persistent URL

  • Thread starter Thread starter Len Cook
  • Start date Start date
L

Len Cook

Here's a URL we pass to IE6:
http://machine2/PSOL/cgi-bin/doccgi.exe?
parm=integrate...etc.

Most of our browsers find this URL just fine, but a few of
our browsers attempt to connect to this URL:
http://machine2/cgi-bin/doccgi.exe?parm=integrate...etc

The SECOND URL is obsolete. We used it in the past, and
the problematic browsers continue to translate the first
URL into the second, and of course produce Error 404.

We suspected a cache problem. We instructed users to:

1) Delete all temporary internet files
2) Clear all history
3) Delete cookies
4) Delete all files in temp directory (or cut and paste
files into an alternately named directory)

No help there. The affected browsers (IE6) continue to
translate the first URL into the second. Ideas? Where
else to look? I've asked users to search registry keys,
values, and data for the "machine2/cgi-bin/doccgi.exe"
string. I've also asked them to search for the text
within all files in the file system of the affected
machines. Their opinion of me after those last 2 requests
has taken the outgoing tide, and so far they haven't
actually complied with the info request.

How does IE6 store a URL in a way that allows such
substitution?
 
Do you have proof that that second URL is originating with IE?
If you haven't done an HTTP packet sniff it may just as likely
(even more likely considering the actions you have tried)
to originate from a server caused redirect. If that were the case
you should be looking in the path from the server to the client
not on the client.

Two things that you could try with that in mind would be to
temporarily disable Allow META REFRESH (in case the
redirect is implemented that way) and a Ctrl-F5 Refresh
(if the first URL sticks in your Address bar long enough
to try that). If there is a Cookie associated with the first
URL you could slow things down by setting Prompt for
Cookies. Unfortunately the Prompt is a modal dialog
so it doesn't really allow you to inject a Refresh.
(E.g. the best you might be able to get is a very quick
Stop (e.g. press Esc) and then the Ctrl-F5.)
OTOH denying a Cookie might stir things up and put you
on a new path you haven't seen yet...


Good luck

Robert Aldwinckle
 
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