can only open https:// websites in Safari

Select  ▹ System Preferences ▹ Network ▹ Advanced ▹ Proxies. If any proxies are selected, deselect them, apply your changes, and try again. You must apply the changes before they take effect. You don’t need to disable passive FTP mode.

Please read this whole message before doing anything.

This procedure is a diagnostic test. It’s unlikely to solve your problem. Don’t be disappointed when you find that nothing has changed after you complete it.

The purpose of this exercise is to determine whether the problem is caused by third-party system modifications that load automatically at startup or login. Disconnect all wired peripherals except those needed for the test, and remove all aftermarket expansion cards. Boot in safe mode* and log in to the account with the problem. The instructions provided by Apple are as follows:

1. Be sure your Mac is shut down.
2. Press the power button.
3. Immediately after you hear the startup tone, hold the Shift key. The Shift key should be held as soon as possible after the startup tone, but not before the tone.
4. Release the Shift key when you see the gray Apple icon and the progress indicator (looks like a spinning gear).

*Note: If FileVault is enabled under Mac OS X 10.7 or later, or if a firmware password is set, you can’t boot in safe mode.

Safe mode is much slower to boot and run than normal, and some things won’t work at all, including wireless networking on certain Macs.

The login screen appears even if you usually log in automatically. You must know your login password in order to log in. If you’ve forgotten the password, you will need to reset it before you begin.

Test while in safe mode. Same problem(s)?

After testing, reboot as usual (i.e., not in safe mode) and verify that you still have the problem. Post the results of the test.

Your choice of browser is a matter of taste. What exactly happens when you try to load a secure site, such as this one?

You seem to be saying that if you enter something like "www.apple.com" in the Safari address bar, the site loads. But if you click on a link to the same site, you get "Safari can't connect." This happens with all sites, both in the guest account and in safe mode. Everything is fine in Firefox. Is that accurate? If so, what appears in the address bar when you click the link? How long has it been that way?

I forgot to ask you to test in the guest account.

Please read this whole message before doing anything.

This procedure is a diagnostic test. It won’t solve your problem. Don’t be disappointed when you find that nothing has changed after you complete it.

The purpose of this exercise is to determine whether the problem is localized to your user account. Enable guest logins* and log in as Guest. For instructions, launch the System Preferences application, select Help from the menu bar, and enter “Set up a guest account” (without the quotes) in the search box. Don't use the Safari-only Guest login created by "Find My Mac."

While logged in as Guest, you won’t have access to any of your personal files or settings. Applications will behave as if you were running them for the first time. Don’t be alarmed by this; it’s normal. If you need any passwords or other personal data in order to complete the test, memorize, print, or write them down before you begin.

Test while logged in as Guest. Same problem(s)?

After testing, log out of the guest account and, in your own account, disable it if you wish. Any files you created in the guest account will be deleted automatically when you log out of it.

*Note: If you’ve activated “Find My Mac” or FileVault in Mac OS X 10.7 or later, then you can’t enable the Guest account. Create a new account in which to test, and delete it, including its home folder, after testing.

Select Safari ▹ Preferences ▹ Extensions from the Safari menu bar. If any extensions are installed, disable them and test.

If you get no results from that step, select Help ▹ Installed Plug-ins from the menu bar. Besides the following, what plugins are listed?

iPhotoPhotocast

Java

QuickTime

Shockwave Flash

WebKit built-in PDF

In the Finder, select Go ▹ Go to Folder... from the menu bar, copy the text on the line below into the box that opens, and press return:

~/Library/Internet Plug-Ins

A folder may open. If it does, move the contents to the Desktop, then relaunch Safari and test. If it still doesn't work properly, put back the plugins you moved to the Desktop. If Safari now does work, test the plugins one at a time (if there are more than one) until you find the culprit. You must relaunch Safari every time you change the contents of the plugins folder.

Read this whole message before doing anything.

Back up all data if you haven’t already done so. Before proceeding, you must be sure you can restore your system to the state it’s in now.

Quit Safari if it’s running. Then select ▹ Force Quit... from the menu bar. A small window will open with a list of running applications. Safari may appear in that list, even though you quit it. If so, select it and press return. Close the window.

Step 1

In the Finder, press the key combination shift-command-A to open the Applications folder. Select the Safari icon in that folder and press the key combination command-I to open the Info window. There’s a checkbox in the Info window labeled Open in 32-bit mode. Uncheck it, if checked. Close the Info window and the Applications folder.

Open the Library folder in your home folder as follows:

☞ If running Mac OS X 10.7 or later, hold down the option key and select Go ▹ Library from the Finder menu bar.

☞ If running an older version of Mac OS X, select Go ▹ Go to Folder… from the Finder menu bar and enter “~/Library” (without the quotes) in the text box that opens.

Delete the following items from the Library folder (some may not exist):

Caches/com.apple.Safari

Caches/com.apple.WebKit.PluginProcess

Caches/Metadata/Safari

Preferences/com.apple.WebKit.PluginHost.plist

Preferences/com.apple.WebKit.PluginProcess.plist

Saved Application State/com.apple.Safari.savedState

Leave the Library folder open. Try Safari again. If it works now, stop here. Close the Library folder.

Step 2

If Safari still doesn’t work right, quit, go back to the Finder and move the following items from the open Library folder to the Desktop (some may not exist):

Cookies/Cookies.binarycookies

Preferences/com.apple.Safari.LSSharedFileList.plist

Preferences/com.apple.Safari.plist

Preferences/com.apple.Safari.RSS.plist

Preferences/com.apple.WebFoundation.plist

PubSub/Database

Safari

(Note: you are not moving the Safari application. You’re moving a folder named “Safari.”)

Try again. This time Safari should perform normally, but your settings and bookmarks will be lost.

If the issue is still not resolved, quit Safari again and put all the items you moved to the Desktop back where they were, overwriting the newer ones that will have been created in their place. You don’t need to replace the files you deleted in step 1. Stop here and post again.

If Safari is now working normally (apart from the lost settings), look inside the “Safari” folder on the Desktop for a file named “Bookmarks.plist”. Select File ▹ Import Bookmarks from the Safari menu bar. Import from that file. Recreate the rest of your Safari settings. You can then delete the items you moved to the Desktop.

Note: This step will remove your Safari Extensions, if any, and their settings. If you choose to restore them, do so one at a time, testing after each step to make sure you haven’t restored the problem.

If you don’t like the results of step 2, you can undo it completely by quitting Safari and restoring the items you moved or deleted in that step from your backup, overwriting any that were created in their place.