Internet Explorer problem

[Antares 531]

I have another computer problem...not of such a serious nature, but more of
an annoyance. If I open Internet Explorer with the add-ons it locks up and
won't respond. Bit, if I right click the desktop icon then click on Start
without Add-ons, I.E. will open and run smoothly. Of course it is very
limited with no add-on functions available.

Sometimes I get a pop-up warning telling me that Yahoo search is trying to
replace my existing Google search and asking me to approve. No matter
whether I approve or not I.E. will hang and the only way out is to do a
Ctrl/Alt/Delete, then select the internet explorer entry and end it. Then
the I.E. window will close and my comptuer is back to normal...until I try
to run I.E. again.

This is on the same computer I had the hard drive failure on a couple of
weeks ago but those problems have all been resolved. As I stated in earlier
postes, I built this computer using a Gigabyte GA-P35-DS3L motherboard with
an Intel Core 2 Duo processor and two matched 1 GB DDR2 memory sticks. I set
this comptuer up with MS Windows XP Pro, and updated it to SP2 plus all the
suggested on-line updates.This computer has a Western Digital 500GB SATA
hard drive with plenty of free space on it.

Any ideas as to what is causing this and how I might get rid of the problem.

Thanks, Gordon

 

[Jean Rosenfeld]

One or other of the addons is causing the problem.
Reenable the addons one by one or in small groups, check. When the problem
recurs, you've found the culprit. If it is a toolbar, check the site of the
supplier, there may be an update.

 

[Antares 531]

Jean, I hit a snag with this. If I start I.E. with the add-ons running it is
not responsive and I can't do anything other than Ctrl>Alt>Delete to close
it. There is only the Favorites toolbar showing, and none of the buttons on
it will respond to a mouse click. I can move the mouse pointer around over
the screen but there is no response to any mouse clicks.

If I start I.E. without the add-ons it works normally but when I try click
on Tools the Manage Add-ons button is greyed out and this is as far as I can
go toward selecting or controling the add-ons.

Is there another way to accomplish the selection of add-ons that will load?

Thanks, Gordon

 

[Antares 531]

Jean, I was finally able to get the Tools > Manage Add-ons function to work
and found two that were the cause of this problem.

Yahoo Companion (Not Verified)
Yahoo Companion BHO (Not Verified)

When I disabled both of these my browser returned to normal and is working
very well, now. Thanks for steering me to this repair process.

Gordon

 

[Jean Rosenfeld]

Glad you found the problem.
For future reference, there is an internet options icon in control panel,
you can use that without opening IE. The manage addons is in the progtams
tab. I ususlly manage them from there. Sorry I forgot to mention that in my
first reply.
If you really want the Yahoo companion, there may be a new version that is
compatible with IE 7.

 

[Antares 531]

Thanks, Jean, I'll keep this information in my notebook for future
reference.

I do have another somewhat unrelated set of questions to ask. How should one
protect personal information that is on a failed hard drive when this failed
drive must be returned under waranty? I could not earase or reformat this
failed hard drive, and it had my MS Money accounting data on it. I had to
return it to Western Digital in order to get a replacement hard drive. I'm a
bit apprehensive that someone might be able to read the files on this failed
hard drive. Is that likely?

Gordon

 

[Jean Rosenfeld]

In principle, yes, with special equipment it is possible to read the disk of
a failed drive (most likely after dismantling the drive). However, I doubt
very much that Western Digital would do that, they must get quite a few
returns and no doubt have better ways of using their time. If they recycle
any parts and the disk is still useable, I'm sure that they would wipe it
clean. You could ask them.