I.E. freezes if opened when online

If I'm on the internet (either via Outlook express or a dial up box) but I've NOT YET opened MS Internet explorer (6.0.2800.1106 which is 128 bit with SP1 and updates q313829 & q824145 & q832894 & q837009 & q831167), then if I open Internet explorer, it freezes. I then do Control-alt-delete and it says Internet explorer is not responding on the top line, so I "end task ", OK, and then I can open it successfully from then on, even though I'm online. Of course, there is no problem if I open it when I've not yet dialed up onto the internet, so that's what I do at the moment to get round the problem. Please help if you can, as my wife also uses the computer and she isn't so good with it.

 

Ad-aware first (download, install, UPDATE, and then run) and get rid of all it finds. Spybot next (download, install, UPDATE, and then run) and get rid of any it has pre-checked or displayed in red. Then use the immunize feature.

If you still have the problem, start~run~sfc /scannow to take care of any system file problems.

If you still have the problem, Hijackthis (download and then place in a non-temp folder), run it, opt to create a log file, and post a copy here.

 

Many thanks - I'll try these things and let you know.

 

Hello NEWT,

Tried the various things, and no change so far.

Here is the log you requested:

Logfile of HijackThis v1.97.7
Scan saved at 15:22:11, on 19/05/04
Platform: Windows 98 SE (Win9x 4.10.2222A)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v6.00 SP1 (6.00.2800.1106)

Running processes:
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\KERNEL32.DLL
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\MSGSRV32.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\MPREXE.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\mmtask.tsk
C:\WINDOWS\EXPLORER.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\RPCSS.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\TASKMON.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\SYSTRAY.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\MSTASK.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\WMIEXE.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\PSTORES.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\DDHELP.EXE
C:\PROGRAM FILES\HIJACKTHIS\HIJACKTHIS.EXE

R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Bar = http://www.gateway.net/
F1 - win.ini: run=hpfsched
O2 - BHO: (no name) - {06849E9F-C8D7-4D59-B87D-784B7D6BE0B3} - C:\PROGRAM FILES\ADOBE\ACROBAT 6.0\READER\ACTIVEX\ACROIEHELPER.DLL
O2 - BHO: (no name) - {53707962-6F74-2D53-2644-206D7942484F} - C:\PROGRA~1\SPYBOT~1\SDHELPER.DLL
O3 - Toolbar: &Radio - {8E718888-423F-11D2-876E-00A0C9082467} - C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\MSDXM.OCX
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [ScanRegistry] c:\windows\scanregw.exe /autorun
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [TaskMonitor] c:\windows\taskmon.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [LoadPowerProfile] Rundll32.exe powrprof.dll,LoadCurrentPwrScheme
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [POINTER] point32.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Adaptec DirectCD] C:\PROGRA~1\ADAPTEC\DIRECTCD\DIRECTCD.EXE
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [AVPCC] "C:\Program Files\Kaspersky Lab\Kaspersky Anti-Virus Personal\avpcc.exe" /wait
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SystemTray] SysTray.Exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [StillImageMonitor] C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\STIMON.EXE
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [IgfxTray] c:\windows\SYSTEM\igfxtray.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [HotKeysCmds] c:\windows\SYSTEM\hkcmd.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Zone Labs Client] C:\PROGRA~1\ZONELA~1\ZONEAL~1\zlclient.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [CriticalUpdate] c:\windows\SYSTEM\wucrtupd.exe -startup
O4 - HKLM\..\RunServices: [Machine Debug Manager] C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\MDM.EXE
O4 - HKLM\..\RunServices: [AVPCC Service] "C:\Program Files\Kaspersky Lab\Kaspersky Anti-Virus Personal\avpcc.exe" /service
O4 - HKLM\..\RunServices: [TrueVector] C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\ZONELABS\VSMON.EXE -service
O4 - HKLM\..\RunServices: [GoBack Polling Service] C:\Program Files\Wild File\GoBack\GBPoll.exe
O4 - Startup: Microsoft Office.lnk = C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\OSA9.EXE
O4 - Startup: GoBack.lnk = C:\Program Files\Wild File\GoBack\GBMenu.exe
O4 - Startup: Microsoft Works Calendar Reminders.lnk = C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Works Shared\wkcalrem.exe
O4 - Global Startup: NetShow PowerPoint Helper.lnk = C:\Program Files\NetShow Services\Tools\nsppthlp.exe
O12 - Plugin for .UVR: C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\Plugins\NPUPano.dll
O16 - DPF: {D27CDB6E-AE6D-11CF-96B8-444553540000} (Shockwave Flash Object) - http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab
O16 - DPF: {02BF25D5-8C17-4B23-BC80-D3488ABDDC6B} (QuickTime Object) - http://www.apple.com/qtactivex/qtplugin.cab
O16 - DPF: {9F1C11AA-197B-4942-BA54-47A8489BB47F} (Update Class) - http://v4.windowsupdate.microsoft.com/CAB/x86/ansi/iuctl.CAB?37900.1677083333
O16 - DPF: {11260943-421B-11D0-8EAC-0000C07D88CF} (iPIX ActiveX Control) - http://www.ipix.com/viewers/ipixx.cab
O16 - DPF: {A8F2B9BD-A6A0-486A-9744-18920D898429} (ScorchPlugin Class) - http://www.sibelius.com/download/software/win/ActiveXPlugin.cab
O16 - DPF: {1239CC52-59EF-4DFA-8C61-90FFA846DF7E} (Musicnotes Viewer) - http://www.musicnotes.com/download/mnviewer.cab
O16 - DPF: {638AF6A2-81A1-4655-9FFA-9FC09CDE22CF} (CScanner Object) - http://www.pestscan.com/scanner/ppctlcab.cab
O16 - DPF: {2FC9A21E-2069-4E47-8235-36318989DB13} (PPSDKActiveXScanner.MainScreen) - http://www.pestscan.com/scanner/axscanner.cab
O16 - DPF: {E855A2D4-987E-4F3B-A51C-64D10A7E2479} (EPSImageControl Class) - http://tools.ebayimg.com/eps/activex/EPSControl_v1-0-3-0.cab
O16 - DPF: {4E888414-DB8F-11D1-9CD9-00C04F98436A} - https://webresponse.one.microsoft.com/oas/ActiveX/winrep.cab

End - hope you can find something!

