Article ID: 222064
Article Last Modified on 2/23/2004
APPLIES TO
- Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.01 Service Pack 1
- Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.01 Service Pack 1
- Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.0 128-Bit Edition
- Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.0 128-Bit Edition
- Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.02
This article was previously published under Q222064
SYMPTOMS
When you use the <HTTP-EQUIV="PRAGMA" CONTENT="NO-CACHE"> metatag in the header section at the beginning of an HTML Web page, the Web page may still be cached in the Temporary Internet Files folder.
CAUSE
A page that Internet Explorer is browsing is not cached until half of the 64 KB buffer is filled. Usually, metatags are inserted in the header section of an HTML document, which appears at the beginning of the document. When the HTML code is parsed, it is read from top to bottom. When the <HTTP-EQUIV="PRAGMA" CONTENT="NO-CACHE"> metatag is read, Internet Explorer looks for the existence of the page in cache at that exact moment. If it is there, it is removed.
RESOLUTION
To properly prevent the Web page from appearing in the cache, place another header section at the end of the HTML document. For example:
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<META HTTP-EQUIV="REFRESH" CONTENT="5">
<TITLE> Pragma No-cache </TITLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY>
This is an example of where to place the second header section
so that the "Pragama, No-Cache" metatag will work as it is supposed to.
</BODY>
<HEAD>
<META HTTP-EQUIV="PRAGMA" CONTENT="NO-CACHE">
</HEAD>
</HTML>
MORE INFORMATION
Note that the <HTTP-EQUIV="PRAGMA" CONTENT="NO-CACHE"> metatag does not work with Internet Explorer 5. For additional information, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
234067 HOWTO: Prevent Caching in Internet Explorer
Keywords: kbprogramming kbprb KB222064