Microsoft KB Archive/153731

= Internet Explorer Cannot View Directory Listing of FTP Site =

Article ID: 153731

Article Last Modified on 3/21/2006

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Internet Explorer 1.0
 * Microsoft Internet Explorer 2.0
 * Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.0
 * Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.01
 * Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.02
 * Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.0 128-Bit Edition
 * Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.01 128-Bit Edition
 * Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0
 * Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.01
 * Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.5
 * Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.2
 * Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.0 128-Bit Edition
 * Microsoft Internet Explorer 2.0
 * Microsoft Internet Explorer 2.01
 * Microsoft Internet Explorer 2.1
 * Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.0
 * Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.01
 * Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.1
 * Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.0 128-Bit Edition
 * Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.01 128-Bit Edition
 * Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.5 128-Bit Edition
 * Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0
 * Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.02
 * Microsoft Internet Explorer 1.5
 * Microsoft Internet Explorer 2.0
 * Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.0
 * Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.01
 * Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.03 for Windows NT 3.51
 * Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.0 128-Bit Edition
 * Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.01 128-Bit Edition
 * Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.5 128-Bit Edition
 * Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0
 * Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.02

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This article was previously published under Q153731



SYMPTOMS
When you use Internet Explorer to connect to a File Transfer Protocol (FTP) server, the list of files and directories on the FTP server may not be displayed in Internet Explorer.

This problem affects the following versions of Internet Explorer for the indicated platforms:


 * Microsoft Internet Explorer version 2.0 or earlier for Windows 95
 * Microsoft Internet Explorer version 2.01 or earlier for Windows 3.1
 * Microsoft Internet Explorer version 2.0.1 or earlier for Macintosh
 * Microsoft Internet Explorer version 2.0 for Windows NT 3.51



CAUSE
This behavior can occur if the FTP server is configured to send the directory listing to the client (or browser) in an MS-DOS directory listing format.



RESOLUTION
Most FTP servers can be configured to format directory listings in either an MS-DOS (DIR) format or a UNIX (LS) format when sending the output to an FTP client. For the versions of Internet Explorer listed above to display the contents of an FTP server, the output must be formatted in the UNIX format.



STATUS
Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the versions of Microsoft Internet Explorer listed above. We are researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.



MORE INFORMATION
For information about configuring a Microsoft Windows NT FTP server, please see the following articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

103075 How to Format Directory Output with FTP Server

132711 Configuring Windows NT for WWW Clients To Browse FTP Server

For information about configuring other FTP servers to send output in the UNIX (LS) format, please refer to the server's documentation.

Additional query words: 2.0 2.01 2.0.1 ie2 ie20

Keywords: kbprb KB153731

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