Community Newsletter: Q&A: 2/04/05 Why is my Internet Explorer encountering problems?
- 2/3/05 4:38 PM
2/04/05 Why is my Internet Explorer encountering problems?
by Lee Koo (ADMIN) - 2/3/05 4:38 PM
Thanks you Miguel and everyone who participated in this week topic. I encourage all of you who have more suggestions, methods, or questions regarding this topic to post below. The more solutions that we share, the more we can all learn from each other as a community.
Thanks again everyone!
-Lee Koo
CNET Community
Question:
About every 15 minutes, I get a message saying, "Internet
Explorer has encountered a problem and needs to close."
What's causing this, and do you have any suggestions on how
to fix this problem? It is quite annoying! Thank you.
Submitted by: Lawrence A.
Answer:
It is impossible to diagnose the cause of this (or any) error message without knowing what operating system is running on your computer, which version of Internet Explorer you are using, and what exactly you were doing when the latter crashed. If you are running an older version of Internet Explorer or one missing some key fixes and patches, the solution to your problem might be as simple as updating your software ( http://v5.windowsupdate.microsoft.com/v5consumer/default.aspx?ln=en-us ).
For argument's sake, let's assume you have the latest version of Internet Explorer and that it is up to date.
As a general rule, whenever I get an error message from a Microsoft product, I copy down the details of the message verbatim and look up more information using Microsoft's Knowledge Base ( http://support.microsoft.com/ )
. In most cases, searching the database yields a list of articles describing known issues, their causes, and either solutions or workarounds. Careful examination then helps me decide whether any of the articles applies to my situation. At the very least, I get some comfort in knowing that the error is a known issue and not the result of something I might have done!
Using "Internet Explorer has encountered a problem and needs to close" as query yields over 40 results, which shows the ubiquitous nature - and disparate causes - of this particular error message. Still, many of them can be classified as instances of software incompatibility and/or corrupted files , with Internet Explorer clashing with things such as the Google Toolbar, Browser Helper Objects and even beta versions of Windows XP! One of the results, however, caught my eye not only because of its simple solution, but also because its nature has serious security and privacy implications. Thus, I'll discuss it first.
Knowledge Base Article 822797( http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;822797 ) applies to those running Windows XP as their operating system, and refers to Qcbar.dll, a program that adds adult Website links to Internet Explorer's Favorites menu. This is the kind of program that may find its way into your computer if someone ventured into the wrong neighborhood of the web, especially if your browser lacks the latest security fixes. Also, keep in mind that security vulnerabilities might have allowed spyware (or a virus) to infect your computer, and then to download and install such a program without your knowledge. Having visited an adult website is not a prerequisite.
Examine your Favorites menu to see if the links mentioned in Article 822797 are present. If they are, delete the adult links using either of the methods described in the article. If everything works fine, don't pat yourself on the back just yet. Instead, scan your entire computer for viruses (make sure both the engine and the virus definitions are up to date!), then open Internet Explorer, click on Tools and select Windows Update from the drop down menu. After making sure your software is up to date, download a copy of Spybot Search & Destroy ( http://www.safer-networking.org/en/index.html ) and scan your computer for spyware that might result in the recurrence of the issue, or even new problems. If your computer is not currently protected by a firewall, or if you want more protection than what is offered by Windows XP's built-in version, you should also install ZoneAlarm ( http://www.zonelabs.com/store/content/catalog/products/sku_list_za.jsp ) . Regardless of which firewall you choose, test it for leaks by visiting the excellent Shields Up! website ( http://www.grc.com/x/ne.dll?rh1dkyd2 ) .
Even if Knowledge Base Article 822797 does not apply to you, scan your computer for viruses, spyware and adware. It is possible that the presence of other malware in your system is causing Internet Explorer to crash. The solution to your problem might be as simple as scanning your PC! But if the scans come out empty, get ready to do some detective work.
