Having Problems with Internet Explorer

[Taffy Turner]

Can any one help please?

When I am using IE to surf the web (this site included). I am having a problem where IE hangs. I can't do anything, and have to use CTRL + ALT + DEL to open the task manager to close the window.

It doesn't happen all the time. Sometimes it happens immediately, and other times I will be OK for 20 minutes before it happens. It has been happening for about a week or so.

When I force the application to terminate, I get the usual error message asking me if I want to report the error to Microsoft, which I do. I then get a message back telling me that the problem is either due to a virus, an add-on to IE or a spyware issue.

I have followed all the instructions but I still can't stop the problem. I am running Norton Internet Security 2005. I also have Adaware installed and also Microsoft's anti-spyware stuff. None of these can find anything wrong. I have also run Trend Micro's online virus scan as well.

Anyone got any suggestions? This is driving me nuts, as when I try to read the un-read posts on here and it hangs, I have to shut down and start again, and of course then it thinks that I don't have any un-read posts.

Thanks

Gary

 

[Alf]

Can any one help please?

Firefox :wink:

Cheers, Alf

 

[Adam]

Can any one help please?

Firefox :wink:

Cheers, Alf

Ditto: See Todays BBC headlines:

Firefox fanbase reaches new high

More than 10% of net users are going online with the Firefox browser, show figures from analysis firm One Stat.

The global average of 11.5% is the highest percentage of users that the open source browser has ever reached.

The research also reveals that Americans are the biggest fans of Firefox with 14.1% using it. In the UK 4.9% use it to get around online.

Despite the success, Microsoft's Internet Explorer still dominates the net with an 85.5% market share.

Browser battle

The figures, gathered from a sample of more than two million web users, show that Firefox's market share has grown by almost three percentage points since April 2005.


UK BROWSER SHARES
1) Microsoft Internet Explorer - 93.37%
2) Mozilla Firefox - 4.94 %
3) Apple Safari - 0.99 %
4) Opera - 0.39 %
5) Netscape - 0.23 %
One Stat said that some of this growth has come at the expense of Microsoft's browser, but it has also stolen users from other browsers such as Opera and Netscape. One Stat also reported that users are Apple's Safari browser for the Mac was also recording good growth figures.

It is thought that continuing news stories about security problems in Internet Explorer are helping to fuel the move away from Microsoft's program.

One Stat's figures are at the upper end of all estimates for the success of Firefox. By contrast analysis firm Net Applications gave the browser a 9% market share according to figures gathered in October.

In recent months, browsers, toolbars and the technology around them have become the new front line in the war between the web's biggest companies - Microsoft, Google and Yahoo - to grab and keep hold of users.

New browsers are also continuing to appear. Most recently a browser called Flock launched that tries to make it easier for users to manage what they do on the web, such as remember places of interest and store pictures, in one place.

 

[wizer]

get firefox

 

[Taffy Turner]

Ok guys - I get the message about firefox! :roll:

Sadly that isn't an option, as this is a work computer, so I am stuck with IE sadly.

Anyone got any ideas that do not involve firefox???

Cheers

Gary

 

[Adam]

Sadly that isn't an option, as this is a work computer, so I am stuck with IE sadly.
Gary

Have you tried ringing IT and asking to have it installed? Could be worth a try?

Adam

 

[Alf]

Sadly that isn't an option, as this is a work computer, so I am stuck with IE sadly.

Anyone got any ideas that do not involve firefox???

Career change...? :lol:

 

[Taffy Turner]

Sadly that isn't an option, as this is a work computer, so I am stuck with IE sadly.

Anyone got any ideas that do not involve firefox???

Career change...? :lol:

May be an enforced one if I don't get this sorted out!!!

 

[Adam]

I also have Adaware installed and also Microsoft's anti-spyware stuff. None of these can find anything wrong. I have also run Trend Micro's online virus scan as well.

I'd start with a reputable virus checker, which runs on your PC.

You could try reinstalling IE.

Have you got any IE add ons installed? If so, perhaps uninstall them, or get them uptodate.

Have you done a check for latest versions of Internet Explorer and downloaded them all? I.e. critical updates? General Updates etc? takes hours.

How about Windows? Checked for general updates lately? How about critical updates? Which service pack are you running?

Hows that for starters?

Adam

 

[Les Mahon]

It sounds like some kind of unwanted gremlin alright.

Sadly that isn't an option, as this is a work computer, so I am stuck with IE sadly.

