IE8 issue with Twitter Bootstrap 3
I am creating a site using the new Twitter Bootstrap. The site looks fine and works in all required browsers except IE8.
In IE8 it seems to be displaying elements of the mobile version but stretched across the full screen of my desktop. I believe the problem I'm having is that Twitter bootstrap is mobile first. So for some reason IE8 is going for this option.
I also notice that the container class does not seem to be pulling in the max-width CSS properties as intended. Can anyone see what I've done wrong?
<!-- Favicon -->
<link rel="shortcut icon" href="/favicon.ico">
<link rel="apple-touch-icon" href="/apple-touch-icon.png">
<!-- Bootstrap -->
<link href="//netdna.bootstrapcdn.com/bootstrap/3.0.0-rc1/css/bootstrap.css" rel="stylesheet">
<link href="//netdna.bootstrapcdn.com/font-awesome/3.2.1/css/font-awesome.min.css" rel="stylesheet">
<script src="/SiteFiles/js/modernizr.js"></script>
<!-- CSS -->
<link href="/SiteFiles/css/main.css" rel="stylesheet">
<header>
<div class="topArea clearfix">
<div class="container">
<div class="topLinks">
<div class="btn-group">
<span class="flag" data-toggle="dropdown"> </span>
<ul class="dropdown-menu">
<li><a href="#">Country 1</a></li>
<li><a href="#">Country 2</a></li>
<li><a href="#">Country 3</a></li>
<li class="divider"></li>
<li><a href="#">Country 4</a></li>
<li><a href="#">Country 5</a></li>
<li><a href="#">Country 6</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
<div class="visible-sm btn-group">
<div class="plus" data-toggle="dropdown"><i class="icon-plus icon-2x"> </i></div>
<ul class="dropdown-menu">
<li><a href="#">Parts & Service</a></li>
<li><a href="#">Store Locator</a></li>
<li><a href="#">Find a Service Centre</a></li>
<li><a href="#">Parts List</a></li>
<li><a href="#">Tool Vibration</a></li>
<li><a href="#">Resource Centre</a></li>
<li><a href="#">Media Centre</a></li>
<li><a href="#">Register your Tools</a></li>
<li><a href="#">About Us</a></li>
<li><a href="#">
<button type="button" class="btn btn-default">Where to Buy</button></a></li>
</ul>
</div>
<div class="topNav">
<ul class="hidden-sm">
<li>
<div class="btn-group">
<a href="#" data-toggle="dropdown">Parts & Service</a>
<ul class="dropdown-menu">
<li><a href="#">Store Locator</a></li>
<li><a href="#">Find a Service Centre</a></li>
<li><a href="#">Parts List</a></li>
<li><a href="#">Tool Vibration</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
</li>
<li><a href="#">Resource Centre</a></li>
<li><a href="#">Media Centre</a></li>
<li><a href="#">Register your Tools</a></li>
<li><a href="#">About Us</a></li>
<li><a href="#">
<button type="button" class="btn btn-default">Where to Buy</button></a></li>
</ul>
</div>
<div class="searchArea">
<input type="text" />
<a href="#" class="goBtn">GO</a>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="mainNavArea">
<div class="container rel">
<div class="logo">
<img src="/SiteFiles/img/logo.png" title="Milwaukee - Nothing but heavy duty" alt="Milwaukee - Nothing but heavy duty" />
</div>
<div class="navi">
<div class="navbar">
<div class="container">
<!-- .navbar-toggle is used as the toggle for collapsed navbar content -->
<button type="button" class="navbar-toggle" data-toggle="collapse" data-target=".navbar-responsive-collapse">
<span class="icon-bar"></span>
<span class="icon-bar"></span>
<span class="icon-bar"></span>
</button>
<!-- Place everything within .navbar-collapse to hide it until above 768px -->
<div class="nav-collapse collapse navbar-responsive-collapse">
<ul class="nav nav-justified">
<li><span class="dropArrow"> </span><span class="topNavPosition">Power Tools</span>
<div class="navDrop">
<div class="navDropInner">
<div class="row">