I am assuming your computer did not come out of the box with the problem you described, and thus there was a time in recent memory when you could browse the web without Internet Explorer crashing every fifteen minutes. If you have System Restore, see if you can go back to a point at which your PC worked flawlessly. If you are unable to restore your computer to a happier time, think back to the last time Internet Explorer didn't crash, and try hard to remember any software you might have added since. This includes plug-ins, toolbars, media players and utilities. If you suspect the problems started around the time you installed a particular item, uninstall the latter and see if the issue is resolved. You can try reinstalling the item in question to see whether the problem was the result of corrupted files during installation. However, if the problem reappears, uninstall it for good, or at least until you can learn more about what might be causing the problem. (You can try the developer's website and/or Microsoft's Knowledge Base. Using the item's name as a query rather than the error message might yield more specific results!) Realize that this is a process of elimination, and thus you might need to repeat these steps a number of times depending on how many additions you have made.
If after ruling out malware and compatibility issues you still experience the problem, reinstall the latest version of Internet Explorer. You should also install Mozilla's Firefox ( http://www.mozilla.org/products/firefox/ ) browser. Not only will it serve as a back up browser, it will also help you determine whether the problem affects Internet Explorer exclusively. Who knows, you might end up making Firefox your default browser.
Submitted by: Miguel K. of Columbus, Ohio
Honorable mentions
by Lee Koo (ADMIN) - 2/3/05 4:35 PM
In reply to: 2/04/05 Why is my Internet Explorer encountering problems? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
****Honorable mentions****
Answer:
The very first thing I do when I get a vague “There was an error and I’m not going to tell you any more than that” kind of error, is to Google the exact text in the error message. This error can mean different things on different combinations of Windows and Internet Explorer (and since we don’t know what you are using, this is more “general next-steps to take” advice).
First we need to get a more specific error code.
Next time you get the error (just wait for the next 15 minutes to roll by…) check to see if the error message has a link that says “click here” (more vaguery). This will give you the real error code (a.k.a. unintelligible programmer gibberish) which will be a number that you can copy and paste into Google (again) for more specific troubleshooting. When Microsoft “knows” what went wrong, there may be another clickable link inside the error message that will go directly to the tech note on their website (what would be better is a “Fix Me” link…).
If you aren’t getting the error code with the “click me” link, you can find it by opening Event Viewer – usually located in Start Menu -> Programs -> Administrative Tools -> Event Viewer. Click on “Application” in the Event Viewer list and find your error. There will probably be lots of events logged there – things starting and stopping, warnings, etc (you may find other things there you need to take care of eventually) – but you just need to find the error for Internet Explorer. It’s best to sort by the most recent errors since they aren’t listed by application name. Once you find your error in the event viewer list, double-click it to open the error message and copy and paste the error number into either Google or Microsoft’s website. Phew. That will help you get the specific advice you need to fix it.
OK, so we couldn’t find the error code anywhere. What next? For your error, googling the first vague error brings up a variety of next steps.
1) Make sure your operating system and browser are up-to-date and have all the latest patches.
Go to: windowsupdate.microsoft.com to download and install the updates.
2) Make sure script debugging is turned off.
To turn off script debugging in Internet Explorer:
- Go to Tools > Internet Options
- Click on the Advanced tab and select Disable Script Debugging in the Browsing section
- Click OK and restart Windows.
Do these two things first. Keeping Windows up-to-date is a good idea anyway. If you are still getting the error message and you have the beta version of Internet Explorer installed, you may need to turn off Smart Tags and uninstall the “Smart Tag support for IE” using Add/Remove Programs.
- To turn off Smart Tags:
Go back to Tools > Internet Options and click on the Advanced tab. Uncheck “Enable Smart Tags”.
- To uninstall “Smart Tag support for IE”:
Start Menu > Control Panel > Add/Remove Programs
Select Smart Tag Support for IE in the list and click the Add Remove button next to it.
Restart Internet Explorer.
When all else fails, you can always switch to Firefox (highly recommended). Otherwise, continue troubleshooting IE with the more specific error code.
Submitted by: Beth L.
