.law13.hotmail.passport.com/cgi-bin/login) or [http://www.msn.com](http://www.msn.com) or try to login through the msn messenger instead of going to the hotmail website. another problem could be that your ISP has cached the hotmail login page incorrectly or is not resolving the hotmail site correctly, in which case try logging in from : [http://64.4.43.7](http://64.4.43.7) also note that, in order to login to hotmail ( not to reach the login page itself, but to successfully login ) : 1.) Your browser must support cookies, and the option must be enabled to sign in. 2.) Your browser must support secure connections (often called SSL, or Secure Sockets Layer), and the option must be enabled to sign in. 3.) Hi Opal! Long time no see! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![phartizan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ba8739/32.png) [@phartizan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phartizan)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2001, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-the-page-be-displayed/92702/9 "2001-11-12T22:08:09Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by xash \* > \*\*another problem could be that your ISP has cached the hotmail login page incorrectly or is not resolving the hotmail site correctly, in which case try logging in from : > > [http://64.4.43.7](http://64.4.43.7) > \*\* Yeah, that worked. Thanks a lot! Pestering you with further questions: Is this possibly the reason other sites sometimes don’t display? How could I have found 64.4.43.7 myself? ---
**Author:** ![vivalostwages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d07c76/32.png) [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2001, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-the-page-be-displayed/92702/10 "2001-11-13T00:21:29Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by xash \* > \*\ ***phartizan** , try logging on through > > [http://lc1.law13.hotmail.passport.com/cgi-bin/login](http://lc1.law13.hotmail.passport.com/cgi-bin/login) > > or > > [http://www.msn.com](http://www.msn.com) > > or > > try to login through the msn messenger instead of going to the hotmail website. > > another problem could be that your ISP has cached the hotmail login page incorrectly or is not resolving the hotmail site correctly, in which case try logging in from : > > [http://64.4.43.7](http://64.4.43.7) > also note that, in order to login to hotmail ( not to reach the login page itself, but to successfully login ) : > > 1.) Your browser must support cookies, and the option must be enabled to sign in. > > 2.) Your browser must support secure connections (often called SSL, or Secure Sockets Layer), and the option must be enabled to sign in. > > 3.) Hi Opal! Long time no see! 🙂 \*\* * * * It was doing okay last night but today it was fouled up again. I may have to try your 64.etc. solution next time. There’s got to be a solution… ---
**Author:** ![vivalostwages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d07c76/32.png) [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2001, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-the-page-be-displayed/92702/11 "2001-11-13T00:23:08Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by phartizan \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by xash \* > > \*\*another problem could be that your ISP has cached the hotmail login page incorrectly or is not resolving the hotmail site correctly, in which case try logging in from : > > > > [http://64.4.43.7](http://64.4.43.7) > > \*\* > > Yeah, that worked. Thanks a lot! > > Pestering you with further questions: Is this possibly the reason other sites sometimes don’t display? How could I have found 64.4.43.7 myself? \*\* * * * Sometimes I can’t get other sites to display either. Hmmm…what does it all mean? ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2001, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-the-page-be-displayed/92702/12 "2001-11-13T00:28:25Z")
Hotmail is down now & then. Its like a holiday & so might be more busy these days. so it’s slow. I would ususally do a traceroute to find out what’s slow. You should give a day or two for things to see if things get back to usual. ---
**Author:** ![vivalostwages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d07c76/32.png) [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2001, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-the-page-be-displayed/92702/13 "2001-11-13T02:34:00Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by phartizan \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by xash \* > > \*\*another problem could be that your ISP has cached the hotmail login page incorrectly or is not resolving the hotmail site correctly, in which case try logging in from : > > > > [http://64.4.43.7](http://64.4.43.7) > > \*\* > > Yeah, that worked. Thanks a lot! > > Pestering you with further questions: Is this possibly the reason other sites sometimes don’t display? How could I have found 64.4.43.7 myself? \*\* * * * Hey Phartizan: Sometimes I click on something–only once, of course–but I hear it click several times and it sometimes fouls things up. Does this happen to you too? ---
**Author:** ![phartizan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ba8739/32.png) [@phartizan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phartizan)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2001, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-the-page-be-displayed/92702/14 "2001-11-13T16:43:17Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by vivalostwages \*Hey Phartizan: Sometimes I click on something–only once, of course–but I hear it click several times and it sometimes fouls things up. Does this happen to you too? \*\* Nah. Although I get plenty of pages that are inaccessible, or with red X’s. I just assumed that was the way of the internet. Strange thing is I couldn’t access hotmail after I wrote my previous message. BTW, the school paper says that a lot of people here were having trouble accessing hotmail and yahoo (through our school system); our computer people decided the problem was with hotmail. So it looks like **handy** ’s right. But what’s a **traceroute** and how do I do it?