Problems downloading SPAN files or file transfers (FTP's) from within Internet Explorer
Microsoft's Internet Explorer 5 Web browser ("IE5") installs a feature of Windows called Web Folders. Once you have installed Internet Explorer version 5, depending on the configuration of your Internet connection, you may experience problems doing FTP file downloads from within Internet Explorer.

For example, SPAN ^® files made available for downloading are actually held in directories on CME ^®'s FTP server. You can go to the directory for CME's SPAN files by going to ftp.cme.com/pub/span/data/cme.

Suppose you do this and the connection doesn't work. For example, it is possible that you will get an error message reading: "FTP Folder Error: An error occurred reading the contents of the folder. Make sure the file name is valid and you have permission to access the location specified.  Details: the operation timed out".

If this happens, it probably means that the "Web Folders" feature doesn't work in your environment.  This is commonly the case if your company has a direct Internet connection going through a proxy server.

You can probably fix the problem by turning off the Web Folders feature of IE5. Do this as follows:

• In IE5, click on the Tools selection on the menu bar, and then on Internet Options. The Internet Options dialog box will display.
• Click on the Advanced tab.
• Look for the option you need to change under the Browsing section:

In the newer versions of IE5, the option you are looking for will be the sixth one down from the top in the Browsing section. It will say "Enable Folder View for FTP Sites" and it will be checked to indicate that it is enabled. Click on it again to remove the check box, thereby deselecting it.  In the earlier versions of IE5, you won't see the option described above. Instead, as the last item under the Browsing section, you'll see an option that says, "Use Web Based FTP", and the option won't be selected. Click on it to check it, which will enable it.

• After you've made the change, click on the OK button.
• Close Internet Explorer, and then restart it.  Try the FTP again.  Now it should work.