Can't Access Hotmail with XP2/IE6

S

surfer100

Whenever I try to access Hotmail through webmail with IE6 SP2 the browser
freezes, either on the first page or on the second page. It has been going
on for at least a week. Hotmail technical support says that others are
affect (does not say how many) and offered many ideas for tweaking IE6
settings, none of which worked. I know that it is an interaction problem
between IE6 and Hotmail because I'm able to access using Firefox 1.0. Of
course, I can make Firefox 1.0 my default and ignore the issue, but I would
like to get it resolved with IE6. Any suggestions? Thanks
 
S

surfer100

Fyi to the group:

I received an email from Hotmail support on 12/3 saying:

"We are aware of this issue and we are working diligently to resolve it. At
this time, we do not have an estimated time of completion."
 
S

surfer100

George:

I appreciate your links. I'm running IE6/SP2, and I ran through all the
changes I could in the third knowledge base article below pertaining to my
version. I'm now able to get into Hotmail using IE6 for 4 to 6 window
openings....then IE6 freezes again like before. Progress, but still not
there yet. If you think of anything else please let us know. (I'm still
able to get my email using firefox 1.0 or using Outlook 2003.)


They been working on it for over two years now. There is a hotfix for it.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/811834

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;842607

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;870700

Now for the hotfix. Call Microsoft's 1-800 number refer to the following
article and they send you a link to it no charge. Hotfixes never cost
money.

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;838893
 
G

George Hester

Did you try cleaning out your Temporary Internet Files ? right-click IE icon on desktop |
Delete files... | OK.
 
S

surfer100

Hi George,

Yes, I've tried clearing the temp internet files several times.
Unfortunately that hasn't helped. The mystery remains. Thank goodness for
Firefox!
Did you try cleaning out your Temporary Internet Files ? right-click IE
icon on desktop |
Delete files... | OK.
 
S

surfer100

Hi George,

I did go to the microsoft link you suggested below. Windows update site did
not offer anything, and when I tried the specific download recommended it
would not install. It requires SP1, and I've already installed SP2.

I went back to hotmail.com to test today. I was able to login (that has
never been a problem), and then I was able to click on the inbox tab and
display the list of emails. Then I was able to open one email....and
then....freeze, as before. The freeze is so complete with the browser that
there is no error message. To a non-engineer like me, it seems that
something is causing the browser to freeze AFTER getting in. Maybe some
kind of "overflow." I can exit by closing the iexplore process and the
rest of XP2 and other programs remain unaffected. Maybe those details will
suggest some cause to you.

I do need to say that I'm still getting my email through Firefox and Outlook
2003. Hotmail staff says there is problem and they are "working on it." It
is more of an annoyance, and interestingly, a puzzle.

I appreciate your efforts!


Here one more for you. I haven't forgot about you. I couldn't remeber the
exact one but this is it. Pretty sure. Apply this one:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=831167
 
S

surfer100

Thanks. I didn't see (or maybe didn't recognize) any threads that directly
addresssed the freezing symptom I get after I log in. I've posted this
issue to that newgroup to see what might turn up. Thanks for the lead.
 
G

George Hester

There is one more. Not sure if I brought it to your attention or not but I read about it recently. There seems to be
an issue with the richtext control that is effected by some such funky security update from Microsoft out there.
These security updates are becoming a ruse to break our systems.

Anyway it looks like you are able to get into the secure sites so my original tac may not have been right. Hotmail
uses the Richtext control in the area where you write messages and stuff. Let me see if I can find it for you. But
one thing you might try is to get a riched20.dll that is NOT the most recent. Put that in. It may be a system file
and therefor you have to put it in three places in this order:

C:\Windows\ServicePackFiles
C:\Windows\system32\dllcache
C:\Windows\system32

I have one that has fixed wonders before in other issues. And there is quite a lot about it on the Net. But I
suspect that is your trouble. An updated riched20.dll. Yeah that's what it sounds like.

You can always pop one in 1999 copyright look for size on order of 400KB and if it don't work just replace with
the ones you saved that are on your system now. This takes a little bit of surgery it's not hard. The hardest part is
finding the right one. But 1999 should be it.

Hey you know there may be another way. I got this and I think danshay's response to himself may help you.

http://forums.theideaweb.com/t5271/s.html
 
S

surfer100

Hi George,

Update: Thanks for all your good thoughts. It appears that the cause and
remedy have been found. I learned from postings in
news://msnews.microsoft.com/microsoft.public.msn.discussion that IE6 will
work with Hotmail if Messenger is running and logged in. Apparently new
features in Hotmail require Messenger. MSN is apparently aware that this is
a problem for many users and is trying to change it. Implementing this
works for me at this point. Of course, if that is too inconvenient I may
just continue using Firefox, but that's another thread... :)

There is one more. Not sure if I brought it to your attention or not but I
read about it recently. There seems to be
an issue with the richtext control that is effected by some such funky
security update from Microsoft out there.
These security updates are becoming a ruse to break our systems.

Anyway it looks like you are able to get into the secure sites so my
original tac may not have been right. Hotmail
uses the Richtext control in the area where you write messages and stuff.
Let me see if I can find it for you. But
one thing you might try is to get a riched20.dll that is NOT the most
recent. Put that in. It may be a system file
and therefor you have to put it in three places in this order:

C:\Windows\ServicePackFiles
C:\Windows\system32\dllcache
C:\Windows\system32

I have one that has fixed wonders before in other issues. And there is
quite a lot about it on the Net. But I
suspect that is your trouble. An updated riched20.dll. Yeah that's what it
sounds like.

You can always pop one in 1999 copyright look for size on order of 400KB and
if it don't work just replace with
the ones you saved that are on your system now. This takes a little bit of
surgery it's not hard. The hardest part is
finding the right one. But 1999 should be it.

Hey you know there may be another way. I got this and I think danshay's
response to himself may help you.

http://forums.theideaweb.com/t5271/s.html
 
G

George Hester

Cool. Listen I don't mind being wrong. It's part of the thrill of it. Of course I'd rather be right but when I'm wrong I appreciate the info so in the future this can be in my toolbox. Thanks.
 
S

surfer100

You are very welcome. It is because of dedicated sorts like you that the
rest of us almost always find answers to pesky computer issues here in these
newsgroups.


Cool. Listen I don't mind being wrong. It's part of the thrill of it. Of
course I'd rather be right but when I'm wrong I appreciate the info so in
the future this can be in my toolbox. Thanks.
 

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