Can't view XHTML Web sites, can anyone help?

[Snowstorm]

I can't view web sites with the xhtml type. I get a "The connection was reset" error. I have a Mac with Firefox 9.0.1 and I keep it up to date. Hubby has an old PC with a current Firefox and xhtml sites won't load on his computer either. I'm positive something is "off" with Firefox. I don't believe I have a bug.

Long story short, I compared information about those sites with my favorite sites that will download. The sites that failed to load were all the "application/xhtml+xml" types; all successful sites were html types.

In troubleshooting the past few days, I accidentally saved one of the xhtml sites as a separate Safari link/file. With I opened the file, an old version of Safari popped up and the site worked. All those xhtml sites work on Safari.

I've researched several technical sites on the Internet (including Firefox/Mozilla) and searched AW trying to figure out how to fix Firefox myself, but either they don't tell me how to fix it or if they do, I just don't understand all the technical goo. Add-ons or plug-ins that mention "xhtml" are so full of gobblygook I don't have a clue which one, if any, might work.

Can anyone point me in the right direction? Thank you!

[Medievalist]

Can you post a URL for one that won't load? I'll see if I can duplicate your problem.

[alleycat]

I'll try too.

[Snowstorm]

Here's one of the sites (http://www.weatherlysdachshunds.com/). Thank you both for trying.

[Matera the Mad]

That site is plain HTML, as far as I can see. (Terribly old-school too, lol)

[Medievalist]

That's not XHTML; it's mostly javascript.

Sometimes the "connection was reset error" has to do with your ISP / Browser getting tired of waiting for data that loads from a Web site.

Are you having problems with AW? Do the controls for posting look normal?

[Snowstorm]

Medievalist: Most importantly, I'm having NO problem with AW and all the controls look normal. Whew!

I have a satellite DSL connection so data downloads are fast.

When I was trying to figure out what the problem was, I compared the "Page Information" (under the "Tools" in the bar above) between all the pages of the sites that failed against several that worked. Every page that failed showed "application/xhtml+xml" types and all those that worked showed type of "html."

[Tirjasdyn]

Medievalist: Most importantly, I'm having NO problem with AW and all the controls look normal. Whew!

I have a satellite DSL connection so data downloads are fast.

When I was trying to figure out what the problem was, I compared the "Page Information" (under the "Tools" in the bar above) between all the pages of the sites that failed against several that worked. Every page that failed showed "application/xhtml+xml" types and all those that worked showed type of "html."

And you've tried clearing your internet cache?

The doctypes can screw up a page if they are incorrect but the only example you've shown us seems to work fine. Is there any other examples?

[Snowstorm]

Tirjasdyn: I have my Firefox set to clear the cache every time I close it. Plus, I've manually cleared it too.

Here are a couple more Web sites that will not load: One (http://www.bbdox.com/), and two (http://www.drycreekminidachshunds.com/nursery.html).

I'm sorry for the delay in getting back to you. Thank you for any ideas.

[Charles Farley]

When I was trying to figure out what the problem was, I compared the "Page Information" (under the "Tools" in the bar above) between all the pages of the sites that failed against several that worked. Every page that failed showed "application/xhtml+xml" types and all those that worked showed type of "html."


I don't use firefox so this might not be available but . .

In the same tools menu is there an advanced option or an option that mentions Script errors? If you see one try "turning off script debugging" or turning on something like "suppress script errors"

It sounds like Firefox might be having trouble loading those pages because it is trying to "fix" an error it might see.

By the way . . all three sites open fine for me

Hope this helps

[Snowstorm]

Charles Farley, thank you for your ideas. I've been all through Firefox and searched using a search engine to find out how to turn off the script debugging or anything like that. I can't find anything other than to download software like an add-on. I've been through every bit of software in the Mac to try to find the script debugging. I'm in the realm of messing with the "deeper", more intricate, software than I should be fiddling in. I don't want to cause a worse problem.