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Answer:
I work in an IT department in a large company and the first thing I would suspect when told that IE is crashing every 15 minutes is that Lawrence's PC has been infected with spyware. He needs to obtain an anti-spyware product and scan his PC. Which solution to use is a difficult question because we have found that many of the anti-spyware programs do not terminate running spyware processes before trying to clean the PC, leaving the PC still infected. My best results so far have been using Microsoft's Antispyware beta once I have cleaned the PC with other anti-spyware products. The Microsoft solution is free and has been very good at helping keep PCs on which we install it from getting re-infected. I would encourage Lawrence to download and run several of the free anti-spyware products, such as the free version of Ad-aware and Spybot, then load Microsoft's Antispyware beta and run it and let it run from that point on in the background to help catch spyware when it is downloaded to his PC and to scan for spyware automatically every night. It automatically downloads updates from Microsoft too. The Microsoft software is somewhat advanced because it is very aggressive in identifying potential spyware applications, sometimes identifying legitimate applications as potential spyware. This requires the user to make a decision about what is identified, but the user can tell Microsoft Antispyware to always ignore legitimate applications. In conjunction with XP Service Pack 2, I have not been infected with anything except a few cookies since I started using the Microsoft product
I have developed a "mantra" to tell people to keep their PCs as clean from spyware, viruses and other nasty beasties that are out there in the ether universe:
1. Install a good anti-virus solution and keep it updated and active on a PC.
2. Install the Windows patches and service packs diligently. It is OK to wait a couple of weeks after patches and service packs are released to make sure that there was no problem with any of them, but do not wait too long. The forces of evil who create all the nasty beasties are also watching for Microsoft's releases so that they will know what to exploit.
3. Install and run often a good anti-spyware solution. At this point in time, I would recommend the Microsoft Antispyware beta unless something better comes along.
This advice is for individuals for their home PCs. All these things should be done by the IT department where you work. Let them manage protection for you so that you do not conflict with their efforts to protect your work PC. That would be a whole different e-mail and I will not get into that in this message. I would just advise to contact your IT department if you are experiencing the same thing Lawrence is experiencing on a work PC.
Regards,
Submitted by: Ken S
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Answer:
First make sure Internet explorer has all the updates for the version you would like to use, microsoft usually can do this through automatic updates <usually in control panel or on the start menu> This will take out any security issue microsoft knows about. one source of these errors is another program trying to manipulate IE. java script active x and various other things related to internet explorer, can constantly be modified by outsiders whom you grant access to your computer. knowingly or unknowingly. Up to date Anti-virus anti-spam and anti-cookie software like Ad-Aware SE can solve most of these problems. A firewall that is up to date and allows you to see who's trying to connect or what info is leaving your computer and from what appliction is vita! l to keep these errors and other kinds of attacks off your computer. If all these fail clean out cookies and cached internet files through control panel-internet options> If there are still errors then IE needs to be restored. uninstall it and reinstall from a clean file. after downloading or installling scan the d/l or directory with any and all virus programs you have to verify that that is not your source of your problems. Update as soon as possible. If it still sux research other browsers. IE is known for crappy programming.
Submitted by: Paul H.
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Answer:
I’m assuming you wish to use IE and not an ale
Without knowing which Operating System being used or whether this occurs intermittently it could be due to a number of reasons.
Third-party add-ons or corrupt I.E files are the first best guesses.
I’d recommend running a SpyWare program to clean-up any Trojans, Re-Dialers etc from your system. An effective tool for this is LavaSoft Ad-Aware, firstly because it works and secondly because it is free. You will need an Internet Connection to download it, which I assume if you can post to CNet isn’t a consistent issue.
Secondly if you’re not running an up-to-date Antivirus package then invest in one before EVER going on-line again. I have my preference at Norton Anti-Virus, but there are many alternatives and CNet has Reviews and feedback on forums.
Thirdly change your default Internet Page to blank, at least for a day and then set your HomePage to your personal preference. If resetting it brings the problem back then the site you use as your HomePage may be the problem; not every page is friendly.
If despite this IE still generates this issue you may need to re-install IE. If your using Windows XP Service pack 2 you should reinstall IE via the Microsoft site. If you’re running XP Service pack 1 or any lower version you should be able to run the “IE.inf” file to re-install IE from within the computer, just search for IE.inf and right-click it once located and select install. If in doubt or confused buy a Computer Magazine with a CD containing IE and install from there, should be heaps around.
Submitted by: Rob W.
Other recommendations from our members
by Lee Koo (ADMIN) - 2/3/05 5:30 PM
In reply to: 2/04/05 Why is my Internet Explorer encountering problems? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
****Recommendations from our members****
Answer:
It could be anything!
A .DLL that is missing for example. If it does not exactly say the name of the problem for you can find and fix it, then I would say that a machine needs to be cleaned up, or even formatted depending on what you have.
If you need to format it, save all your important documents and do it.
