OFF97: "Best of the Web" Link Fails to Open Internet Site

• Microsoft Access 97 for Windows
• Microsoft Excel 97 for Windows
• Microsoft Office Binder 97 for Windows
• Microsoft PowerPoint 97 for Windows
• Microsoft Word 97 for Windows

SYMPTOMS

In any of the programs listed above, if you click the Help menu, point to "Microsoft on the Web," and then click "Best of the Web," you may receive an error message:

   Internet Explorer cannot open the Internet site
   http://www.microsoft.com/isapi/redir.dll?PRD=msft&SBP=&PLCID=1033&
   PVER=&OS=Win&OVER=4&OLCID=1033&CLCID=1033&AR=directory&SBA=&
   O1=Office8&O2=&O3=.

   The site was not found. Make sure the address is correct, and try
   again.

CAUSE

You may receive this error message because the "Best of the Web" Web page is sometimes very slow to respond when opened. In particular, loading this Web page may take a very long time if you are connected to the Internet by a modem, as opposed to a direct Internet connection.

NOTE: This problem is not specific to Microsoft Internet Explorer; it can occur when using any Web browser.

RESOLUTION

If you receive the error message shown above, click OK. In your Microsoft Office 97 program, click the Help menu, point to "Microsoft on the Web," and click "Best of the Web" again. The page will usually load on the second attempt.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the Microsoft products listed at the beginning of this article. We are researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.

MORE INFORMATION

In the programs included with Microsoft Office 97, the Help menu contains a submenu named "Microsoft on the Web." This submenu contains links to a number of Web pages that contain information you may find useful including product news, answers to frequently asked questions (FAQs), and online support.

The "Best of the Web" page includes links to Web pages that are particularly interesting or well-designed.