PRB: Unable to View Content in MSDN Library

• Microsoft Visual Studio 6.0
• MSDN Library

SYMPTOMS

You are unable to view some or all of the Microsoft Developer Network (MSDN) Library content. The errors that you receive vary depending on what version of Internet Explorer you are using. If you are using Internet Explorer 4.0 you may receive the following error:

Internet Explorer cannot open the Internet Site mk:@MSITStore:XXXX The name %1 is not valid.

This page cannot be displayed.
Cannot find server or DNS error.

CAUSE

MSDN has been installed to a directory with a pound (#) character in the path.

RESOLUTION

Uninstall MSDN and reinstall it to a path that does not contain a # character in the path.

MORE INFORMATION

If you run MSDN from a shared network installation, the content that is installed to the local computer does not work. But the content that is pulled from the network does.

The # character is a valid character for a file or directory name as far as the file system is concerned. The # character has special meaning in a URL. The MSDN Library creates the URL for a page from the file system path. Thus when you have a # in the file system path, the URL that MSDN Library generates becomes invalid.

Steps to Reproduce Behavior

1. Install MSDN to a directory that has a # character in the path.



2. Attempt to browse through the Library content.

REFERENCES

SRX990803601274

Additional query words:

Keywords : kbMSDN kbVS600 kbDSupport
Version : WINDOWS:6.0
Platform : WINDOWS
Issue type : kbprb