Submitted by: Aurelio S.
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Answer:
Lawrence,
I suspect there are many reasons for this jarring message. A year ago I upgraded my ram into my computer and whle the computer acknowledged the new computer it began to send that message to me once I began to open my Internet Explorer. I uninstalled the memory and all was back to normal.
My memory had some different speed with the existing memory that was installed when I bought my computer.
Hope this answere will add to the opus on the corrective surgery for such messages.
Submitted by: Liam H.
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Answer:
Yea, this problem kept happening with my cousin too. There are certain programs that do not let internet explorer run. Such as PrevX, or if the settings are not right, Zone Alarm. My advice is to get rid of all programs that act as a firewall exept Zone Alarm, and If you do not have Zone Alarm, my advice would be to go to a friend's computer, download a free version, burn it to a disc, or floppy, and install it on your computer. Or just buy the full version in a store. And the program that worked for me was not internet explorer, for I could not get it to run still, but I used Mozilla Firefox Web Browser. You should get that too. And if severe system screw ups presist-save all your important files to a disc or two, or online in an account in email, Yahoo might be the best, because it has the most storage available in an email account. Zip the files, and save them as draft. And now, wipe and reformat your hard drive. You do this by purchasing a disc that acts as an ! "eraser" for your hard drive, insert it, run it, and you should have windows gone. But you must have a windows cd to reinstall windows, or, if you use another operating system, such as linux or mac, same there. But, the most important thing to remeber---DO NOT DOWNLOAD OR CLICK ON POPUPS!!! My cousin is computer illiterate, and saw popups such as "win a trip to hawaii!" and "find a sex partner in your area tonight!" and stuff, and all he did was click and install them. Some of the best advice you can get is to not click on any popups, whatsoever. Good Bye and good luck.
Submitted by: Mario G.
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Answer:
well lawrence you did not specify which windows but to me it sounds like you got windows 98 se but the procedure im going to tell you about is for all versions of windows chances are they are 3 possible causes of this 1 is spyware and 2 is hardware issues which in hardware i mean modemn but before you go out and buy a modemn lets try this go to start>settings>control panel>add-remove programs>and then find internet explorer then highlight it with a single left click then double left click on it from that point you just activated the repair feature for internet explorer check the box that says repair internet explorer and click next or ok then it will attempt to reinstall and repair internet explorer if it was succesful on repair it will say succesfully completed restart your computer well from that point restart your computer and logon then see if you have the problem as much however if it was not succesful then you will have to uninstall it and reinstall it well hope this helps and good luck p.s have you checked your firewall it could be the reason you are getting that error message cause the other night i was fixing my older pc and when i installed windows and drivers i was running good install my firewall it would crash just as soon as i tried to sign on well after about 3 reformats of the hard drive i tried leaving out the fire wall and it seems to be running great now good luck
Submitted by: Lawrence
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Answer:
Sounds like spyware/adware to me. I would recommend downloading Spybot Search and Destroy and Adaware Se Personal. Install them both, update them and let them scan your system. Delete anything they find and reboot. Your troubles may be gone!!
Submitted by: Lynn T.
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Answer:
Well, two years ago I kept getting this message too at frequent intervals. But in my case it meant that my hard drive was dying and needed replacing. If your hard drive is 3 years old or older, then it's probably that. But if it's a younger hard drive, there's probably a fault. Have you done a disk check on it? That should show up corrupted tracks and mend them. Also, do a defrag if one hasn't been done for a while.
Submitted by: Heather L.
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Answer:
THe most effective way is to go direct to msn. I happened to have the same explorer problems, and by chance I looked to the cookies files expiration dates. These dates are changeable directly by Microsoft. I can see the changes but the system will not respond to my change. Only msn can reverse the change. Also, ask msn, never change expiration date of any "cookie file" unless the customer is aware and judtify the reason of changing the expiration date. In my case, I could catch around twenty sensitive dates moved to pass the present date, which means the cookie file is not active and the function expected is not working for the customer. God bless us all.
Submitted by: John R.
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Answer:
My first question is what OS is it? My wife’s computer had this problem, and it go progressively worse until IE just wouldn’t work anymore no matter what I did (OS at that time was Windows 98).
