using IE8 but some web sites think I have IE6

[LongTimePCUser]

I am running IE8 on Win 7 with the latest updates.
But, I have run into several web sites that think I am using IE6.
I see messages like:
"WARNING: You are using an unsupported browser (Internet Explorer 6)."

Is there an IE setting or registry setting that causes some web sites to detect my browser as IE6?

How do I fix this. It is really annoying.

 

[lxskllr]

Would Compatibility View cause that?

 

[LongTimePCUser]

Would Compatibility View cause that?

It might. But, I am not running in compatibility view for these sites.

 

[Leros]

It sounds like compatibility mode might be being automatically being turned on for these sites.

"Microsoft maintains a site compatibility list to minimize user involvement when sites don’t display properly. This list is maintained in a binary file and is updated automatically via Windows Update."

Navigate to res://iecompat.dll/iecompatdata.xml and see if the sites are listed there.

More info here: http://blogs.msdn.com/b/askie/archi...t-internet-explorer-8-compatibility-view.aspx


From the above link:

You can disable the using the Compatibility View List by Microsoft via the IE User Interface under the IE menu under Tools –> Compatibility View Setting

Effected registry key details:

location - HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\BrowserEmulation

REG_DWORD valeu - MSCompatibilityMode

Enabled - 1

Disabled - 0

 

[LongTimePCUser]

Leros,
Very interesting. I did not know about this issue.
However, the site in question, aps.org, is not on that list.
I also checked the registry location:
- HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\BrowserEmulation
The value is 0 = disabled.

I suspect an error in the web site code that is checking for browser version. But, that is only a speculation. I sent them an email question and am waiting to hear back.

It sounds like compatibility mode might be being automatically being turned on for these sites.

"Microsoft maintains a site compatibility list to minimize user involvement when sites don’t display properly. This list is maintained in a binary file and is updated automatically via Windows Update."

Navigate to res://iecompat.dll/iecompatdata.xml and see if the sites are listed there.