Unable to access OWA site
I've done a fresh install of the beta 2. I'm connected to the net and have no problem accessing various websites (like this one) with IE7+.
However, I am unable to display two company websites; the OWA server and the NFUSE server. It gives the same error message in IE as if the serveres where down.
Trying to connect from my WinXP machine connected to the same network (behind the same FW) and it connects perfectly.
Anyone got any ideas? Maybe someone can try browsing to www.idrettskontor.no and www.idrettsmail.no to see if they get contact from Vista/IE7+?
Probably some settings I haven't figured out yet, but any suggestions are more than welcome!
Thanks!
Answers
Gang,
Taking Saska's advice I checked my Exchange 2003 servers and found they were missing Hotfix # 911829. This fix enables IE7 on Vista to properly use OWA. The fix too only a few minutes to apply and everything works great!
MK
All Replies
No clue as to why, but interestingly enough - my attempt at accessing those two sites got an IMMEDIATE "IE can't display the webpage" response. It seems to think I have no connectivity to the web - and yet, here I am - and am able to access other websites. It barely has time to get DNS response to the web page before reporting back that it can't get there.
Maybe something in the way your servers are configured or the web pages themselves are done that's keeping them from recognizing the new version of IE?
When I attempt to access the web sites you link to, I don't get any response at all - perhaps eventually it will time out, but so far after two minutes I am just sitting at a blank page with the little "working" circle rotating around.
Have to agree with Wolfie - this is very likely an issue with the web server itself being configured to only accept connections from certain browsers. The most recent versions of IE7 beta 2 are rejected by a number of sites I use that have this kind of server-side browser checking. Can you talk to your system administrator and find out what shows up in their error logs, if anything?
Nothing on the logs of the nfuse og owa servers. Also found out today I can't access my bank either... www.dnbnor.no
But, from what you're saying this is a server issue rather than a client issue!?
/ah/
- I can access all three sites. Are you still having the same problem or has it resolved?
No idea. I can't access your bank's site either. Though, I think I was able to download the site's icon. The e logo changed into a square block of four smaller blue and purple squares.
Neither of the other sites you're having problems did that - which means they may not have an icon associated with it or it's not even getting that far.
We'll have to ask Richard to see what he's done to access these sites.
Richard..
As a matter of fact, still having the same issue with all three sites. So what DID you do to get it to work - or are you somehow blessed with access to those sites without any issues?
- I must be blessed. I just clicked the links and it worked. Here is another part of it thuogh, I tested it with IE 7 in XP. I'll test it via Vista as soon as I can and let you know what happens.
Hmm.. IE7 on XP you say... That MAY be the difference. We've been beating our heads up agasint the proverbial wall using Vista.
Interesing side note - I can get to all three sites using IE 6 in XP. The first site offers up a web site with a log in that's written in Norwegian. The 2nd one pops up a log in dialog box and the bank site is your typical banking site - also in Norwegian.
Please.. Let us know if you've got issues with the sites using Vista as well.
IE7 in Windows XP is not the same application as IE7 in Vista. The Vista version behaves in a fundamentally different way by sandboxing itself completely from the operating system.
I tried turning off protected mode and going to the sites and was unable to do so. Therefore, my assumption is that the version of IE7 released with Vista reports something different to the web server, causing the web server not to allow requests from the Vista IE7 browser.
I cannot access my bank's web site with the latest versions of IE7 B2 either in XP or in Vista. Both give me a "browser not supported" error. The error is generic and the wording suggests I am using an old browser, meaning the browser requirements were designed to stop people from using old and insecure browsers - but their configuration is set to "allow" only approved browsers rather than to "deny" older browsers they have identified.
- My installation of Vista is running in Virtual Server and is slower than mollasas running uphill in the winter. I can not get to the sites, but it my be because my cpu is continually pegged at 100% in Vista. Untill MS releases improved VS additions Vista is almost unusable for me. The upshot is that I could not get these in Vista.
Interesting analysis. How about a IE6 compatibility mode in IE7 Vista and IE7 XP/Win Server 2003 versions, if it was even something that even exists (in either IE7 version) to help bridge potential incidents / behaviors like these?
That'll probably do for a short term solution - but Web programmers are just gonna have to get their act together and make it so IE7 will work on sites that require browser specific coding.
Which should be a good thing - added revenue for site designers to tweak their code. Not so good for the customers who have to pay to make their sites compatible.
In some cases it ain't gonna happen...
Are we going to have to upgrade the exchange servers so that users can access outlook webaccess from ie7+?
This can not be anything but an undesired bug in IE7+... or??
Let me make something clear: This is not a matter of "incompatibility" with the web server software that is serving the pages. This is a matter of the web server being configured to accept connections only from a static list of approved web browsers. The change to add a browser type to this list is not something that involves upgrading the server software or even, if it has been done well initially, particularly complicated. The same types of reconfigurations would be required if versions of other browsers began reporting significantly different version numbers when queried for browser type.
As such, it is also not a bug in IE7, but rather a necessary change in how IE7 reports itself to the web server. In time, IE6 will be phased out in favor of improved security and usability in IE7, although the timeframe for that is unknown and depends in large part on how long web servers continue to support IE6. If IE7 simply "spoofed" the IE6 browser type, it would not simplify life for you or for your web site administrators. Instead, it would introduce confusion in how pages were rendered if they were served out as though written for IE6, rather than based on clearer standards employed in IE7.
