# Why Has the Amazon.com Site Been Down for Four Days? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 6, 2003, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-has-the-amazon-com-site-been-down-for-four-days/179982 "2003-06-06T01:56:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Chagto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a4c791/32.png) [@Chagto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chagto)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2003, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-has-the-amazon-com-site-been-down-for-four-days/179982/21 "2003-06-06T04:37:01Z")
If you’re using Internet Explorer, you can always try an unconditional refresh. Instead of pushing just “F5,” this time hold down Ctl and then push F5. The theory goes that it will ignore ANY caches and get the data straight from the site, whereas I’ve known the ordinary refresh to just refresh on the PC itself, and end up gettin the cached version from the ISP. Btw, this is just a shot in the dark, but it cant hurt. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2003, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-has-the-amazon-com-site-been-down-for-four-days/179982/22 "2003-06-06T04:40:42Z")
It actually a pretty good shot **Chagto** f5 on it’s own can be a problem (often just refreshes the error page) ---
**Author:** ![Lissa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lissa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lissa)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2003, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-has-the-amazon-com-site-been-down-for-four-days/179982/23 "2003-06-06T05:06:30Z")
I’ve never used F5 before when browsing. I tried it. No dice. Neither one of your links worked for me, \*\*Lobsang. \*\* Thanks so much for trying to help. I really appreciate it. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2003, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-has-the-amazon-com-site-been-down-for-four-days/179982/24 "2003-06-06T05:08:58Z")
You’re welcome **Lissa** It helps me while away the hours until the end of my shift. ---
**Author:** ![Whiskey-Hotel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e68b1a/32.png) [@Whiskey-Hotel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whiskey-Hotel)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2003, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-has-the-amazon-com-site-been-down-for-four-days/179982/25 "2003-06-06T05:20:42Z")
Can you reach the site by its IP address: 207.171.185.16 ? If yes, there could be some problem with your ISP’s DNS server. ---
**Author:** ![Lissa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lissa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lissa)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2003, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-has-the-amazon-com-site-been-down-for-four-days/179982/26 "2003-06-06T05:20:56Z")
Forgot to answer your previous question: it’s Internet Explorer 5. ---
**Author:** ![Lissa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lissa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lissa)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2003, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-has-the-amazon-com-site-been-down-for-four-days/179982/27 "2003-06-06T05:26:40Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Whiskey-Hotel \* > \*\*Can you reach the site by its IP address: 207.171.185.16 ? > > If yes, there could be some problem with your ISP’s DNS server. \*\* Forgive my ignorance: how do I do this? ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2003, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-has-the-amazon-com-site-been-down-for-four-days/179982/28 "2003-06-06T05:30:42Z")
type that number into the place where you normally type the web address. btw - does the word DNS error appear on your error screen? ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2003, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-has-the-amazon-com-site-been-down-for-four-days/179982/29 "2003-06-06T05:35:33Z")
[207.171.185.16](http://207.171.185.16) ---
**Author:** ![Lissa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lissa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lissa)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2003, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-has-the-amazon-com-site-been-down-for-four-days/179982/30 "2003-06-06T05:47:41Z")
It still didn’t work, \*\* Lobsang. \*\* No, I don’t get anything that says DNS error. It’s the page that says “Cannot Find Server” and that the page is currently unavailable. It then suggests that I hit refresh, check my settings, or, if enabled, to try to detect network settings. ---
**Author:** ![Lissa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lissa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lissa)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2003, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-has-the-amazon-com-site-been-down-for-four-days/179982/31 "2003-06-06T05:50:58Z")
I’m going to shut down my computer for the night. This PC is a bit wacky . . . maybe a re-start in the morning might do something. Again, everyone, thanks for all of the suggestions. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-has-the-amazon-com-site-been-down-for-four-days/179982.md?page=1)