I deleted the IE folders, cleaned her system (spybot, ad-aware), ran scandisk and defrag, and then re-installed IE from the Microsoft website. This finally fixed the problem. The first time I re-installed IE, it didn’t fix the problem; it was only after I deleted all its program files, and then did some maintenance on Windows that it worked.
Hope this helps!
Submitted by: Mike T.
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Answer:
This sounds – and looks very much like a virus. It could be any one of the various types, but from the problems you’re having, I would say it is either a worm virus or similar. Most good anti-virus systems nowadays not only incorporate a firewall facility, they also have anti-spam and spy-ware systems. Some even have a damage limitation programme built in! If you already haven’t got it, get a good anti-virus system – I use Trend Micro’s PC – cillin Internet Security, this gives you a firewall (much better than Windows XP), there is also an anti-spam feature there – though I don’t use that – and a damage limitation programme.
By the same token I also have Lavasoft’s Ad-aware SE on the computer. This programme is designed to catch and eradicate malaware and spyware and for registered users it also offers a free monitoring system called Ad-watch; whilst it is a good backup you DO need a good anti-virus programme and keep ALL programmes – antivirus, spyware or similar as up to date as possible.
Regards
Submitted by: Ian G.
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Answer:
Hi Lawrence. You don't say what operating system or version of Internet Explorer you use on your computer. So the best advice I can give is for you to try the Microsoft Help and Support Site and search for the updates and patches for your operating system and Explorer version. I did this on a machine running Internet Explorer 6 and the problems went away! There is lots of very useful information on this site and if you get stuck you can always hit the 'Contact Us' button for more advice. By the way are your firewall and antivirus fully updated? Maybe there is something at work in the background on your machine. Regards Frank Swain (UK)
Submitted by: Frank S. (UK)
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Answer:
A couple things come to mind.I remember having that issue some time ago. I wound up uninstalling and reinstalling IE. But, todays problems with IE seem to be in poor cache management. What this means is that when you're surfing the internet, IE by default saves all the graphics, passwords, and such into memory called cache. IE removes it when closes, but not all of it. It builds up, loading the cache to the point to where if there's just too much, IE wants to close to clear it out. Back to square one... it doesn't remove all items in cache memory. If that is the case, then I would use a utility like Tune-Up Utilities 2004 to clear up histary, temporary internet files, and cookies. XP also has it's own utility to do the same thing. Another thing to try is to get a program such as the one mentioned above or Windows Registry Repair Pro to scan your registry for errors and have it correct them. Both programs also defragments your registry. Also, if you're up to suggestions, I recommend using a different browser. I use the Enigma browser because it has built in tools to perform the romoval of temporary internet files, cookies, and history automatically when you close it. Another plus about this browser is it's multi-tabbed capabilities. Comes in real handy when doing research!
Submitted by: Matthew S.
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Answer:
Lawrence,
I have had this same irritating error message for over 6 months. I was also having other anonymous error messages for no apparent reasons.
So I began to identify the problem by swapping-out parts. Yea FUN!
Although I had tested the RAM w/testing software (DOS & Windows), I felt that the problem had to be RAM.
So I decided to test my RAM sticks outside of the Pc box.
I borrowed an old-fashioned electronic DIMM/SIMM Tester and it immediately identified the bad stick.
Upon replacing the bad DIMM, I have not had any error messages, especially the “Internet Explorer” or “Windows Explorer” shut-down error message.
Good Luck!
Submitted by: Kab
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Answer:
ou have probably downloaded a program that has brought some spyware into your computer. The things that are famous for that are Themes Screensavers and games. Try running AdAware and Spybot and also look in your program files and see if there are any programs in there that you didn't put there.
Everytime you download something from the net it's a good idea to run an anti-spyware program after you have opened the program.
Submitted by: Norah E.
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Answer:
I had that same problem..I am not a computer brain and know little about PC systems..So it was trial and error coming up with a solution... What I Begin to realize is, that it was a windows problem..and from there found it to me a safe guard so to speak of the " sassier worm protection", I found that my service pack 2 some now didn't completely down load all the needed packs to protect my PC..The problem from there was finding a way to stay on line till I was able to complete the required down loads..every time I would start it would say ".. Internet Explorer has encountered a problem and needs to close." Oh man, that gets to you..I found that If I put up a temporary "Firewall" ( I use the one from System Suite's ) I was then given the time to download SP2 and use it's firewall..I never had that problem again..Hope this helps..
