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Meaning and Prevention
Error messages can be frustrating, but they're not impossible to overcome. In fact, you can avoid most error messages by using a few simple techniques. We have cataloged some of the most common Internet error messages and provide practical solutions that will prevent you from getting them.

400 - Bad request
This error message indicates that the server can't figure out the URL (Uniform Resource Locator) you requested. The problem often occurs because of incorrect URL syntax. If you typed the URL, check it for incorrect uppercase or lowercase letters, colons, and slashes. Try to type the URL again. If you still get an error, try to backtrack the URL to the directory the document resides in. If the error message persists, there may be a problem with the document. Your only recourse is to contact the site's administrator.

401 - Unauthorized
401 errors usually occur when an Internet site is protected and the server didn't receive the correct encryption ID or password for entry. If you're registered with the site, you can try your password again if you have the opportunity. As with URLs, passwords are often case-sensitive, so type the password carefully. You can also get this error from servers that deny access from certain domain types, for example, domain names ending in edu.

403 - Forbidden or Connection refused by host
These errors are similar to 401 errors. They usually occur when a server denies access because of your domain, because of security restrictions, or because you don't have a password. These errors also occur when you haven't signed up with a site that requires registration. You can try to register with the site or try your password again. You can also attempt to contact the site's administrator for a password.

404 - Not Found or File Not Found
The 404 error often appears as Not Found or simply File Not Found. These errors are very common and occur when the host server can't find the specific HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) document you requested. 404 errors usually stem from a document name change or a document deletion. They can also take place when you've made a syntax error in the document name. Your best bet is to assume you made a mistake when you typed the URL. Backtrack by deleting the portion of the URL that follows the last slash. Then re-access the URL and look for it in the directory you'll receive.

502 - Service Temporarily Overloaded
This error indicates that the server is experiencing high-traffic load and can't process the request. You can often access the site by trying to load the site again. If the error persists, you may want to try at a later time.

503 - Service Unavailable
This error occurs when your access provider, gateway, or system is down or busy. Your only hope is to wait a minute or two and try again.

Bad file request or Too many users
These error messages indicate a problem with HTML coding at the site. The problem may be that Internet Explorer doesn't support the form you're trying to access. You can try to bypass this problem by E-mailing the Web site administrator for help.

Cannot add form submission result to bookmark list
This error appears when you try to save the results of a form-based search engine (such as Lycos) as a bookmark. The problem is that the URL of the query results is invalid - even though it may not appear to be. You can bypass this problem by either printing the search results, or you can try to save them as an HTML document on your hard disk.

Failed DNS lookup
This error indicates that the Domain Name System (DNS) can't translate the URL to a valid Internet address. This DNS error message occurs in several situations. The server that you're trying to connect to may be overloaded with traffic or temporarily down. If the server is just busy, you can sometimes get through by trying to access the site again. If the server is temporarily down or offline, there's nothing you can do except try again later. Unfortunately, there's no way for you to tell whether a server is down or just busy. You could have also incorrectly typed the URL.
If you're accessing the Internet via a modem and you get a DNS error for each Web site you try to access, chances are there's something wrong with your connection. Try re-launching Internet Explorer and your required communication software. If the problem persists, contact your Internet service provider (ISP).

File contains no data
When you get this error, it means that you've accessed the right Web site, but the file you requested is empty. There's a possibility that the site administrator is updating the site, in which case you can try to access the document again later. You can also try to bypass this problem by retyping the URL with :80 before the last slash.

Helper application not found or Viewer not found
These errors occur when Internet Explorer doesn't recognize a file. This usually happens when you download a file that needs a specialized viewer, for example, a RealAudio sound file or a compressed ZIP file. If you don't have the helper application, your best bet is to save the file to a disk and then try to get the application that will let Internet Explorer read the file. You'll find links to most of the helper applications you'll need on Netscape's Inline Plug-ins page at
http://home.netscape.com/comprod/products/netscape/version_2.0/plugins/index.html

Host unavailable
This error usually occurs when the host server is down. You can try to access the site again by clicking the Reload button on Internet Explorer's toolbar.

Host unknown or Unable to locate host
These errors often occur for one of three reasons: the host server is down, you lost your Internet connection, or you incorrectly typed the URL. Try clicking the Reload button first. If this doesn't work, look at the URL again. If you still get the error message, check your Internet connection.

Network connection was refused by the server or Too many connections - try again later
These errors most often indicate that the server is too busy to handle more traffic. You can try the site again by clicking the Reload button, or wait until a later time.

NNTP server error
An NNTP server error appears when you try to log on to a USENET newsgroup and can't gain access. This error signals several possible problems. As is often the problem, the host server may be down, or you may have incorrectly typed the URL. It's also possible that the newsgroup you chose isn't available through your ISP, in which case you won't be able to access the newsgroup unless you contact your ISP and get it to add the newsgroup. Another possible problem is that you may have incorrectly entered your newsgroup preferences.

Permission denied
This message occurs when you're trying to upload a file to an FTP site. The message indicates that the site's administrator won't allow the upload, the site is too busy, or that you've used the wrong syntax in the URL. Look at the URL syntax first and type it again. If the error message reappears, you should try again later. If the problem persists, you can try to E-mail the site's Webmaster for help.

Unable to locate the server
This error message indicates that Internet Explorer can't locate the server or that you incorrectly typed the URL. Look carefully at the server name in the URL and try retyping the URL.

You can't log on as an anonymous user
This error message appears when you try to access certain FTP sites. It indicates that the site allows access only to registered members, or that the site allows access to only a limited number of non-members, in which case the site is simply busy. You can try to access the site again later, or if you're a registered member, try entering your user ID and password manually using an FTP software package.