Problems Adding Top-Level Domains to Zone Sites List (259493)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.5 for Windows NT 4.0 SP 1
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.5 for Windows NT 4.0 SP 2
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.01 for Windows NT 4.0 SP 1
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.01 for Windows NT 4.0 SP 2
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0 for Windows NT 4.0
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.01 for Windows NT 4.0 SP 1
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.01 for Windows NT 4.0 SP 2
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.0 for Windows NT 4.0
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0 for Windows NT 3.51
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.5 for Windows NT 3.51
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.01 for Windows NT 3.51 SP 1
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.01 for Windows NT 3.51 SP 2
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.0 for Windows NT 3.51
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.5 for Windows Millennium Edition SP 1
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.5 for Windows Millennium Edition SP 2
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.5 for Windows 98 Second Edition SP 1
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.5 for Windows 98 Second Edition SP 2
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.01 for Windows 98 Second Edition SP 1
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.01 for Windows 98 Second Edition SP 2
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.5 for Windows 98 SP 1
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.5 for Windows 98 SP 2
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.01 for Windows 98 SP 1
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.01 for Windows 98 SP 2
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0 for Windows 98
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.01 for Windows 98 SP 2
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.5 for Windows 95 SP 1
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.5 for Windows 95 SP 2
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.01 for Windows 95 SP 1
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.01 for Windows 95 SP 2
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0 for Windows 95
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.01 for Windows 95 SP 1
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.01 for Windows 95 SP 2
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.0 for Windows 95
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0 for Windows 3.1
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.5 for Windows 3.1
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.01 for Windows 3.1 SP 1
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.01 for Windows 3.1 SP 2
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.0 for Windows 3.1
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.5 for Windows 2000 SP 1
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.5 for Windows 2000 SP 2
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.01 for Windows 2000 SP 1
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.01 for Windows 2000 SP 2
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer version 6 for Windows NT 4.0
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer version 6 for Windows 2000
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer version 6 for Windows 98
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer version 6 for Windows 98 Second Edition
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer version 6 for Windows Millennium Edition
This article was previously published under Q259493
IMPORTANT: This article contains information about modifying the registry. Before you modify the registry, make sure to back it up and make sure that you understand how to restore the registry if a problem occurs. For information about how to back up, restore, and edit the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

256986 Description of the Microsoft Windows Registry

SYMPTOMS

When you use a wildcard to add a top-level domain (for example, .com) or a a two-letter top-level domain and a two-letter second-level domain (for example, .ab.xy) to the local intranet, trusted sites, or restricted sites zones, you may experience any of the following symptoms:
  • Internet Explorer 5 and later may add an additional wildcard to the entry (for example, *.*.ab.xy) after you click OK to accept the setting. When you view the advanced site settings again, the incorrect entry is displayed. Web sites in the specified domain or sub-domains are not interpreted as being in the selected security zone.
  • Internet Explorer 5 and later may add the entry back to the sites list for that zone after you delete the entry and click OK to accept the setting.
  • When you use Internet Explorer 6 or later, you may receive the following error message when you attempt to add the entry to the site list for a zone:
    You have entered an invalid wildcard sequence:
    Examples of valid patterns:

    *://*.microsoft.com
    http://*.microsoft.co.jp
    ftp://157.54.23.41/
    file:\\localsrv\share
    *://157.54.100-200.*

    Examples of invalid patterns:

    http://microsoft.*.com
    ftp://*

CAUSE

This behavior occurs because top-level domains are not supported in the site list for security zones. An entry with a two-letter top-level and two-letter second-level domain name is interpreted as a top-level domain (for example, .co.uk or .co.jp). When you use Internet Explorer 5 and later you can enter these types of wildcard sequences into the site list for a zone, but sites that are part of the specified domains are not interpreted as being in the selected security zone. When you use Internet Explorer 6, you cannot enter such domains into the site list for any security zone.

WORKAROUND

WARNING: If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that you can solve problems that result from using Registry Editor incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

To remove the invalid entries from the site list for a zone in Internet Explorer 5 and later, delete the invalid entries in the registry. The entries are listed under the following registry keys:

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

-and-

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\ZoneMap\Domains

Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:11/25/2003
Keywords:kbenv kbprb KB259493
©2003 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.