Submitted by: Intense
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Answer:
For this problem, it seems like the combination of Windows 2000/ME and sites heavy on FLASH graphics without the latest FLASH viewers installed will cause this problem.
I have two computers : one with Windows ME and one with Windows XP. The XP one does not have this problem.
About two months ago, I noticed my windows ME computer would have IE fail as described when I visited certain sites that are FLASH intensive (this includes certain ads).
Something that helps is to go to:
http://www.macromedia.com/shockwave/welcome/
which tests that you have the latest FLASH viewer installed.
This eliminated about 80% of the unexpected IE shutdowns.
Submitted by: Steve M.
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Answer:
Windows, and even then, you aren't guaranteed success. Also, upgrading Internet Explorer often works, but this generally won't be possible due to MS's decision to stop bundling Explorer as a separate app.) It may aso be worth running a check for viruses, worms, spyware, etc. Overall though, I'd say you'd be best off using another browser - personally I recommend Firefox, but its entirely up to you.
Submitted by: David W.
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Answer:
I helped a friend with the same problem,I downloaded ,Spybot Sd,Spyware Blaster,
Adaware and AVG.
I installed one at a time and ran them and it found over 1100 instances of malware which it removed.
After that his machine ran fine.
Submitted by: Richard H.
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Answer:
Sound like your pc is infected with a virus, spyware or both. First, update and run your antivirus program. If you don't have one or the virus has disabled its functionality, try using on of the free online antivirus scanners, such as Panda Activescan and run their free virus check
http://www.pandasoftware.com/products/activescan/
After you have done that, download AdAwareSE, Spybot Search and Destroy and the latest Microsoft spyware removal tool from Giant. Update them all and run them separately to remove spyware.
If Internet Explorer still does not work, you may have to reinstall it. Search for a file called ie6setup.exe. If you have it on your pc, simply double-click and install. You will want to be connected to the Internet while you run the install. If you don't have it, try Microsoft's site:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/ie/default.mspx
Submitted by: Dale S.
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Answer:
obviously your ie has become a problem drinker. help it get into detox and then encourage a 12 step program for recovery, such as, ieholics anonymous. but, remember, your ie has gotta want it before it will work. good luck. a friend of bill(gates)
Submitted by: Jim K.
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Answer:
This could be caused by a conflict with one’s Norton Antivirus program (especially if it is a program that has been “up dated” only via the internet with “new” licenses purchased on line) and IE. I had the same problem with one of my computers as soon as I uninstalled Norton and installed PC-illin it (IE) worked flawlessly. A friend on mine suffered the same situation and uninstalled Norton and went to MacAfee and the problem went away. I do not know if purchasing a new up-dated version of Norton “on disk”, and uninstalling the old version and replacing it with the new one, would give as good a solution as changing vendors did. If you are not using Norton (and purchased a license on line) it could be a problem with scripting and one may need to update the scripting engine (from Microsoft) and go back to the original active x controls and automatic settings that IE seems to like (basically let IE do the thinking for you). Note: this is based on having XP as one's operating system. If you need help with this let me know and I will go over the procedure with you (it is quite long and will take a bit of time to explain … this involves IE security and active x settings). Hope this helps.
Submitted by: Gerry G.
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Answer:
i have winxp & ie6 with sp2 and all updates/patches installed. i dont know how far this solution would help. i encountered the same problem when i installed google toolbar and the problem vanished when google toolbar was uninstalled.
Submitted by: Rajan I.
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Answer:
This may be a question that requires more information. You could get that message from having multiple browser windows open (overworking your CPU's resources), having a mild hacker problem, from not having an updated version of Internet Explorer, or a myriad of other things.
Reduce the number of Internet sources running at once if you are running multiple windows. If that isn't the problem, Check for Windows and Internet Explorer Updates, install them, and restart your computer. Other options would include modem troubleshooting, checking your phone line, and other more involved solutions. But let's check the easier ones first.
Submitted by: Bill V. of Trenton, MI
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Answer:
If you have defragged the disk and continue to have this problem
there is only one way, I have found, to correct this problem.
1) Backup/Save all data and files you feel are valuable to CD or DVD.
