Facebook won't load - blank screen

[FEleazer]

I can't get facebook to load on my iMac. In Firefox, all I get is a blank screen. In Chrome, I get: "The website encountered an error while retrieving https://www.facebook.com/. It may be down for maintenance or configured incorrectly." (HTTP Error 500). My macbook pro loads facebook fine.

I've been searching the web for solutions, but a lot of them give information about the "hosts" file in Windows and I don't know if there is such a thing on a mac, or if so, where it is.

I've added the "s" to make it https://
I've cleared my cache
I've cleared my cookies related to facebook - this worked very temporarily, but then when I tried to go to a specific page, I just got the blank screen again.
I'm using the latest version of Mountain Lion and my browsers are up to date.
Java is disabled / Silverlight is disabled

I'm pretty good at this stuff, but this has me stumped. Any help would be appreciated!

Thanks,
Fran

 

[oldscribe]

Hi Fran,

Have a look here but personally I would not touch or edit it.

http://www.switchingtomac.com/tutorials/how-to-edit-the-hosts-file-in-os-x/

 

[FEleazer]

Thanks, but I don't want to edit the hosts file unless someone tells me that's what I need to do.

The bad news of the day, is that after working all day, facebook is now not coming up on my laptop either! It's a macbook pro, same set up as the iMac.

I hope someone can help me because the cruel irony of this is that I'm a social media consultant and I've GOT to get on facebook to manage all of my pages!!!

Does anyone have any ideas? When I try and go to facebook the URL shows up as https://facebook.com/login.php, but the window is completely blank, all white, nothing there. I've been a techie for a long time, but I'm new to macs, I can't imagine what's going on here, unless I have a virus of some sort. Help!

Fran

 

[Spawn_Dooley]

Do you have the latest versions of these browsers? Do you have another account on your Mac you can try? Have you tried Safari? Do you have access to facebook on your mobile you could test?

Facebook is highly fragile as web sites go, because someone is forever tampering with the source code with the aim of delivering some new feature that nobody particularly wants ... I'm always seeing status updates from friends who are having problems with some aspect or another of their page & sure as eggs, a new feature appears a few days later.

I take it that all other websites load fine? Have you restarted your router? Turn it off off for 30 secs etc ...

Have you already seen this:

safari not displaying Facebook properly

 

[FEleazer]

Thanks, I'll try the steps on the link tomorrow.
To answer some of your questions, yes, my browsers are up to date. The weird thing is, it doesn't work in Chrome on my imac, but it does on my Macbook pro (at least now it does). I haven't tried rebooting my router yet, I'll try that tomorrow. I can get on facebook using my mobile phone.

I'll post tomorrow after I try all of your suggestions. Thanks for your help.

 

[oldscribe]

Facebook seems to have serious login issues periodically, have a look at the Facebook system page here.
http://facebooklogin.net/news/blank-facebook-login-page/

And to add Macs don't get viruses.

 

[FEleazer]

I did go to the Facebook Login page recommended above and saw that other people were having the same problem a I am, but the last post was a year ago, and there wasn't a solution there, just the problem identified and a promise of updates...of which there weren't any.

After much experimenting, including logging in as another user, I've narrowed it down to "enabled JavaScript".

• If I have JavaScript DISabled, I can go to facebook, see my profile and all of my pages if I type in their URLs, but when I click on the gear icon in the upper right corner that usually lists all of my pages, it pulls up my account settings instead. Other features, like reading messages, don't work either.
• If I have JavaScript ENabled, I can go to facebook the first time after it's enabled, but if I click on the gear icon and choose one of my pages (which are listed as they should be), after the URL populates the URL box and starts to load, that's when the screen goes blank.

Now what do I do? I can't leave JavaScript disabled, because there are functions of facebook that aren't working if I do that.



Thanks so much for any help.
Fran

 

[oldscribe]

Hi,

Disabling JS and being able to access FB is odd, as I would have thought being a social networking site it would need JS enabled100%, and would throw an error message to that effect.
Login issues seem continues and random so feel it is defiantly a FB issue they should address swiftly. Will admit I stay well away from SNS, just my personal preference.

I would also file a report here if you have not already done so.
http://www.facebook.com/help/contact/357439354283890?rdrhc

 

[FEleazer]

Now it seems like the JavaScript isn't really making a difference. I cleared the cache, cookies and offline data and was able to get to the support page you referenced and submit a support request, then I requested to change my password, after I changed my password I was able to login and look at a few things in my news feed, but when I clicked to go to a page (different URL within facebook), I got the blank again.

This is so frustrating. Facebook isn't going to help me. I've been there, done that with other issues. They provide NO support.

I hope someone on this site knows the answer!
Thanks,
Fran

 

[oldscribe]

Hi,

This is so frustrating. Facebook isn't going to help me. I've been there, done that with other issues. They provide NO support.

Well that about says it. maybe your Mac is doing you a favour

Not helpful I know but true.
As a test I would take the MBP to work and see if you can access FB normally, if so this would point to a connection / router issue at home.

 

[FEleazer]

Woke up this morning and facebook is back. After 5 days of a blank screen, suddenly it's working without explanation.

Maybe someone at facebook saw my support request and did "something"!

Thanks everyone for your suggestions.

Fran

 

[oldscribe]

Hi Fran,

Maybe someone at facebook saw my support request and did "something"!

Yes maybe, this also shows that both your Macs and home Internet are not the issue. And am pleased all is working for you, would still be interesting though if the next time this happens you do take the MBP to an outside network and see the results.

 

[TorsilClimber]

I can't get facebook to load on my iMac. In Firefox, all I get is a blank screen. In Chrome, I get: "The website encountered an error while retrieving https://www.facebook.com/. It may be down for maintenance or configured incorrectly." (HTTP Error 500). My macbook pro loads facebook fine.

I've been searching the web for solutions, but a lot of them give information about the "hosts" file in Windows and I don't know if there is such a thing on a mac, or if so, where it is.

I've added the "s" to make it https://
I've cleared my cache
I've cleared my cookies related to facebook - this worked very temporarily, but then when I tried to go to a specific page, I just got the blank screen again.
I'm using the latest version of Mountain Lion and my browsers are up to date.
Java is disabled / Silverlight is disabled

I'm pretty good at this stuff, but this has me stumped. Any help would be appreciated!

Thanks,
Fran

 

[TorsilClimber]

Fran, I am pretty good at this stuff, too, but I am encountering a complete inability to log in to ANY Facebook page at all from either of two laptops. I get a blank screen, or else an error message that says, "Sorry, something went wrong. We're working on getting this fixed as soon as we can." I have just found that if I disable JavaScript and then log out when prompted, I can view a FB page, but when I log in, I immediately get the above error message or a blank page. I've tried logging in using Safari, FireFox and Chrome, but the error persists. Tried emptying caches, etc., but nothing works.

 

[Cory Cooper]

Facebook had some server issues recently - is it working for you now?

C

 

[TorsilClimber]

Facebook had some server issues recently - is it working for you now?

C

Not yet, unfortunately.