Comm Corner: January, 1997

Internet Error messages - Part II 
by John Woody


Alamo PC Organization: HOME > PC Alamode Magazine > Columns > Comm Corner 
This is part two of the Internet error message article. These error messages are the non-numbered ones which display during some Web searches. Some are HTML related and others are site related. Nearly all of them relate to the World Wide Web. One or two relate to locked sites or to FTP sites.

Bad File Request & Too Many Users

These error messages indicate HTML coding problems at the site. Or, the problem may be that your browser can not support the form you are trying to access. E-mailing the site administrator for assistance may help to solve the problem.

Cannot Add Form Submission Result to Bookmark List

This error is a result of trying to save the results of a form-based search engine (WebCrawler, etc.) as a bookmark. Even though it looks like a valid URL, it is not. Go around this error by printing the results or saving them as a HTML file.

Failed DNS Lookup

Failed DNS Lookup errors indicate the Domain Name System (DNS) is not able to translate the URL into a valid Internet Address. There are several situation for this error. Server traffic overload or down status will cause it. Busy servers can be reached by re-trying the URL. Temporary down status has no way around it except to re-try later. There is no way to determine whether the server is down, by the way. Also, recheck your typing of the URL. Finally, if you are using a modem for access, and you get a DNS error for each Web site you attempt to log on to, chances are your connection is bad. Re-launch your communication program and browser to make sure of your connection. If there is a problem on the second attempt, then check with your ISP for problems at his site.

File Contains No Data

With the correct site URL, this is a good indication that the site is being updated. Re-try the URL again at a later time. You may also by-pass this error by re-typing the URL with :80 before the last slash.

Helper Application Not Found & Viewer Not Found

The browser does not recognize the file format when these errors are shown. It usually happens when a downloaded file needs a specialized viewer such as RealAudio, for a sound file and your browser is not set for it. Save the file to disk and then get the application called far by it. Setup in the browser Helper section is required to make it work.

Host Unavailable

The Host Unavailable error occurs when the host server is down. Re-try the site at a later time. Click on the Reload button on the browser toolbar to make sure that everything loaded properly.

Host Unknown & Unable to Locate Host

These errors occur due to any one of three reasons: host server is down, you have lost your Internet connection, or you have incorrectly typed the URL. Click the Reload button first. Then check the URL. Lastly, check your Internet connection.

Network Connection was Refused by the Server & Too many connections - Try Again Later

These errors indicate that the server is too busy to handle more traffic. Try again later or click on the Reload button.

NNTP Server Error

An NNTP server error appears during attempts to log on to a USENET newsgroup and you can not gain access. Several problems are inherent in this error. The host server may be down, the URL may be typed incorrectly, the newsgroup you have chosen may not be available from your ISP, or you may have incorrectly entered your browser's newsgroup preferences. Check all of the possibilities on your machine before contacting your ISP to see if they will add the newsgroup to its news reader server.

Permission Denied

This error message occurs when your are trying to upload a file to an FTP site. The error indicates that the site will not allow the upload, the site is too busy, or you are using the wrong syntax in the URL. Check the syntax first and type it again. If the error message reappears, try again later. If it persists, contact the site administrator by e-mail for help.

Unable to Locate the Server

This error indicates that the browser can not find the site, or that you have incorrectly retyped the URL. Check the server name in the URL, then re-try typing the URL.

You Can Not Log On as an Anonymous User

you get this error message when you attempt to access certain FTP sites. It indicates the site is available to members only, or that the site is available to a limited number of non-members and it is too busy to handle your request. Try again later, or if a registered member, reenter your password and user ID manually with an FTP application.