Try your works IT Helpdesk? - you may need to find a 'work related' website causing the sem problem! I'm allowed sugest this because I have done my time but long since graduated away from working the HellDesk 8)

Otherwise what Adam sugests sounds like a good start. If that does not work, try looking in the Task manager under process when you do the CTRL-ALT-DEL and click on the CPU column header - if something is hogging processor cycles, you could try tying the name of the offending process into google.

Just a few thoughts...

Les

 

[Anonymous]

check tools> Internet Options and then delete cookies in the general tab, also, delete files and then clear the history.

In content, see if you have the content advisor enabled, as it might be hanging IE duie to content it doesnt like or some weird microsoft take over.

If you are on a work LAN, check connections. There should be nothing dial up or virtual private network settings and never use a dial up connection should be checked and grey'd out

In LAN settings in connections, make sure nothing in checked in there and that you are not using a proxy server (unless your sys admins want you to. If you have something in there, do not delete it, call your help desk and check it out) if you do have spyware, then it would hijack that area and have you connecting through their proxy.

check the programs tab and make sure you recognise everything in there as being the rpograms you want to use for certain activities.

go to the Microsfot website and if permitted to by your LAN admin, download Microsoft spyware software and run that. if you can download ad aware as well and run that to see if you have any malware or spyware on your machine. http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/

Also do Tools, windows update, see if there are any updates you need for your PC or browser. http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/

I was going to put a link to firefox here, but have managed to resist temptation, as you are clearly worried about your IE application.

How did you manage to post this if your IE is crashing, or is it intermitent?

Also, do you have any little applications reminding you of the date, or the weather or the heat of your PC or that sort of nonsense, that you dont recognise. This is classic spyware and adware. Download this little aplication, it will be very helpful, but actually its just sending your key strokes off to some kid in Malaysia so that he can impress his 13 year old buddies with how much personal data he can collect with a script that a real hacker actually wrote....</sarcasm>

Hope the top half of this helped.

 

[Taffy Turner]

Adam, Les, Biglouie

Thanks for the help guys.

All microsoft downloads are up to date - do this religiously.

I am running Norton Internet Security (includes Norton Antivirus). Runs permanently in background.

Have scanned using Ad-Aware and Microsft Spyware. Do this once a week.

Still not finding anything.

FYI - I am connecting to the internet througha proxy server, which also has all of the above anti virus and anti spyware measures installed.

As I said, the problem is intermittent. When it does hang, it is IE itself that is using all the system resources (99%).

It certaily feels like a virus, but I'm b*gg*rd if I can find it!

Regards

Gary

 

[gidon]

Try running "msconfig" from the start|run dialog box. Select the startup tab and deselect everything you don't recognise. Then restart. If this gets rid of your problem methodically add startup items back in.
Cheers
Gidon

 

[sxlalan]

personally I think opera is way nicer than firefox...

 

[Greenfield Bob]

A few years back I was downloading music off the internet and I started having problems IE would hang up all the time. I found out that I had gotten 5 or 6 spyware programs on my computer. It took me awhile to get them out of my computer but when I did it worked just fine.

Bob

 

[Chris Knight]

personally I think opera is way nicer than firefox...

I use Opera sometimes for a change and like it too but I would go so far as to say "way nicer". It is faster than FF or IE for sure, especially when you have a bunch of FF extensions - I had far too many for a while and it made firing up FF like starting an old car in freezing weather. However, I have found a couple of drawbacks with Opera - on my machine at least it is touch and go whether it will display a PDF file properly, it usually crashes whilst trying. I would like to use its email but can't get to grips with the UI - too much like Picasa in ignoring folders, for my taste.

 

[sxlalan]

Not had any problems with PDFs myself though I do find Opera's habit of opening a blank window when I open a PDF annoying.

Alan

 

[superunknown]

personally I think opera is way nicer than firefox...

Me too. I love opera, been using it for years now. I have firefox on another computer and thats a nice browser too.

I would use them both over IE anytime

http://www.opera.com/ :wink: and its free now too.....

 

[Anonymous]

Check in the Microsoft SPyware beta, hit advanced tools and then check out the System Explorer.

It will show you what things are affecting IE and the rest of your system.

 

[Taffy Turner]

Thanks everyone for all the advice.

I have tried ALL of the suggestions. The problem is still there, and it's getting worse.

I am beginning to think that I will have to unistall IE, but I can't work out how to do it, as it seems to be an integral part of Windows XP.

I will keep you posted.

A cheesed - off Taffy.