392032 - Firefox 2.0.0.6 fails to identify itself correctly either to google maps or webmail.aol.com

Status: VERIFIED INCOMPLETE

(Firefox :: General, defect)

Description

[Paul Redfern]

User-Agent:       
Build Identifier: 2.0.0.6 (File version 1.8.1.6: 2007072518)

If I follow a link from jabber to http://aim.aol.com, I am redirected to
http://webmail.aol.com/29047/aim/en-gb/SystemRequirements.html
This tells me what browsers are supported by webmail.aol.com.

If I click on the Maps link in www.google.co.uk, I receive a similar message:
"Your web browser is not fully supported by Google Maps. More information »"
Following the "More Information" link results in 
http://local.google.co.uk/support/bin/answer.py?answer=16532&topic=1499

Reproducible: Always

Steps to Reproduce:
1. Try to open http://local.google.co.uk
or 
1. Try to open http://webmail.aol.com

Actual Results:  
http://local.google.co.uk/support/bin/answer.py?answer=16532&topic=1499
or
http://webmail.aol.com/29047/aim/en-gb/SystemRequirements.html

Expected Results:  
Browser should have identified itself successfully.

Comment 1

[Jo Hermans]

Works for me. Can you please tell us what your user-agent string is, to check if it has been modified. It's not filled in the bugreport either, so you might have a problem there. This can happen with some extensions, or mayeb you're using a special firewall or proxy-server.

To check, go to http://gemal.dk/browserspy/basic.html and report what is printed next to UserAgent . In my case (a standard US-English Firefox 2.0.0.6), it's :
Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; en-US; rv:1.8.1.6) Gecko/20070725 Firefox/2.0.0.6

Comment 2

[Samuel Sidler (old account; do not CC)]

WFM as well using Firefox 2.0.0.6 on Mac OS X and Windows Vista.

Paul, I'd also recommend trying a new profile as some extension may have altered your profile settings which could be why your UA string is wrong.

http://kb.mozillazine.org/Profile_Manager

Comment 3

[Paul Redfern]

Thank you both for your comments. 

To both I would say that I have upgraded continuously from Version 1 onwards (i.e., in this case, I upgraded from 2.0.0.5 to 2.0.0.6 - with no other changes to OS, proxy or firewall settings) and this is the first time that this issue has arisen, which seems to me to indicate an 'undocumented feature' with the upgrade, which is worth reporting. 

In specific response to Jo Hermans, as it happens, nothing appears in _any_ line in gemal.dk/browserspy/basic.html, (and I agree that it should). On the other hand other browsers (using the same proxy, firewall etc settings) do identify themselves correctly.

In response to Samuel Snider, I appreciate the hint, and will follow it up. But I should point out, in addition to the general comment I made at the beginning of this post, that I am not the only person to have experienced such a problem, see for example, http://groups.google.com/group/Google-Maps-Troubleshooting/ browse_thread/thread/83e90aad068ac340 .

Again, I am sure that something is broken. But I am equally convinced that it is the upgrade itself (and not 'some extension')that has broken it.

Comment 4

[Paul Redfern]

Thank you both for your comments. 

To both I would say that I have upgraded continuously from Version 1 onwards (i.e., in this case, I upgraded from 2.0.0.5 to 2.0.0.6 - with no other changes to OS, proxy or firewall settings) and this is the first time that this issue has arisen, which seems to me to indicate an 'undocumented feature' with the upgrade, which is worth reporting. 

In specific response to Jo Hermans, as it happens, nothing appears in _any_ line in gemal.dk/browserspy/basic.html, (and I agree that it should). On the other hand other browsers (using the same proxy, firewall etc settings) do identify themselves correctly.

In response to Samuel Snider, I appreciate the hint, and will follow it up. But I should point out, in addition to the general comment I made at the beginning of this post, that I am not the only person to have experienced such a problem, see for example, 
http://groups.google.com/group/Google-Maps-Troubleshooting/browse_thread/thread/83e90aad068ac340 

Again, I am sure that something is broken. But I am equally convinced that it is the upgrade itself (and not 'some extension')that has broken it.

Comment 5

[Marco Bonardo [:mak]]

(In reply to comment #3)
> In specific response to Jo Hermans, as it happens, nothing appears in _any_
> line in gemal.dk/browserspy/basic.html, (and I agree that it should).

Something is blocking your user agent infos, that could be an extension or (as said) a proxy... since other browsers are working it's more likely an extension/profile problem. 
So first try in Safe Mode (http://kb.mozillazine.org/Safe_Mode), then if that works disable all extensions and re-enable one by one to find the cause.
If that still does not work follow Samuel suggestion to create a new profile and see if there you can solve the problem.

Comment 6

[Paul Redfern]

(In reply to comment #5)

Marco,

Thank you for your comment.

I am aware that something is blocking the user_agent info, and am also aware of the debugging procedure to be followed, which (older viewers may recall) is sadly reminiscent of the bad old days of extension conflicts in Mac OS8 & 9!

Even then, I am not sure of success, as my Netscape browser, which I assume shares the same profile, does identify itself correctly.

My point, in raising this issue, is that there should never have been a problem to be solved in the first place, and that it is the upgrade that has caused it.

Comment 7

[Marco Bonardo [:mak]]

Could you post an image of about:config with the filter setup to "agent" string?
Could you post a list of all your extensions (you can use nightly tester tools)
Also, please notice that if you don't reply to requests (Safe mode and new profile) it will be difficult to actually find the problem.

Comment 8

[Paul Redfern]

Attachment: screen-grab -in response to response 7

Comment 9

[Paul Redfern]

Marco, 

Apologies for failing to understand that the procedures you and Samuel have outlined were actually requests that I should do so in order to help you with debugging. However in all the comments posted so far there has been an underlying suggestion that there is something that I must have done (other than upgrade) to have caused the problem I have reported. 

I have posted an image of my about:config 'agent' settings as you requested, and I promise that I _will_ undertake the steps you have outlined. 

However, you must also be aware of how time-consuming these are going to be and I do not think I have the time right now to undertake them. It is now getting on for 2 1/2 hours since I started responding to the comments posted, hoping to clarify the nature of the issue for correspondents, and I really must get on with my day's work (it is now 10:45 am, London time). 

Comment 10

[Jo Hermans]

It's not necessarily something that you did (like wiping out the settings in about:config). It looks to me that your HTTP-request are passing through some kind kind of proxy-server that strips away the headers. Maybe an anonymizer service ? Or maybe some kind of extension ?

Note that Netscape does not (or should not) share the same profile !

Comment 11

[Mats Palmgren (inactive)]

Paul, did you try Safe Mode?
http://kb.mozillazine.org/Safe_Mode
... creating a new Profile?
http://kb.mozillazine.org/Profile_Manager
also consider the suggestions in comment 10.

Comment 12

[Mats Palmgren (inactive)]

Paul, any luck with the suggestions in comment 10/11?

Comment 13

[Mats Palmgren (inactive)]

No response from Reporter.

-> INCOMPLETE