Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with 404error

Why Am I getting 404 errors for legitimate web pages while casually browsing?

smersh — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 01:58:12 -0800

While casually surfing, why am I getting 404 errors for pages that definitely exist (like google and facebook)? How can I stop it? While casually surfing, I get at least five Hostgator 404 errors a day, for pages that definitely exist. Pages on google, on major websites like ign.com, facebook, etc.

I'm in India, surfing on a MacBook Pro, Safari, Leopard (though I've seen it on Firefox and on OS 10.4). I think it has to do with my ISP, but I'm not sure. It could be my wireless router (Airport Express).

My annoying remedy is to change my DNS Server information to OpenDNS when a page doesn't work (208.67.222.222 and 208.67.220.220). But, I get the same 404 page errors at the same frequency.

The switching of DNS servers ALWAYS helps immediately, but never long term. That is, it'll allow me to see the page/site right away, but another legitimate page will give me a 404 some time later.

Please help me. I'm really hoping that my configurations are doing this somehow, but I don't know how.

thanks!

PHP/IIS index page must be explicitly specified to use GET vars?

CaptApollo — Fri, 20 Jan 2006 12:57:53 -0800

PHP under IIS doesn't serve default content page (index.php) when only GET variables are passed? e.g., /directory/?myvar=foobar ...I have a custom 404 error configured, and IIS is set to confirm file exists. I just installed WordPress 2.0, and it works great, except for when it tries to pass GET variables straight to its base URL, which is just /directory/, not /directory/index.php. The error returned is, predictably, "The specified file could not be found." which is what IIS throws when you call a non-existant php page unless you have "confirm file exists" flagged, which I do.

I have mod_rewrite installed, but do not speak regexp (I know, I should). Would it be possible to rewrite calls to this directory to append index.php? Could someone please provide the regular expression?

Or another solution?
(And yes, I know I'm doing a tricked-out tango with IIS and PHP, but CTO won't let me get a *nix box. )

Firefox downloads custom 404 under IIS

CaptApollo — Wed, 20 Apr 2005 15:17:59 -0800

My custom 404 error page under IIS loads fine in IE, but firefox tries to download it instead of displaying it. I'm guessing something to do with MIME type?

Also, nonexistant .php files don't get a 404 under either browser, but instead return "No input file specified."

Oh, IIS, how do I love thee, let me count the ways.