IE7 stops on me - any suggestions ?

[rayburnley]

I don't know if this is an IE7 problem, although from the tests I've been able to do myself I rather think it is.

I will be browsing on the internet when, with no apparent reason, IE7 will simply hang - or more accurately, grind to a halt. I post on a number of sites, am a Moderator on two, and it happens regardless of whether I am on one of my 'regular' sites or browsing something new. Sometimes the bar at the bottom of the screen will move about 1/3 of the way ; sometimes it doesn't appear at all. If I try to refresh I get a screen telling me the Internet Explorer cannot connect to the internet ; when this happens the same thing occurs with any and all other tabs I have open.

Sometimes I can overcome the problem by closing IE7 and then running it again ; more often the only way to overcome the difficulty if to do a complte cold reboot.

I have had my line checked and my ISP has reported no problems there, and in fact I have had this problem since before I moved home (and ISP !). Why I think it is an IE7 difficulty is that when this happens I can still pick up e-mails so the actual internet connection seems O.K.

As I said, thios problem is regular though intermittent. Sometimes I can work all day with no problems ; at other times it happens very shortly after starting ; plus any time in between !

Any hints or advice would be very much appreciated as I am getting more and more exasperated by the day. Please feel free to ask any questions that may allow you to give me the answer !

Oh, and I have done full checks on viruses, etc. - I use Zone Alarm and AVG anti-virus.

I'm on a Dell XPS710, Intel Core2 Quad @ 2.40GHz ; 3Gb memory ; 500mb hard drive plus 1Tb external hard drive

 

[muckshifter]

What router are you using, and is it the same one from your previous ISP ?


Welcome to PCR

 

[rayburnley]

'Scuse me if I'm being thick ; I don't quite understand but hope the following answers the question :

At present I connect to the internet using a BT Homehub connected to my P.C., by an ethernet cable. Previously I was connected by a USB modem - was with Tiscali, now, since moving from London to Southampton, with BT.

I have actually had the problem for some time but am only now asking for assistance because previously I was too tied up in my home move !

 

[muckshifter]

The reason I asked is because ...

I try to refresh I get a screen telling me the Internet Explorer cannot connect to the Internet

... means it ain't a browser (IE7) problem. However, you can connect to your email.

This has me confused also.


You could try an alternative browser, like firefox, as a test and to eliminate IE as the culprit.

 

[rayburnley]

Not a lover of Firefox (each to his own before I get people saying what a great program it is and how they hate IE7 ! ) but I'll give that a try.

It's really strange because the 'slow-down' can happen at any time - sometimes I'll even be working fine, leave the PC for a short break, come back and it will have ground to a halt !!

 

[mfletch]

Have you tried resetting IE


Tools internet options>advanced>reset>apply

You will lose any settings you have made,

 

[rayburnley]

Thanks guys - I think (hope !) I've solved this now, but time will tell.

I tried the Firefox approach but still had similar problems - no apparent reason, but everything just ground to a halt suddenly. Then a friend on another site (just a chat site, not a Computer Support one) suggested that I try removing any programs I didn't use, so I completely uninstalled some that I'd forgotten I had - I'm sure that all but the most careful of us have these !!

Anyway, that's why I haven't been back for a while since, being an intertmittent problem, I had to wait and see each time if removal had any effect. Anyway, I eventually got around to removing Acronis Backup (which I have used in the past but not for some time) and also Roxio (which came bundled with the machine) - and (touch wood and hoping this isn't famous last words) I've had no problems for 3 whole days now !

I still don't know which it was as I cleared them both at the same time - or even if it was coincidence and that the problem was solved by one of the Windows updates that were automatically downloaded, and I suppose I should care but I don't as long as the problem stays away !!

Anyway, thank for the attempts to help.