2) Now find your System Disk and then do a low level format of the HD.**
3) Reload your operating system
4) Download all patches and upgrades for your operating system.
5) Load your virus protection program and download current files.
6) Now reload your programs from their original disks
7) and then download all patches and upgrades for these programs.
8) finally reload you data and files.
** If you have been considering a new harddrive now is the time to replace your
drive with a new larger drive. I suggest at least twice the size of your current drive. If you choose to go this route you can skip step 1) and install your old hd as a slave or secondary drive to recover all data and files.
Thank You
Submitted by:
Curtis G. of Ayden, NC
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Answer:
I had the same problem with mine, I ran spysweeper on my PC and it hasn't happened since, I don't know if this will work for you but you can try the free download and try it out.
Submitted by:Martin R.
explorer hanging up computer every so often
by raymondcates - 2/4/05 6:53 AM In reply to: Other recommendations from our members by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
update your msn messanger it will fix the proablem
IE sucks!
by nightG - 2/4/05 7:25 AM In reply to: explorer hanging up computer every so often by raymondcatesI propose to leave IE completely. I've used Mozilla Firefox since it came out and never had a problem. To your problem could be a simple answer: your firewall is too paranoid. Zone Alarm often messes things - my way - maybe your way too. Try Sygate Personal Firewall and you'll get a good night sleep!
RE: IE sucks
by frazzledsuzy - 2/6/05 9:48 AM In reply to: IE sucks! by nightGYou really cant leave compleatly because so many of newer apps need to have IE6 installed. If only the software makers could make their programs require Mozilla or FireFox but that probably will never happen?
because M$'s dominance. I sware didn't need to use exploder at my job I wouldn't use Window$. I would own a
MAC or use Linux
Suzy
Reboot of computer
by rayl - 2/4/05 2:20 PM In reply to: Other recommendations from our members by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
If your computer is shutting when you use internet exolorer it is because you have the virus sasser.exe, you have to go to windows update and search for sasser
they will remove from your computer this virus...
Real...
Dying IE
by rub - 2/7/05 10:43 AM In reply to: Reboot of computer by raylI've had sasser but IE6 has always been a problem, even before the fixes and all the malware. There are many websites that are apparently trying to download stuff that IE should just ignore ( block ) but instead it hangs up, and then shuts down completely. The answer lies in a new browser, not in more patches on top of a vulnerable, already over-patched base. I worked with programmers who were doing patches 40 years ago to meet delivery schedules, and a large percentage came back to bite the users in the ass. The favorite alibi of the programmers was to blame it all on hardware glitches, which it seldom was back then and almost never is now, but they hardly ever took responsibility for not knowing what they were doing. I think most of the incompetent ( not interested in FINISHING the design ) programmers of this generation have ended up at MS although it could be the program managers who insist on impossible delivery schedules ( too much, too soon ).
Addendum to this week's "winning" answer
by Kid A - 2/4/05 9:26 PM In reply to: Other recommendations from our members by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Application problems can also be a symptom of insufficient system resources. Powerful operating systems like Windows XP and 2000 have pretty steep minimum system requirements; firewalls, antivirus engines, and other security applications can also place a significant burden on your CPU and memory. Media players are no lightweights, either! If your PC has an older CPU and 128-256 MB of RAM, it might be "running on empty" before you even start a single program. Under these conditions, running perfectly compatible programs simultaneously might cause either of them - or even your computer - to crash as processes compete for a finite amount of resources. Thus, your Internet Explorer browser might stop responding as a result of Musicmatch Jukebox or a Norton Antivirus process hogging memory. This is what I had in mind when I wrote that accurate diagnosis of an application issue requires knowing "what exactly you were doing when the [program] crashed." I apologize for not making this clearer in my original submission. (This is what happens when you "cut" but forget to "paste.")
Even a Pentium 4 with 1 GB of RAM might run into trouble if the right combination of programs are running at the same time. So if you have ruled out malware, software incompatibilities, and corrupt files as likely causes of the "Internet Explorer has encountered a problem and needs to close" messages, or if you have less than 512 MB RAM, consider adding more memory to your computer. This might do the trick. Besides, you can never have enough RAM installed in your computer!
Miguel K.
