Internet Explorer inconsistent launch & display

[Charlie]

When attempting to launch Internet Explorer 6 from either the desktop icon or
from quicklaunch, you briefly receive a hour glass that quickly disappears,
the brower does not open on screen. However if you check the Task Manager
you will see IEXPLORE.exe has opened and is consuming resources. If you exit
the Task Manager (without ending the IEXPLORE.exe process) and return to your
desktop, attempt to open the browser again you will see the same behavior,
only this time when checking the Task Manager you now have (2) IEXPLORE.exe
processes running.

If you perform a End Process on the (2) two IEXPLORE.exe and then return to
your desktop, you will then be able to open and display the browser. However
if you than close that browser and for some reason need to reopen it you
return to the previous description of acitivity where the browser does not
open and display, and is shown in the Task Manager.

This has occured on three different model laptops, all of which had been
completely wiped, partitions destroyed, new partitions created and Windows XP
Professional w/SP2 installed, all updates applied with the exception of
Internet Explorer 7.

Appreicate any help if you know of a fix.

 

[Charlie]

Poking around the web I seem to have found my answer, in all three laptops
the Google Toolbar was installed, once it was removed the browsers fired up
everytime without any trouble. Google must have recently made a change in
the toolbar that is causing the problem.

 

[Steve Day]

Yes Charlie, it is indeed a google problem. a few of us had this problem
start towards the end of February. the google groups of course deny all
knowledge that there is a problem. but i have used the google bar for almost
2 years with no problem till Feb and changes of windows components at that
time to explain it.

BTW even the new beta version of the toolbar causes the same problem.

Steve