How to troubleshoot situations where you cannot complete MSN sign-up or connect to SSL secured (128-Bit) Web sites by using Internet Explorer in Windows XP (813444)

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Delete the temporary Internet files

To delete the temporary Internet files, follow these steps:

1. Start Internet Explorer.
2. On the Tools menu, click Internet Options, and then click the General tab.
3. Under Temporary Internet files, click Delete Cookies.
4. Click OK when you are prompted to confirm the deletion.
5. Click Delete Files.
6. Click OK when you are prompted to confirm the deletion.
7. Under History, click Clear History.
8. Click Yes when you are prompted to delete your history of visited Web sites.
9. Click OK.

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Configure security, content, and advanced settings in Internet Explorer

To configure security, content, and advanced settings in Internet Explorer, follow these steps:

1. Configure the security settings for the Trusted sites zone in Internet Explorer. To do this, follow these steps:
   1. In Internet Explorer, on the Tools menu, click Internet Options, and then click the Security tab.
   2. Click Trusted sites, and then click Default Level.
   3. Add the SSL Secured (128-Bit) Web site to the Trusted sites zone. To do this, click Sites, type the URL of the site in the Add this Web site to the zone box, click Add, click OK, and then click Apply.
2. Clear the Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) state and AutoComplete history. To do this, follow these steps:
   1. Click the Content tab.
   2. Under Certificates, click Clear SSL State.
   3. Click OK when you receive the message that the SSL cache was successfully cleared.
   4. Under Personal information, click AutoComplete.
   5. Under Clear AutoComplete history, click Clear Forms, and then click OK when you are prompted to confirm the operation.
   6. Click Clear Passwords, click OK when you are prompted to clear all previously saved passwords, and then click OK two times.
3. Verify that Internet Explorer is configured to use SSL 2.0 and SSL 3.0. To do this, follow these steps:
   1. Click the Advanced tab.
   2. Under Security in the Settings box, select the Use SSL 2.0 and Use SSL 3.0 check boxes (if they are not already selected), and then click OK.

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Verify that the date and time settings on your computer are correct

To verify that your computer is configured with the correct date and time settings, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, and then click Control Panel.
2. Click Date, Time, Language, and Regional Options, and then click Date and Time.
3. Click the Date & Time tab.
4. Make sure that the date and time settings are configured to use the current date and time, and then click OK.

Verify that your computer is using 128-bit encryption

To verify that your computer is using 128-bit encryption, follow these steps:

1. Start Internet Explorer.
2. On the Help menu, click About Internet Explorer.
3. The level of encryption on your computer appears next to the words Cipher Strength. Verify that the Cipher Strength value appears as 128-bit.
4. Click OK.

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Use System Restore to return your computer to a previous state

The System Restore feature in Windows XP takes a "snapshot" of critical system files and some program files and stores this information as restore points. You can use these restore points to return Windows XP to a previous state.

For additional information about how to use restore points to return Windows XP to a previous state, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: Back to the top

Verify the configuration of your third-party firewall or antivirus programs

Make sure that third-party firewall or antivirus programs that are installed on your computer are configured correctly and are not preventing you from connecting to security-enhanced Web sites. For more information, see the product documentation, or contact the program vendor.

For information about how to contact your software vendor, click the appropriate article number in the following list to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: Microsoft provides third-party contact information to help you find technical support. This contact information may change without notice. Microsoft does not guarantee the accuracy of this third-party contact information.
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Use the System File Checker (Sfc.exe) tool to scan all Windows File Protection (WFP)-protected files

Use System File Checker with the /scannow parameter to immediately scan and verify the versions of all the system files that Windows File Protection helps protect. If System File Checker discovers that such a file was overwritten, it retrieves the correct version of the file from the cache folder (Systemroot\System32\Dllcache) or from the Windows installation source files, and then replaces the incorrect file. System File Checker also checks and repopulates the cache folder. You must be logged on as an administrator or as a member of the Administrators group to run System File Checker.

To run System File Checker with the /scannow parameter, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, and then click Run.
2. In the Open box, type cmd, and then click OK.
3. At the command prompt, type sfc /scannow, and then press ENTER.

For more information about System File Checker, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: Back to the top

Verify that the Microsoft Cryptographic Services service is started

To verify that the Cryptographic Services service is started, or to start it if it is not already started, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, and then click Run.
2. In the Open box, type cmd, and then click OK.
3. At the command prompt, type net start cryptsvc, and then press ENTER.
4. Type exit to quit Command Prompt.

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Re-register .dll files

Re-register the following .dll files: To re-register these files, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, and then click Run.
2. In the Open box, type cmd, and then click OK.
3. At the command prompt, type the following lines and press ENTER after each line:

   regsvr32 softpub.dll
   regsvr32 wintrust.dll
   regsvr32 initpki.dll
   regsvr32 dssenh.dll
   regsvr32 rsaenh.dll
   regsvr32 gpkcsp.dll
   regsvr32 sccbase.dll
   regsvr32 slbcsp.dll
   regsvr32 cryptdlg.dll

4. Click OK when you receive the message that DllRegisterServer in FileName succeeded.
5. Type exit.

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Create a new user profile

You may not be able to locate SSL Secured (128-Bit) Web sites if your Windows user profile is damaged. To troubleshoot, log on to the computer as another user and try to connect to a SSL Secured (128-Bit) Web site. If you can connect to SSL Secured (128-Bit) Web sites when you are logged in as a different user, your user profile may be corrupted. To resolve the problem, back up the information and settings that you want from your profile (for example, the My Documents and Favorites folders), and then delete the damaged profile.

To delete a user profile, follow these steps:

1. Log on to the computer as Administrator or as a member of the Administrators group.
2. Click Start, and then click Control Panel.
3. Click Performance and Maintenance, and then click System.
4. Click the Advanced tab, and then under User Profiles, click Settings.
5. In the Profiles stored on this computer list, click the user profile that you want to delete, and then click Delete.
6. Click Yes when you are prompted to confirm the deletion.
7. Click OK two times, and then quit Control Panel.
8. Log off the computer as Administrator, and then log on as the user.
   
   Windows creates a new profile for the user.

Note Alternatively, you may want to create a new user, and then copy the data from your old profile to the profile of the new user.

For more information about how to do this, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: Back to the top