Browser help please?

[Stanley Edwards]

I can't open Firefox, nor IE. Firefox just refuses to strat-up, IE just hangs for a minute before closing down. Opera is fine, but I can't access my emails in Opera.

Done the usual virus checks etc. Reinstalled Firefox without any joy.

Windows XP with latest browser versions. Any ideas?

 

[Pickman's model]

kick it

 

[Stanley Edwards]

kick it

Why the fucking hell did I even bother reading a Pickman's reply.

 

[joustmaster]

the best thing to do is make friends with someone who knows about computers, give them invite them round and feed them beer and crisps.

 

[Stanley Edwards]

the best thing to do is make friends with someone who knows about computers, give them invite them round and feed them beer and crisps.

But, I am that person. This has me stumped though. Trying a reinstall of IE now.

 

[Pickman's model]

Why the fucking hell did I even bother reading a Pickman's reply.

because you are everything i think you are

 

[joustmaster]

But, I am that person. This has me stumped though. Trying a reinstall of IE now.

Sounds like its clogged up with shit.
Format/reinstall/recover from backup.
Should take less than 2 hours, of mostly unattended work.
And you get to feed your self beer and crisps.

 

[Stanley Edwards]

Everything working again now after a reinstall and reboot. I suspect there is more to it mind.

At least Firefox is working, so I can access my email and get on with work.

Might be time for a new laptop/netbook. This has done almost 3 years of hard use and long travel.

 

[RoyReed]

Download and install CCleaner then run both the Cleaner (which will delete all the junk clogging up your hard drive) and the Registry Cleaner (which will sort out old registry keys that have become redundant). Before saying 'Yes' to the Registry Cleaner it will offer to make a backup of the registry before it makes any changes. Do this if you're in any way unsure of the changes it's making as it will allow you to revert.

On the Windows and Applications tabs of the cleaner you might want to untick 'Saved Form Information' and 'Saved Passwords' in the IE and Firefox sections (and/or any other settings you might want to keep).

You might also want to set a system restore point before running CCleaner - just in case.

 

[Stanley Edwards]

Download and install CCleaner then run both the Cleaner (which will delete all the junk clogging up your hard drive) and the Registry Cleaner (which will sort out old registry keys that have become redundant). Before saying 'Yes' to the Registry Cleaner it will offer to make a backup of the registry before it makes any changes. Do this if you're in any way unsure of the changes it's making as it will allow you to revert.

On the Windows and Applications tabs of the cleaner you might want to untick 'Saved Form Information' and 'Saved Passwords' in the IE and Firefox sections (and/or any other settings you might want to keep).

You might also want to set a system restore point before running CCleaner - just in case.

Thanks for this. I've already used similar, but not tried CCleaner. All seems fine again now. I'll give your suggestion a run anyway.

 

[Stanley Edwards]

Meh. Can't download CCleaner.

--/ I am an inpatient bugger .....

works now.

........That'll be impatient.

 

[Stanley Edwards]

CCleaner cleared over 1GB!

But, I still can't get IE to run. Happy with Firefox and Opera (don't use Chrome), but would like to know what the problem is.

 

[Pickman's model]

CCleaner cleared over 1GB!

But, I still can't get IE to run. Happy with Firefox and Opera (don't use Chrome), but would like to know what the problem is.

microsoft.

 

[RoyReed]

CCleaner cleared over 1GB!

But, I still can't get IE to run. Happy with Firefox and Opera (don't use Chrome), but would like to know what the problem is.

Which version of IE? Here's some links to different versions that you can download and reinstall:

IE10
IE9
IE8

 

[Stanley Edwards]

I have tried to download IE10, but it isn't having it. All worked fine until 2 days ago. Currently have IE8. Didn't get any automatic update notices.

When I go to the download site (not your links) it says available for all versions, but only gives options for Win7. When I download that, it won't install. I will try again. More concerned about where the original problem came from.

 

[Epona]

What OS are you using? If you aren't using Win7 or newer then you might have to use an older version of IE, developers are not beholden to users of software years old to keep making updates to things so that they are backwards compatible.

If you are using Windows XP then try IE 8 - if you're already using IE 8 then stick to it. Or see if any of the other browsers (Mozilla Firefox, Opera, Chrome, etc.) have a version compatible with your OS. If you can only find a Win7 compatible version of what you want, you're not likely to be able to make it work with an older version of Windows. You can't bash a square peg into a round hole.

 

[Boris Sprinkler]

Try looking at the application logs and see what events are listed at the same time you click on ie.

 

[Stanley Edwards]

Try looking at the application logs and see what events are listed at the same time you click on ie.

Done this. Nothing obvious. Definitely something SpyBot can't find. I am now getting a very annoying window pop-up in Firefox suggesting 'related searches' every time I visit a new URL.

--/ topictorch now disabled. Cunts!

Still can't get IE to run. Reinstalled IE8.

 

[Boris Sprinkler]

pm sent

 

[Stanley Edwards]

Thank you.

I am now going to chill in a plaza with wine and spliff One Million imaginary years away from technology

 

[Stanley Edwards]

You're not on my favoured list of experts yet.

Thanks anyway.

 

[Stanley Edwards]

Firefox has gone again

 

[Stanley Edwards]

I have to restart my laptop (Win XP) every time I want to open IE, or Firefox after closing them.

Haven't a clue

 

[8den]

But, I am that person. This has me stumped though. Trying a reinstall of IE now.

See this is problem you're using IE

 

[Boris Sprinkler]

Did you run the script I sent you?

To no effect? And you are sure all the application logs (from event viewer) are not showing anything weird at all?

And i couldn't properly hook your browser when you visited the page I sent you, something closed it.

I am wondering if this isn't a browser issue at all but something else. I am not working so much with hands-on malware analysis any more. But I can have more of a look.

Run this (it's safe - same people that make spybot search and destroy) and pm me the report. http://www.safer-networking.org/files/runalyz071.exe