IE: See Server Error Messages Instead of the Generic Friendly Ones

Contributed by MickeyMouse June 19, 2005  
Tagged: Windows

When an error occurs in IE, you have two ways to view the error. You either can see the error message the server sends you, or you can see Microsoft’s generic “friendly” error message. Here’s how to change between the two.

By default Internet Explorer recognizes typical HTTP errors and displays a generic “friendly” error message regarding this error. This error reporting is supposedly more user friendly and less confusing. However, what it really does is hide the error message coming from the server. This information from the server can be very useful in trying to determine what caused the actual error.

This is the text from a “friendly” error message. How is this helpful?

The page cannot be displayed
There is a problem with the page you are trying to reach and it cannot be displayed.

------------------------------------------------------------------

Please try the following:

Open the home page, and then look for links to the information you want.
Click the Refresh button, or try again later.

Click Search to look for information on the Internet.
You can also see a list of related sites.
HTTP 500 - Internal server error
Internet Explorer

If you want to see the real HTTP error code, just disable these “friendly” error messages…

Here’s how to disable the “friendly” error messages:

1. Open IE
2. Click the Tools Menu
3. Click Internet Options
4. Click the Advanced tab
5. Uncheck Show Friendly HTTP Error Messages
6. Click OK