Windows freezes when I open Gmail shortcut

[DerekP]

I'm having a problem that's intermittent. It happens every once in a while
and then goes away for long periods of time. What happens is I open the
shortcut on my desktop that links to my Gmail account and almost everything
freezes up. I'm still able to navigate the Windows Start Menu but that's
about all. I can't open any programs. I can't access task manager. My cursor
moves though.

Then, after a period of time (usually between 5 and 20 minutes), everything
I was trying to do or open pops up all at once as if to catch up. And I
receive this error message:

Windows cannot find 'http://mail.google.com/mail/'. Make sure you typed the
name correctly, and then try again. To search for a file, click the Start
button, and then click Search.

After this problem goes away, I have no problem opening that shortcut or
anything else. The shortcut's target is legitimate. Also, while everything's
frozen, I find that the freeze period ends more quickly if I press
ctrl+alt+del 5 or 6 times. It still takes a while for everything to unfreeze
but (trying to) open multiple instances of task manager seems to speed up the
process.

I've run virus scans, spyware scans, adware scans...nothing helps this
problem. The most recent time it did this was today and it hasn't happened
for at least a month. It's not caused by anything I'm running or doing
differently. It seems to just happen when it wants to.

Please let me know if you can help. Thanks.

 

[R. McCarty]

When you click the link does GMail open directly to your folders or
prompt for Username/Password ? This sounds like an issue with the
cookie that GMail sets _'ProfileName'(e-mail address removed)

 

[DerekP]

When I click my Gmail shortcut, it opens up the address in Internet Explorer.
Since I choose to stay logged in, it goes straight to my inbox without having
to log in. Could that really be all it is? If so, how do I fix it?

 

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

Try a new shortcut, pointing to http://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=1 instead.