ARCHIVED: Why do some web pages display correctly on other computers but not on mine?

If you have trouble viewing web pages that are viewable elsewhere, consider the factors listed below:

Web browser differences

The most likely explanation lies in the web browser software you are using. Find out what web browser software (e.g., Mozilla, Safari, Internet Explorer) is being used on the computer where the pages display correctly, being sure to note the version of the software. Compare this to the software and version you are using on your computer.

Different browsers interpret HTML differently, so what looks good on one browser might not look good on another. Some web pages display better on specific browsers and versions.

Display settings

A monitor displays the data being sent to it by the computer at a specific resolution and color depth. These are a measure of how many pixels the screen is divided into, and now many colors are used to display images. Many web pages are coded so that the page or images on the page use a certain number of pixels (rather than a portion of the screen), and thus will look smaller when more pixels are being used (at higher resolutions), or larger when fewer pixels are being used (at lower resolutions). If you are viewing a page that looks correct on one computer, but won't all fit on the screen on another computer, try increasing your screen resolution. If the colors don't look correct, try increasing your color depth.

Corrupted cache

If computers running the same browser and version as yours display certain pages correctly, but your browser doesn't, perhaps the cache entry on your hard drive for that page has been corrupted. When you view a web page, your web browser stores the file temporarily on your hard drive and displays this version when you return (i.e., it caches the file). These temporary files can be damaged without damaging your computer or hard drive. An easy solution to this problem is to empty the disk cache. Follow the appropriate instructions in Clear your web browser's cache, cookies, and history

Once you've cleared out the cache, exit your web browser and then re-launch it before trying to look at the troublesome page.

Embedded programs

Some pages use programs written in languages like Java or JavaScript to display some or all of their content. Make sure your browser is able to process these languages, and that you have not disabled them. Similarly, a certain web page might require a plug-in, or a helper application like a media player, that's installed on the other computer's browser, but not yours.

System requirements

Finally, consider the capabilities of your computer. If the page that is not displaying correctly on your computer contains a lot of detailed graphics, perhaps your computer doesn't have the ability to display the images as they are intended to appear. This will cause the colors to display incorrectly, degrading the image quality. If this appears to be the problem, the only solution may be to improve the graphics capabilities of your computer, which may require expensive hardware purchases.