I am able to connect to my corporate Exchange server with IE7 in both XP and Vista. When IE7 transitioned to Beta 2, I know that it began reporting a different browser version because some sites internally no longer worked with IE7 Beta 1. Perhaps you could volunteer to test connectivity for your IT department so that they could implement the additional approved browser. If at this time they do not wish to add IE7 B2 to the list of approved browsers, I can only suggest you install a different browser until they are comfortable doing so.
Gang,
Taking Saska's advice I checked my Exchange 2003 servers and found they were missing Hotfix # 911829. This fix enables IE7 on Vista to properly use OWA. The fix too only a few minutes to apply and everything works great!
MK
- Mark, thanks a lot for following up with the hotfix number for Exchange 2003 users!
No problem. I've taken the plunge and I'm running Vista Beta2 now on my main production laptop. I figure being a tech consultant I should "eat my own dogfood". So far so good. The only problem I'm having is getting Adobe Flash to install.
MK
- I am able to log into several different sites via OWA, but I have noticed that if the site is set up with a secure redirect (to HTTPS:), it won't work. I have to type in https:// to get the login page to load.
The solution to get IE 7+ in Vista beta 2 to work with dnbnor.no is to enable SSL 2.0 in the Tools | Internet Options | Advanced tab.
Asgaut
We are running Exchange 2000, and do an HTTPS redirect on our OWA access. Everything works fine, I'm able to connect to the server, read mail, etc. All is fine until I go to reply or create a new message. I get a red X in the body of the message as if a picture can't be displayed. I've added my OWA site as a trusted address, and I've tried selecting "use SSL 2.0", but neither makes a difference.
I'm really at a loss as to why I get a red X in the body section of the email.
I've seen same problem and have tried all of the suggestions in the thread as of this writing. I'm running Beta 3 on an XP SP2 "all current patches" client. Interestingly, I access two different OWA servers (consulting clients). One works fine, the other not entirely, as described below.
I can not reply, reply all, forward or compose new e-mail on the OWA instance that doesn't work.
Circumstance is same for all 4 sending scenarios: Click "reply" (for instance), and I get a small "blue" window that says "Waiting for Webmail.(company name).com/Exchange..." on the lower left info bar. After about 30 seconds, it displays "!An unknown error occured" in the center of the "Blue screen". (How ironic that that metaphor keeps coming back!).
I've also tried turning off phish, popup, etc. Also added OWA site to trusted zone and lowered security settings to lowest.
Any other ideas?
I am running Vista x64 and thanks to this post I finally got OWA working on my home SBS 2003. I am planning to roll it out to my clients who are curious about Vista and wish to explore it a bit.
I am so glad MS wanted more RC1 testers!
The hotfix is the solution....
Read this blog for information - might be useful...
http://blogs.msdn.com/ie/archive/2006/06/27/648850.aspxWe may have a unique problem. Having the same issue as everyone else in that we cannot REPLY or COMPOSE emails in OWA with Vista installed, using IE7.
We tried installing Hotbix KB 911829 like everyone else (who says it works perfectly), however, it won't install for us! We get the following error message:
UPDATE FOR EXCHANGE SERVER 2003 SETUP ERROR: The service pack installed on your system is lower than what is necessary to apply this hotfix. At minimum you must have SP2 installed.
...and we do....Version 6.5 (Build 7623.0 Service Pack 2) 11/2/2006 Enterprise Edition
We even went so far as to download and install SP2 for Exchange Server 2003 again and the Hotfix still won't install. Has anyone seen this and know why? We are perplexed to say the least.
Is there anything that can be done on the client side to enable OWA to play nicely with Vista EI7.0?
-Rick
- I had similar issues and decided to try it with Firefox and Vista. It works great!
This worked for me since I don't have support from my admins at my place of employment for Vista.
Firefox works flawlessly.
-Rick
- This is not right. I don't have access nor the ability to tell our IT department to run a server side patch. Vista is pretty cool but email is my life so I am either going to have to pitch my laptop over the wall and get an Apple or downgrade my OS until MS pulls its head out of its ***.
- For now I've installed Firefox. It works fine, except preview pane doesn't seem to work.
We may have a unique problem. Having the same issue as everyone else in that we cannot REPLY or COMPOSE emails in OWA with Vista installed, using IE7. We tried installing Hotbix KB 911829 like everyone else (who says it works perfectly), however, it won't install for us! We get the following error message:
UPDATE FOR EXCHANGE SERVER 2003 SETUP ERROR: The service pack installed on your system is lower than what is necessary to apply this hotfix. At minimum you must have SP2 installed.
...and we do....Version 6.5 (Build 7623.0 Service Pack 2) 11/2/2006 Enterprise Edition
We even went so far as to download and install SP2 for Exchange Server 2003 again and the Hotfix still won't install. Has anyone seen this and know why? We are perplexed to say the least.
I have this very same issue, we have the same version number of Exchange also. Did you find a solution???
Are you running SBS perhaps? If so you will need the following.....
There is no SBS SP2 that I am aware of.
You aren't confusing it with Windows 2003 SP2?
Have you installed the specific SBS Service Pack?
For an SBS Machine to be fully up to date you need
Windows 2003 Service Pack
Exchange 2003 Service Pack
Small Business Service Pack
and an update to Sharepoint and some other bits.
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2003/sbs/dow nloads/sp1 / default.m spx
Windows 2003 SP2 does NOT include the update to the SBS specific functions.-Rick
Hi Rick, we are running SBS. I have verified that we are running Windows 2003 SP2, Exchange 2003 SP2 and SBS SP1. The only item I'm not sure of is the Sharepoint services. Do I need to install Sharepoint v3 for this update to install? Sounds strange to me if that is the case.
