I have windows 98. When I try to go to some web sites a window comes
up and says that I am unable to connect because I have an unsupported
browser and need to upgrade to at least Internet Explorer 4. I am
currently using IE 6 !! Any ideas on how to correct this problem.? I
have tried to reload both Windows 98 and reinstall IE 6..

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Request for Question Clarification by mother-ga on 19 Aug 2002 16:07 PDT

Which sites give you this error window?

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Request for Question Clarification by mvguy-ga on 19 Aug 2002 16:30 PDT

Do your have JavaScript enabled or disabled? Do you have Java enabled
or disabled? It is possible that if you have these features disabled
that the Web site thinks (so to speak) that you're using a browser
that's too old.

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Request for Question Clarification by secret901-ga on 19 Aug 2002 17:08 PDT

Do you use an Internet Explorer plug-in called Hotbar?  This program
skins your Internet Explorer toolbar with a customized image.  I've
had the same experience trying to access http://www.cbsnews.com a
while ago.  If you do, this might be the root of your problem.  Let me
know if it's the case and I'll propose a solution.

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Clarification of Question by computernerd1-ga on 20 Aug 2002 12:50 PDT

Hi everyone and thx for you help attempts....  It only happens on a
few sites. Hotmail and Costco.com at this time.. No, I do not have a
hotbar plug in.  It may be some sort of javascript setting. I have my
computer set up for two users.(two seperate password log ons.) This
problem only occurs on one users side of the computer it does not
happen on the other..

Maybe the script for detecting an unsupported browser on the site only
detects up to 5.5 and your version 6.0 is 'not supported'.
- or maybe the plugin that is required to view the site, e.g.
shockwave is not supported
regards
lot-ga

Possibly you have a tool such as Norton Personal Firewall installed or
one of the many "masking" tools. When you browser requests a page, it
sends a piece of information called the useragent field - this is
typically something like:
 
Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows 98) 
 
A lot of sites will check which browser you are using (IE6, Win98) and
see if their site is compatible. If you sent something like:
 
Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 3.0; Windows 95) 
 
and so the site might send back different content that IE3 on Win95
supports. I suspect that you are using a utility that alters the
useragent when it leaves your computer. Norton Personal Firewall has a
feature for just this - I've noticed that when I set it to substitute
the useragent for an advert for my website (!) I was refused entry
into some sites because they didn't think I had an up to date browser.
 
NPF is the only program I *know* that does it - there are probably
many more - Outpost ( http://www.agnitum.com/products/outpost/ ) has a
feature to block the referrer (another story!) and may have a
useragent version. If you are running any such program then possibly a
corporate proxy server (if you are on a network accessing the
internet) is using its own useragent?
 
Could you possibly give us the address of some of the problem
websites? I can then experiment with them and see :-)
 
Hope this helps, 
 
Technonotice