Makes NO sense! I think I'm going to give up on it. Thank you all so much for taking your time to help. Perhaps sometime in the future during an update, something will download that will make these work.

[Charles Farley]

There is a Beta version that came out today . .

http://www.majorgeeks.com/Mozilla_Firefox_10.0_Beta_2_d7386.html

But if you are not comfortable with Beta versions you can wait for a final release. Don't know if this situation is addressed or not in the new version . .

[Tirjasdyn]

All these pages are using quicktime plugins so make sure that is up to date....

Other than them being poorly made, I can see all of them in the latest non beta of firefox, chrome and ie9. None of these have the xhtml doc type, they are all html transitional 4.01.

If you're still getting a connection reset error then you may want to contact the owners of the pages. This doesn't appear to be a firefox problem. I could also pull them up in firefox 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8. Current non beta is 9.

[Charles Farley]

Tirjasdyn, are you running all those versions on a Mac?

I seem to remember some compatability problems with the FF/Mac combo . ?

[Snowstorm]

Charles Farley: I think I've reached my limit for delving into this. I pulled up that Web site you referenced, but I saw it was only for Windows/XP-type software. I sure appreciate your help!

Tirjasdyn: My QuickTime plugin is up to date. Still no difference. At one time today, I thought the encoding might have something to do with it. I learned a lot today about that, but that still didn't make a difference.

Thank you both for trying!

[Charles Farley]

Yeah . . I tend to believe it is an encoding problem myself . . Fire fox 3.6 was built with mac in mind . .the newer versions I'm not sure about.

This is not a fix but Google chrome was built with mac in mind. Doesn't fix your FF problem but might be a work around . .

[Medievalist]

If you want to keep using Firefox, try exporting your bookmarks, and then deleting Firefox and its support files in Library and Preferences.

Then reinstall.

Alternatively, Safari or Chrome both are fine on a Mac.

[Snowstorm]

Excellent ideas! Thank you, Charles Farley and Medievalist. I'll look into those. Perhaps just getting rid of the Firefox and starting over is the way. Thank you again.

[Medievalist]

If you're running OS X Lion, you'll need to hold down the Option key and look in the Go menu of the Finder to see your Library folder/directory.

[Snowstorm]

I deleted Firefox, but I couldn't find the "library" though. I downloaded another Firefox and ... no change.

Thank you all though for your ideas.

[ComicBent]

I only read about two-thirds of the posts above ... so I apologize for any redundancy here.

I am running Windows XP with Firefox 8.0.

I tried the drycreekminidachshunds site mentioned above, and it worked just fine. My connection was a simple telephone hookup.

[Medievalist]

I deleted Firefox, but I couldn't find the "library" though. I downloaded another Firefox and ... no change.

Thank you all though for your ideas.

Sorry--missed that you were running OS 9.

I suspect that the OS may be the problem, honestly. It is at least not impossible.

Are you connecting via dialup or broadband?

Firefox will have a directory in the System/preferences/ folder.

It may be called Mozilla. I would move it to the desktop, and not trash it immediately.

Then install a new copy of Firefox.

Reboot the Mac.

And try your luck.

[Tirjasdyn]

Strike that, I missed OS 9 as well (cause i did check on the macs in our house too).

Mozilla working on OS 9 may not support everything in those pages, I'm not sure how up to date OS 9 browers got...it's been a long time. But if they put something newer on the page, it could be causing the issue.

[lordzapharos]

All of the pages you mentioned are running HTML 4.01 Transitional, not XHTML. In addition, "Doctype" errors would not produce a "connection was reset" error; there is no correlation between the two. Assuming your browser and OS are fully updated, your browser itself is probably not to blame.

This kind of error is unpredictable and will generally "go away" when the site owner or hosting service identifies and fixes the problem, assuming the problem originated on their end. Otherwise, it might also be a problem with your Internet Service Provider, in which case you will need to call them, give them the example sites, and ask them to fix it.