Can't access internet with IE6, but can through Outlook Express

[Guest]

I was recently upgrading my Norton Internet security software when Internet
Explorer stopped working. As part of the software upgrade, I uninstalled the
older version of Norton first. That's when IE6 stopped working.

Basically, I cannot click on the IE icon and get a connection. I
consistently get the "Internet Explorer has encontered a problem and needs to
close." message. However, if I access the internet through Outlook Express
from an embedded URL in an email, I can get online. I can move around the
internet pretty well, but that too crashes on a fairly regular basis.

Has anyone else heard of or have experienced a similar problem?

I think I may have had a virus/spyware in the IE shell that went wild when I
uninstalled the older version of Norton Internet Security. As it is now, I
cannot complete the installation of the new security suite because IE is not
operating correctly.

Because I can bypass the IE start up by going through Outlook Express, I do
not believe that it is a serious or fatal problem. But I do not know what I
need to do to get IE back online.

Any fixes or suggestions would be appreciated. I am running Windows XP home
version with SP2 and IE 6.

Thanks.

 

[Rob Parsons]

Hi Tim,

Did you un-install Nortons Web too? Think they are separate options on the
Remove Programs control panel. Symptons sounds like the Nortons Web toolbar
for IE is still referenced to hook into IE on startup, but some of the
Nortons files are missing. To test this disable third-party browser
extensions.

Control Panel - Internet Options - Advanced tab. Then try to start IE.

 

[Guest]

Hi Rob,

I tried your suggestion and disabled third party browser extensions, but
that didn't solve the problem.

To answer your question about what I uninstalled. per instructions from
Norton tech support, I uninstalled all references to "Norton" and "Symantec"
in the Add/Remove program options. I had some problems upgrading my
girlfriend's box a few months ago and the Norton tech told me then that I
needed to uninstall everything to get the upgrade to install proroperly.

I had some other symptoms, or unusual or unexpected actions by IE if you
prefer, prior to IE not working. The first was the fact that my version of
Flash stopped working. I use USA Today as my start page and the box in the
upper right corner (as well as most of their graphic boxes) are Flash driven.
Another thing I noticed and thought odd is the fact that if I left IE open,
without any activity for a minute or so, when I clicked a link I got (and
still get) a message that says I do not have a connection to the internet. My
internet connection is through an "always on" Motorola wireless service, and
I don't get similar messages from the two other computers hooked up to the
system.

Both of the above-mentioned actions started about the time I installed the
beta version of Microsoft AntiSpyware, which removed Trojan.intell32.

All in all it's been kind of baffling. It kind of makes me wish for the good
old days when you had the option to repair Internet Explorer with the system
tools that came with Windows 98. Windows XP doesn't have that option.

Any other suggestions?

Thanks.

Tim

 

[Rob Parsons]

Hi Tim, Heres the link for XP IE repair

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=318378

When you installed the Malicious Software Removal Tool, did it find anything
and attempt to remove it? Maybe cause it was a beta version it did not do
the job properly. If you have Norton System Works you can run the registry
repiar tool. Seems to me that all symtoms point to a faulty component
registry entry.

The IE repair (above) should fix up IE. Other Add-ins (BHO) many need to be
re-installed.

 

[Guest]

Hi Rob,

The quick-fix didn't completely solve the problem, but it has gotten better.

After running the part that checks some of the Windows files and the
corresponding registry entries, I was able to "almost" launch IE. With the
status bar active, it got to the point on my homepage (USA Today) where it
starts to download pictures and graphics. I even got the "items left 14 of
20" type of message.

That is also the point of the USA Today process that loads its ad services,
including an entry console popup. I've only kept USA Today as my home page
because I've used it as such for such a long time I know how and when things
are supposed to work. I am thinking that I should try resetting my home page
to something that works while surfing through email or the Favorites folder.

When the ad services stuff and the popup started, IE stopped and I got the
"IE has encountered a problem..." message again. Only this time it was
different--I clicked on the "Send Report" button, which takes me to a
Microsoft page that recommends I install IE SP2. I've gotten there before,
but when I tried to insalll SP2, IE crashed again.

This time, it didn't, and I was able to download and install SP2. Accessing
the internet through an email link or throught the Favorites folder seems to
be considerably faster, and it doens't crash as often.

This leads me to believe that your theory that a registry or registries
entry might be missing, damaged or corrupt is probably the cause. Before I go
ahead and completely reinstall IE and XP, if necessary, I plan on running the
system integrity checker a couple of more times.

I also noticed that in the IE control panel, the option "Block popups" is
checked. I'll tinker with that as well. To answer your question about the
Malicious Software Removal Tool, I found four error logs (from the last four
months) that says the Malicious Software Removal Tool download/upgrade/search
"failed." I find that odd because the dialog box that ran after doing the
download said it had been downloaded and installed successfully, but didn't
find anything.

At any rate, I will try accessing the internet with both USA Today and some
other "safe" sight as the home page. That, and a few tinkers and adjustments
with IE, including reseting it to its default settings.

I'll let you know how things go.

Thanks.

Tim