Problem logging in with IE9

The client has reported that one customer only is complaining about having difficulty logging into the site using IE9. The site has been live for 4 weeks now and apparently the customer could login ok with IE9 for the first two weeks but for the last two weeks cannot login. We have not changed anything on the site and for everybody else the site is working perfectly and to date there have been 2346 visits to the site with 690 visitors using IE9. We use IE9 and have never had a problem logging in.

We have explained that these statistics suggest there is not a problem with logging into the site with any browser and it is probaly due the configuration of IE9 on the customer's computer. However the client wants to resolve this issue with this customer.

These are the questions we asked the client to send to the customer and their answers are shown alongside.

1. What exactly happens specifically? Answer: Open up the homepage, click log in & nothing happens just stays on the homepage.
2. How often does it happen, always or just sometimes? Answer: Every single time.
3. Do they have cookies disabled on their browser? Cookies are needed to make the site run properly as we say in the T&C. Cookies are specific to each browser. Answer: Yes we have cookies on the computer.
4. Can they login using another browser on the same computer? Answer: Yes currently using safari which works fine.
5. Have they tried another computer? Answer: Yes all other computers work.
6. Is their version of IE9 up to date with all the latest updates? Answer: Yes all updated.

Based on this information can you suggest a reason for the problem and a possible solution.

Based on the information provided, it is defiantly something specific to the IE settings on this particular computer.

here are a few additional things to try:

-Clear the browsers cache and delete any saved cookies.

-In IE, click the Tools menu (Icon of a gear in the top right corner) and select Internet Options. On the Privacy tab, click the Advanced button, Check the "Override automatic cookie handling" box, and check the "Always Allow session cookies" box.

- Still on the Privacy tab, click the sites button, have them add your domain to the always allow list

- On the security tab, select Trusted Sites, then click the Sites button and add your domain to the Trusted Sites list. Select restricted sites, and make sure your domain is not on the restricted sites list.

Thanks again, will send the info to the client.

We sent details of your reply to the client.

We subsequently heard that the client had one of its own office computers that couldn't login to the site and once they followed your suggestions this computer was able to login ok.
The client, however, is not convinced that this problem is not linked to a problem with the site. They do not accept that customers should be having this problem and we must somehow stop this happening.

They feel that they do not want to have to instruct every IE9 customer who rings up who can't login to follow these instructions.

We also suggested that the client could instruct the customers having login problems to use another browser but again they do not like the idea of having to do this.

Please could you provide a logical explanation for this problem and why it happens so that we can send it to the client to explain that this is not a site problem but one associated specifically with IE9 and how it is configured.

We have done a lot of googling on this and it appears to be a widespread problem with logging into sites using IE9. We can't, however, find any one suitable document that adequately explains the problem in a language that the client can understand.

Your help would be much appreciated.

At the heart of the problem is the way IE handles security.

Throughout the history of Microsoft, security has been their biggest problem, it has been the target of hackers and the Rally cry for Linux users to band around and use as the excuse why Microsoft products are so poor.

In response, Microsoft has been tightening the security of their products to a fault. When you initially set up your computer, and connect it to the internet and start IE, you are given choices for the security settings to use, these choices effect how strict IE's security is.

If IE's security is so tight it will not allow you to login to a site, then you will need to follow the steps of adding the site to a listing of trusted domains

Thanks Jason, have sent this to the client. So far, no news is good news.

The one thing about this problem that was puzzling us was what caused a sudden change in the logging into the site about two weeks ago.

It appears that this was probably caused by a windows 7 automatic security update that went wrong and didnt complete properly and this took place on 14/15th August 2012.

This update appears to have caused a lot of problems for some windows 7 users.

I wonder if anybody else's clients reported problems with login or site function after or since this update.

Not that I'm aware of.

Today the client reported that a new customer tried to login using google chrome and was presented with the page shown in the screenshot.

Haven't got any more details at the moment about what the customer did or didnt do but could you give an explanation as to what could cause this message "This webpage has a redirect loop" and a possible solution.

most likely, they entered a bad username and / or password and checked the Remember Me and Auto Login checkboxes. clearing cookies and trying again should fix the problem.