Cannot connect to a Web site : HTTP Error 401

[Walsh]

hi,
i recently installed windows vista on my Dell Vostro 1500 Notebook.the problem is when i try to access certain website it gives me an error message "HTTP Error 401 - Unauthorized: Access is denied due to invalid credentials". Does anyone know what causes this issue and how to fix it? Any help will be extremely appreciated.

[Trio]

hi,
This behavior occurs if the following conditions are true:The Web site that you try to view uses Integrated Windows authentication.
The application pool for the Web site recycles during the authentication process.

[deveritt]

If you think that the URL Web page should be accessible to all and sundry on the Internet, then a 401 message indicates a deeper problem. The first thing you can do is check your URL via a Web browser. This browser should be running on a computer to which you have never previously identified yourself in any way, and you should avoid authentication (passwords etc.) that you have used previously. Ideally all this should be done over a completely different Internet connection to any you have used before (e.g. a different ISP dial-up connection). In short, you are trying to get the same behaviour a total stranger would get if they surfed the Internet to your Web page.

If this type of browser check indicates no authority problems, then it is possible that your Web server (or surrounding systems) have been configured to disallow certain patterns of HTTP traffic. In other words, HTTP communication from a well-known Web browser is allowed, but automated communication from other systems is rejected with an 401 error code. This is unusual, but may indicate a very defensive security policy around your Web server.

[Techno01]

It's possible that the 401 Unauthorized error appeared because the URL was typed wrong or the link that was clicked on points to the wrong URL - one that is for authorized users only.

If you're sure the URL is valid, visit the website's main page and look for a link that says Login or Secure Access. Enter your credentials here and then try the page again. If you don't have credentials, follow the instructions provided on the website for setting up an account.