Installed IE8 & SP3 on XP now I can't HTTPS from any browser

Question

The computer is Windows XP Professional SP3 with IE8.

On the Tools > Options > Connections the "Settings" is GRAYED OUT (I am an admin on the machine)

Any browsing of https:// addresses results in IE displaying the following:

"this program cannot display the web page"

After installing an alternate browser and trying the same https:// address I get a similar error message.

I have tried using Compatibility View Settings to for all web pages and this has no effect on the problem.

HTTP addresses work fine, I can PING sites such as google.com without issue.

Question: What could be preventing me from getting at the settings to check to see if I'm using a proxy? What else could be preventing HTTPS access?

Answer 1

You could be behind a firewall which is preventing access to port TCP port 443 (the port used for HTTPS connections) and only allowing connections to port 80 (HTTP).

In a Command Prompt, enter:

telnet some.domain.name 80

and

telnet some.domain.name 443

and see if you get different results. (Type Ctrl] then quit to exit telnet.)

You should see the window go blank in both cases. But if you see a Connecting To ... message and a delay (or some error message) then something is stopping you reaching the HTTPS port.

To re-enable Internet Options, this may work:

• Click Start, Run, enter gpedit.msc

• Open User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Internet Explorer\Internet Control Panel\Browser Menus.

• Double click on "Tools menu: Disable Internet Options ..." and choose "Not Configured" or "Disabled".

• Click Apply and then close the Group Policy tool.