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Clearing the Cache in your Internet browser:

 

Cache on a computer is used to store a "picture" of the websites you visit. Each time you visit a new website, your browser will store a picture of what the page looks like so the page will load faster when you return. Occasionally, though, you will need to clear your cache. A change could have been made to the website, but because your cache is still picking up the stored "picture," you won't be able to see the change. In most cases, clearing the cache will help with problems such as partially loaded pages or pages with old information.

 

Clearing the cache will not harm your computer. In fact, if you have a space problem (not enough hard drive space), you might consider lowering the amount of cache your computer is using. Clearing the cookies means that a website has dropped a cookie in your browser memory so it will remember who you are and what you were doing. Clearing the cookies simply means the website will forget you visited that page. The website will drop another cookie in your browser memory as soon as you visit the page again. These days, most sites use cookies in one way or another, so they can build up quickly.

 

Browsers are continually updated by their manufacturers. If the instructions below don't match exactly, it's probably because your browser is a very recent version. The options should still be there; you may have to look a little harder for the keywords.

 

Below are the instructions to clear your cache:

 

Internet Explorer (PC):

 

¨       In the IE browser, click Tools (on the Browser menu bar) and then click Internet Options.

¨       On the smaller gray screen that pops up, click Delete Cookies. (This is on the General Tab) If you have IE 5.5 or below, you will not have the option to Delete Cookies.

¨       After that's finished, click Delete Files. When the little box comes up for you to click OK or Cancel, click the checkbox that says "Delete All Temporary Files" and then click OK. This may take a few minutes depending on how much hard drive space the cache is set to use on your computer.

¨       Once that's finished clearing (your hourglass pointer will turn back into an arrow), click on Settings.

¨       Change the top portion (regarding checking the page) to read "Every Visit to the Page".

¨       If you wish, you can set your cache to use more or less of your hard drive in the bottom portion of the box. A good number to use is around 100 meg. You can highlight the number and just type over it. (Your computer holds the amount of space being used for caching as long as your cache remains uncleared.)

o        The first time you clear your cache, click on the Advanced tab at the top of the window you’re in.

o        Scroll down to the bottom of that window.

o        The fifth link from the Security icon will say “Delete Offline Temporary Files when Browser is Closed”. Click the checkbox to turn this feature on. This will help you keep your cache cleared out.

¨       Click OK.

¨       Close the IE browser (File/Exit or Close).

 

After waiting a couple of minutes, open IE again and login to your course. You should see a fresh copy of the page you were having problems with.

 

Netscape (PC):

 

¨       Open your Netscape Browser and click Edit/ Preferences.

¨       In the left portion of the window, under Categories, click on the small "+" button by the word "Advanced". (You may have to scroll down to see this option.)

¨       Click "Cache".

¨       Click the button on the right titled "Clear Memory Cache"

¨       Next, click the button directly beneath the Memory Cache titled "Clear Disk Cache"

¨       When that has finished, click OK at the bottom of the gray box.

¨       Close the Netscape browser (File/Exit or Close).

¨       After waiting a couple of minutes, open Netscape again and login to your course.

 

AOL (PC):

 

Note: AOL is not a standardized browser and may cause problems viewing sites. This browser is not supported by UCompass. If you experience problems with AOL, try the steps below. If your problem still isn't resolved, login like you usually do to AOL, and then minimize AOL's browser. (To minimize the browser, click the "_" box in the upper right corner of your screen.) Since Internet Explorer comes on 99% of new computers these days, open it instead, and login to your course. Most of the time, the problems you were experiencing in your course will be fixed by using the IE browser.