Error Listing
What does it mean?
There's something wrong with the URL you typed. Maybe the server you're
contacting doesn't recognize the document you're asking for, maybe it doesn't
exist, or maybe you're not authorized to access it.
What can you do about it?
Check the URL. Pay special attention to uppercase and lowercase letters,
colons, and slashes. Here's a tip: one style convention many sites observe
is to slap initial capital letters on directory names but not filenames.
If you get this message repeatedly, maybe the note you copied the URL from
mixed up its uppercase and lowercase.
What does it mean?
You're probably accessing a site that's protected and you're not on the host's
preferred guest list or you typed the password incorrectly. Some sites also
put a block on domain types--if you're not from a .gov or .edu domain, for
example, you may not be able to gain access.
What can you do about it?
If you're sure you're allowed in, try again, and this time look at the keyboard
when you type. Passwords are often case-sensitive, so if you've got your
Caps Lock on, take it off. If you're trying to break in, we don't want to
know, but the odds are stacked against you.
What does it mean?
You may not be allowed to access this document, probably because it's either
blocked to your domain or it's password-protected.
What can you do about it?
If you know the password, try again, carefully. If you don't know the password
but think you're eligible for one, contact the site's Webmaster and ask for
it.
See also: Connection refused by host
What does it mean?
The server that hosts the site can't find the HTML document at the end of
the URL. It may be a simple case of a mistyped URL, but it may also mean
that the document doesn't exist anymore.
What can you do about it?
Try going one level up (deleting the last part of the URL to the nearest
slash) to see if the site is live. If it is, check if there are links to
the document you're looking for. Failing that, delete the last slash and
type .html instead, and see what that gives you.
What does it mean?
There are a variety of possibilities: your access provider's server may be
down, your company's gateway (the connection between the LAN and the Internet)
may be broken, or your own system isn't working.
What can you do about it?
This is usually an easy one: wait a minute and try again. If the error persists,
identify the culprit (access provider, gateway, or your system) by process
of elimination.
What does it mean?
Your browser supports forms complete with data-entry fields and drop-down
lists, but not the form you're trying to access. Perhaps there's an error
or unsupported feature in the form.
What can you do about it?
Send email to the Webmaster and try the form again some other day.
Cannot add form submission result to bookmark list
What does it mean?
You've just entered a search request and tried to save the result as a bookmark.
Though it may appear as a discrete address, the result isn't a legitimate
URL, so you can't add it to your bookmark list.
What can you do about it?
Try saving the result page as an HTML page on your hard disk. Use the Save
As command then add the saved page to your bookmark list. Depending on the
CGI script behind the query, you may or may not be successful. But it's worth
a try.
What does it mean?
You may not be allowed to access this document, probably because it's either
blocked to your domain or it's password-protected.
What can you do about it?
If you know the password, try again, carefully. If you don't know the password
but think you're eligible for one, contact the site's Webmaster and ask for
it.
See also: 403 - Forbidden
What does it mean?
The domain
name system can't translate the URL to a valid Internet address. This
is either a harmless blip or the result of a mistyped URL (specifically,
a mistyped host name).
What can you do about it?
Blips in DNS lookup are common, and often you can rectify this by clicking
the Reload button. If that doesn't work, check your typing of the URL carefully.
If the problem persists, try again after an hour or so.
What does it mean?
The site you've accessed is the right one, but there are no Web page documents
on it. You may have stumbled upon this site just as updated versions are
being uploaded.
What can you do about it?
Try the URL again, carefully. If that doesn't help, try again in an hour.
What does it mean?
Your browser doesn't recognize a file at the Web or Net site you're visiting.
Most browsers can be extended using
helper
applications (or viewers) to read files they don't otherwise recognize.
These files aren't necessarily graphics--they can be sound files, movie clips,
or
ZIP
or
SIT
archive files you're trying to download.
What can you do about it?
The dialog box that carries this message will usually give a clue about the
file type that's missing. (You may see some gibberish about octet streams,
but after that you'll probably see some reference to graphic-TIFF, which
gives it away.) Look at CompuTREK's Help for your computing platform
(Mac or
PC) for viewers
for the most common file types. Then follow your browser's instructions for
assigning a viewer for each file format you wish to view online.
See also: Viewer not found
What does it mean?
