Iowa State University
College of Human Sciences


WebCT GOLD: Internet Explorer Cache Setting
May, 2009

The default cache setting in Internet Explorer should be changed so that every time you click a link, a new request is made to the WebCT server. This helps to ensure that the most current version of the web page is displayed. Otherwise, your computer may remember what a page looked like the last time you visited it (i.e. cache or store a copy of the page) and then redisplay the remembered page. You should check that your cache settings are correct and clear out teh cache of old files.


A. To revise the cache setting:

For Internet Explorer 6:

    1. Pull down the Tools menu
    2. Select Internet Options
    3. Click the General tab if it is not already selected by default
    4. Under Temporary Internet Files, click the Settings button
    5. Make sure that it is set to check for new info on "Every visit to page"
    6. Click the OK buttons until you are out

For Internet Explorer 7 (shown below):

    1. Pull down the Tools menu.
    2. Select Internet options.
    3. Click the General tab if it is not already selected by default.
    4. Under Browsing history, click the Settings button.
    5. Make sure that it is set to check for new info on "Every time I visit the web page".
    6. Click the OK buttons until you are out.


 

B. To clear the old files out of the cache:
(Note - this may take a few minutes if you have not done it recently)

Internet Explorer 6:

  1. Start Internet Explorer.
  2. Open the Tools menu.
  3. Select "Internet Options".
  4. Click "Delete Files".
  5. Click box next to "Delete all offline content".
  6. Click "Ok".

Internet Explorer 7:

  1. Start Internet Explorer.
  2. Open the Tools menu.
  3. Select "Internet Options".
  4. Under Browsing History click "Delete".
  5. Click "Delete all..."
  6. Click "Yes". "

 

C. In addition, Internet Explorer web browser users should:


D. All WebCT users should work through the WebCT Browser Tune-up, http://www.webct.com/tuneup, to ensure that their web browser is compatible with WebCT and that the browser settings are appropriate for WebCT. WebCT GOLD users will find a browser checkup link on the GOLD login page and in the top row of the "My WebCT GOLD" page (course list page).