<div class="hidden-sm col-sm-4 col-lg-4">
<img src="/SiteFiles/img/drill.jpg" alt="" />
</div>
<div class="col-12 col-sm-8 col-lg-8">
<h2>Power Tools</h2>
<div class="row">
<div class="col-6 col-sm-6 col-lg-6">
<a href="#">Cutters</a>
<a href="#">Levels</a>
<a href="#">Pliers</a>
<a href="#">Saws</a>
<a href="#">Screwdrivers</a>
</div>
<div class="col-6 col-sm-6 col-lg-6">
<a href="#">Snips</a>
<a href="#">Utility Knives</a>
<a href="#">Combo Knives</a>
<a href="#">Hand Tool Accessories</a>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<a href="#" class="closeNav">X</a>
</div>
</li>
<li><span class="dropArrow"> </span><span class="topNavPosition">Hand Tools</span>
<div class="navDrop">
<div class="navDropInner">
<div class="row">
<div class="hidden-sm col-sm-4 col-lg-4">
<img src="/SiteFiles/img/drill.jpg" alt="" />
</div>
<div class="col-12 col-sm-8 col-lg-8">
<h2>Hand Tools</h2>
<div class="row">
<div class="col-6 col-sm-6 col-lg-6">
<a href="#">Cutters</a>
<a href="#">Levels</a>
<a href="#">Pliers</a>
<a href="#">Saws</a>
<a href="#">Screwdrivers</a>
</div>
<div class="col-6 col-sm-6 col-lg-6">
<a href="#">Snips</a>
<a href="#">Utility Knives</a>
<a href="#">Combo Knives</a>
<a href="#">Hand Tool Accessories</a>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<a href="#" class="closeNav">X</a>
</div>
</li>
<li><span class="dropArrow"> </span><span class="topNavPosition">Test & Measurement</span>
<div class="navDrop">
<div class="navDropInner">
<div class="row">
<div class="hidden-sm col-sm-4 col-lg-4">
<img src="/SiteFiles/img/drill.jpg" alt="" />
</div>
<div class="col-12 col-sm-8 col-lg-8">
<h2>Test & Measurement</h2>
<div class="row">
<div class="col-6 col-sm-6 col-lg-6">
<a href="#">Cutters</a>
<a href="#">Levels</a>
<a href="#">Pliers</a>
<a href="#">Saws</a>
<a href="#">Screwdrivers</a>
</div>
<div class="col-6 col-sm-6 col-lg-6">
<a href="#">Snips</a>
<a href="#">Utility Knives</a>
<a href="#">Combo Knives</a>
<a href="#">Hand Tool Accessories</a>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<a href="#" class="closeNav">X</a>
</div>
</li>
<li><span class="dropArrow"> </span><span class="topNavPosition">Accessories</span>
<div class="navDrop">
<div class="navDropInner">
<div class="row">
<div class="hidden-sm col-sm-4 col-lg-4">
<img src="/SiteFiles/img/drill.jpg" alt="" />
</div>
<div class="col-12 col-sm-8 col-lg-8">
<h2>Accessories</h2>
<div class="row">
<div class="col-6 col-sm-6 col-lg-6">
<a href="#">Cutters</a>
<a href="#">Levels</a>
<a href="#">Pliers</a>
<a href="#">Saws</a>
<a href="#">Screwdrivers</a>
</div>
<div class="col-6 col-sm-6 col-lg-6">
<a href="#">Snips</a>
<a href="#">Utility Knives</a>
<a href="#">Combo Knives</a>
<a href="#">Hand Tool Accessories</a>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<a href="#" class="closeNav">X</a>
</div>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<!-- /.nav-collapse -->
</div>
<!-- /.container -->
</div>
<!-- /.navbar -->
</div>
</div>
</div>
</header>
Answer
You got your CSS from CDN (bootstrapcdn.com) respond.js only works for local files. So try your website on IE8 with a local copy of bootstrap.css. Or read: CDN/X-Domain Setup
Note See also: https://github.com/scottjehl/Respond/pull/206
Update:
Please read: http://getbootstrap.com/getting-started/#support
In addition, Internet Explorer 8 requires the use of respond.js to enable media query support.
See also: https://github.com/scottjehl/Respond
For this reason the basic template contains these lines in the head section:
<!-- HTML5 shim and Respond.js IE8 support of HTML5 elements and media queries -->
<!--[if lt IE 9]>
<script src="../../assets/js/html5shiv.js"></script>
<script src="../../assets/js/respond.min.js"></script>
<![endif]-->