The machine that hosts this site is probably down for maintenance.
What can you do about it?
If at first you don't succeed, hit Refresh or Reload again and again. But
wait a while between refreshes.
What does it mean?
The server may be down for maintenance, or you may have lost the connection
(your modem disconnected, or your company's T1 line is choking).
What can you do about it?
Hit the Reload button first. This is often a blip in the Net. Then check
the URL for typos (and don't forget case-sensitivity). Then make sure you're
connected by hitting Reload, which will re-establish connections in many
cases.
See also: Unable to locate host, Failed DNS lookup
Network connection was refused by the server
What does it mean?
The server is probably too busy to handle one more user, but it's not configured
to generate its own message, so this generic message shows up instead.
What can you do about it?
As always, try and try again. If that doesn't work, wait as long as you can.
Then try again.
See also: Too many connections--try again later
What does it mean?
You're trying to log on to a
Usenet
newsgroup, but you can't get to it. The Usenet server is something that's
made available by your Internet service provider, so it may be that this
newsgroup isn't available at all.
What can you do about it?
Make sure you've typed the URL correctly. If that doesn't help, try again
later. If the problem persists, contact your access provider and give them
a piece of your mind.
What does it mean?
You're trying to upload a file to an
ftp
site, and the site's administrator doesn't want you to. Alternatively, you're
using the wrong syntax when trying to get a file. Or maybe the site is currently
too busy to handle your upload.
What can you do about it?
First check that you used the correct syntax. Then try again later. If the
problem persists, send email to the Webmaster and ask how you can upload
a file to that site.
Too many connections--try again later
What does it mean?
This is another variation on the rush-hour error message. You've picked the
wrong time to call, that's all.
What can you do about it?
Do as it says--try again later, or keep hitting the Refresh button until
you succeed.
See also: Network connection was refused by the server
What does it mean?
No ftp site has unlimited access: physical connections or administrator policy
allocate a number of
anonymous
users to a given site. When that number is exceeded, all who try to log on
receive this message.
What can you do about it?
Just keep trying until you get lucky. However, on a busy site (like Netscape's
the week after a big announcement) or one with very limited access rights,
you may be out of luck. If so, check to see whether the site has
mirrors,
and try one of those.
What does it mean?
The server may be down for maintenance, or you may have lost the connection
(your modem disconnected or your company's
T1
line is choking).
What can you do about it?
Hit the Reload button first. This is often a blip in the Net. Check the URL
for typos (and don't forget case-sensitivity), then make sure you're connected
by hitting Reload, which will re-establish connections in many cases.
What does it mean?
You have either mistyped the URL, or the server doesn't exist (you may have
outdated information).
What can you do about it?
Your mission, should you choose to accept it: enter the URL again, looking
at the keyboard as you type. No luck? Check with your source to verify that
the URL is correct.
What does it mean?
Your browser doesn't recognize a file at the Web or Net site you're visiting.
Viewable files aren't necessarily graphics--they can be sound files, movie
clips,
ZIP
or
SIT
archive files, and so on. If it's not a
GIF
or
JPEG
file, your browser may not know what it is.
What can you do about it?
The dialog box that carries this message will usually give a clue about the
file type that's missing. (You may see some gibberish about octet streams,
but after that you'll probably see some reference to graphic-TIFF, which
gives it away.) Look at CompuTREK's Help for your computing platform
(Mac or
PC) for viewers
for the most common file types. Then follow your browser's instructions for
assigning a viewer for each file format you wish to view online.
See also: Helper application not found
You can't log on as an anonymous user
What does it mean?
This message covers a multitude of sins. Some ftp sites allow people who
aren't members, some don't. Others may allow nonmembers, but limit the number
of visitors. Another possibility is that your browser doesn't support
anonymous
ftp access. The way most browsers handle this is to submit "anonymous"
as the user ID and your email address as the password.
What can you do about it?
Either try again later after the rush hour or enter your user ID and password
manually (using ftp software such as
WS-FTP).
Remember: your ID is anonymous and your password is your email address.
See also: Too many users
CompuTREK Graphics are designed by Susan Robinson of Griffin Graphics. Thanks Susan! Read our Disclaimer if you're really bored. If you get this many errors, you might want to Ask the Captain what's going on!