IT Support Playbooks / IT Support Guides
Separate a browser profile issue from a website outage
A site that fails for one user may be affected by a session, extension or local profile setting. Establish scope before clearing all browser data.
Environment and inputs: Everyday IT support · Windows PowerShell examples unless specified
Try the diagnostic command
Use the stated shell and platform. Replace sample domains, addresses, services and paths with values from the system you are authorized to support.
curl.exe -I --connect-timeout 5 --max-time 15 https://example.comHow to read the result
On Windows with curl installed, this provides an independent header request outside the browser profile. It does not reproduce browser JavaScript, authenticated sessions or extension behavior.
What to do next
Compare an approved private browsing session and a clean managed profile, noting that private mode still has policy and extension limits. If only one profile fails, investigate site-specific storage and extensions methodically.
Before you make a change
Do not remove all cookies or saved passwords without explaining the sign-out impact. Never copy a user's session token into a command-line test.