Why Internet Explorer keeps shutting down
by geamx4 - 9/22/06 4:19 AM In reply to: Addendum to this week's "winning" answer by Kid AYou might want to run Registry Mechanic (RM). I had a similar problem and RM found several errors. I simply told it to fix it and start ted to work just as before if not better. Hope this help. Some programs interact very closely with windows properties and if you have deleted some programs before, you might have taken some components of windows out.
IE problems
by Carolal - 2/5/05 9:46 AM In reply to: Other recommendations from our members by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Yah, I've had this problem as well, even tho I've faithfully updated WinXP, virus & spyware scanned (Spybot, AVG & Avast, plus the usual regular maintenance)...So, I don't run IE anymore..done..heh!...I've investigated both Firefox (it's ok) and MyIE2...and use the MyIE2 faithfully w/out any problems whatsoever...Just a suggestion...*smile*
Good luck!
RE: "Internet Explorer has encountered a problem..."
by METAUSTIN - 2/3/05 11:39 PM In reply to: 2/04/05 Why is my Internet Explorer encountering problems? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I also have this problem. I install ALL of the Microsoft updates and run Windows 2000 Professional. My browser is Microsoft's IE, Version 6.0.2800.1106.
This is an annoying problem and, as usual, Microsoft will not respond unless I pay them first for support (which I am not about to do!) This is just another example of the usual buggy, crappy software they vend.
If you have a solution, please let me know. Unlike the previous writer, you have my software versions. My hardware is a Micron Millennium 500 (Pentium III, 500 MHz processor, 256 mb RAM). I clean out my cookies weekly and run Ad-aware amd Spybot (also weekly) to clean all the crap off my machine.
I am thinking of downloading Firefox for my new browser since Internet Explorer (obviously) does not work. Suggestions or Fixes?
RE: "Internet Explorer has encountered a problem..."
by Kid A - 2/4/05 3:02 PM In reply to: RE: "Internet Explorer has encountered a problem..." by METAUSTINThe answer I provided is really a problem-solving strategy, not a specific solution. You still need to do your homework to rule out software and hardware conflicts. Complaining about Microsoft accomplishes nothing. You wouldn't trade your Windows PC for an old Commodore 64, would you? In a perverse way, life would be less exciting without the "challenges" thrown at us courtesy of Bill Gates... 
You mentioned you are running a Pentium III, 500 MHz processor, 256 MB RAM. Your present configuration might not be powerful enough to handle a resource-hungry operating system like Windows, a browser, and another heavy-duty program (or two) running simultaneously! And 256 MB RAM is simply not enough memory for today's applications.
You never mentioned what other programs might be running when the issue occurs. If you're checking out CNET, ESPN.com, Amazon (i.e., have three IE windows open), have instant messenger software running, then decide to play some music files while you browse, you're headed for disaster. All those programs will compete with your operating system (and other background processes) for a very limited amount of resources! Internet Explorer crashing might be the symptom of your not having enough memory and/or processing power.
I'd make sure I have a minimum of 512 MB RAM installed, more if your configuration allows for it. Frankly, I'm not sure you currently meet the minimum requirements to run Windows 2000 Pro - and even those are low-ball estimates that rarely conform to real life. Your OS might not be leaving enough room for anything else to maneuver. Adding more memory might help. and it would be significantly cheaper than buying a new computer. Then again, if you were looking for an excuse to do so...
Miguel K.
Microsoft IE still sucks
by METAUSTIN - 2/6/05 9:31 PM In reply to: RE: "Internet Explorer has encountered a problem..." by Kid ANo, complaining accomplishes nothing, unless the person it is directed to hear/reads the complaint. In any event, complaining makes me feel better. It is one less Paxil I need to take each day...
My 500 MHz machine works just fine, thank you very much. Yeah, it's slow at times, but I attribute that to dial-up connections. Microsoft Internet Explorer has always worked very well except in the last 6-8 months when these "wierd" error messages have popped up from time to time. Could it be one of those recent "mandatory" Microsoft upgrades? I think so. I didn't have any problems until I listened to them and started downloading/installing their files!
Same problem and tried Firefox
by baneth - 5/2/05 12:44 AM In reply to: RE: "Internet Explorer has encountered a problem..." by METAUSTINI have the same problem everyone else is speaking of in this forum, I've done everything all have suggested except adding more RAM which I will try this week. However I have tried Firefox and I get a Runtime Error that causes Firefox to shutdown.
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