Custom User Agent String Unavailable with Proxy Auto Config

ID: Q182859

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Internet Explorer version 4.01 for Windows 95
Microsoft Internet Explorer version 4.01 for Windows NT 4.0

IMPORTANT: This article contains information about editing the registry. Before you edit the registry, make sure you understand how to restore it if a problem occurs. For information about how to do this, view the "Restoring the Registry" Help topic in Regedit.exe or the "Restoring a Registry Key" Help topic in Regedt32.exe.

SYMPTOMS

Internet Explorer version 4.01 always fetches an auto proxy configuration script using a standard User Agent string of "Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 4.01; Win32)."

RESOLUTION

To resolve this issue, obtain the following fix:

For Windows NT Workstation or Server 4.0:

   Wininet.dll dated 3-4-98, size 369,424 bytes, version 4.72.3104.0 or
   later

For Windows 95:

   Wininet.dll dated 3-4-98, size 370,448 bytes, version 4.72.3104.0 or
   later

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Microsoft Internet Explorer version 4.01. A supported fix is now available, but has not been fully regression tested and should be applied only to computers experiencing this specific problem. Contact Microsoft Technical Support for more information.

MORE INFORMATION

WARNING: Using Registry Editor incorrectly can cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that problems resulting from the incorrect use of Registry Editor can be solved. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

For information about how to edit the registry, view the "Changing Keys And Values" Help topic in Registry Editor (Regedit.exe) or the "Add and Delete Information in the Registry" and "Edit Registry Data" Help topics in Regedt32.exe. Note that you should back up the registry before you edit it.

Internet Explorer 4.01 uses a standard User Agent string of "Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 4.01; Win32)." Workstations users and administrators can modify this standard string by modifying the User Agent string under the following registry key:

   HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet
      Settings

After you modify the User Agent string, Internet Explorer presents the new string to HTTP servers. However, Internet Explorer still presents the standard User Agent string to proxy servers during automatic configuration.

Additional query words: uas useragent

Keywords          : kbtool msiew95 msient 
Version           : WINDOWS:4.01
Platform          : WINDOWS
Issue type        : kbprb

Last Reviewed: March 18, 1999