Many thanks, DomRUK

 

Nothing bad sticks out that I see.

Have you tried the internet explorer repair option ?
Might not help but it cant hurt, if there are any errors when using it write them down for us.
whith internet explorer closed.
control panel addremove programs start the uninstall of ms internet explorer then choose the repair.

Other than that you could use msconfig and the option's within a couple programs to stop them from running at startup.

Most win 98 users uninstall critical updates, then just manualy check.Often.

Use msconfig and uncheck (Machine Debug Manager) MDM.EXE.

In Office's options find and disable starting with windows, you can just start it manualy when needed, if there is no option, take its shortcut out of the startup folder, Might have to do both.
same with PowerPoint

 

Many thanks again, but no success with the problem yet, I'm afraid. However, I'm glad my computer is getting cleaned up.

I used the Internet Explorer repair, but it just did it automatically with no information on anything fixed, and no change occurred.

I've installed the critical updates item since this problem started, so I know it's not the cause, so I've left that as it is. Hope that's okay.

I used msconfig and unchecked MDM.

I couldn't find a start up option in office - for which I looked in Microsoft Word and in Microsoft Works Task Launcher, but found nothing to change. I also tried double clicking the office shortcut in the Programs\Startup shortcuts folder, but nothing appeared on the screen. I then deleted that Office shortcut, and using "Find ", found the actual folder for office start up, which was empty.

I couldn't see in msconfig any startup items for office or powerpoint, so it was just MDM that I unchecked. However, I found a shortcut called NetShow PowerPoint Helper (I've forgotten where - I certainly didn't find any other powerpoint items using "Find" - I've forgotten where or how I found this) which is now in my recycle bin, and its target was "C:\Program Files\NetShow Services\Tools\nsppthlp.exe" and in its properties it says its "origin" was "StartUp ".

By the way, one time I had the problem (before you started helping) I remember that when I did control-Alt-Delete to shut down Internet Explorer after it had frozen, It said (in the Close Program screnn showing a list of the programs) the usual "about:blank - Microsoft Internet Explorer" at the top (I think it usually says "not responding" at the end of that line after a few seconds, and a few lines down ALSO had "IExplorer ", so instead of doing End Task on the "about:blank - Microsoft Internet Explorer ", I did it on the "IExplorer" - THEN instead of shutting down Internet Explorer, it was immediately un-frozen and was back to normal. Is that information of any use in locating the problem? I thought I'd mention it as I remembered, just in case!

***Incidentally, since about a week ago I've had a SECOND PROBLEM [I'll tell you here so you know what we've done already on my computer - but tell me if you want it in a new forum stream question]. I thought I'd just ask as you may know the answer to fix it. I know it is unrelated as it started well after the above problem, and before I started trying to fix the above. When I opened a program at the same time as lots was going on on the computer (I think on the web) the computer box made a short buzzing sound, and since then the computer often slowly starts to have a very quiet buzz which I call "vibration noise" - which I know is a vibration, as I just jog the box a bit and the sound stops. In fact I had this problem early on with my computer, but it stopped after a while, and since then whenever a short buzzing sound happened (the busy one, not the vibration) I'd always done Gateway Go-Back to take the computer back in time before the buzz happened. This time it was inconvenient to lose information, so I thought I'd leave it and hope there was no problem - but I got the vibration noise back! The vibration noise is intermittent. I run the usual clean up programs each week or so (defrag, Disk cleanup, Kaspersky anti virus scanner, and ScanDisk). I also have ZoneAlarm firewall (the free one).

So the main Internet Explorer problem's still there, but here is my current Hijack log in case you want it:

Logfile of HijackThis v1.97.7
Scan saved at 13:37:37, on 20/05/04
Platform: Windows 98 SE (Win9x 4.10.2222A)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v6.00 SP1 (6.00.2800.1106)

Running processes:
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\KERNEL32.DLL
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\MSGSRV32.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\MPREXE.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\mmtask.tsk
C:\WINDOWS\EXPLORER.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\RPCSS.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\TASKMON.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\SYSTRAY.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\MSTASK.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\WMIEXE.EXE
C:\PROGRAM FILES\HIJACKTHIS\HIJACKTHIS.EXE

R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Bar = http://www.gateway.net/
F1 - win.ini: run=hpfsched
O2 - BHO: (no name) - {06849E9F-C8D7-4D59-B87D-784B7D6BE0B3} - C:\PROGRAM FILES\ADOBE\ACROBAT 6.0\READER\ACTIVEX\ACROIEHELPER.DLL
O2 - BHO: (no name) - {53707962-6F74-2D53-2644-206D7942484F} - C:\PROGRA~1\SPYBOT~1\SDHELPER.DLL
O3 - Toolbar: &Radio - {8E718888-423F-11D2-876E-00A0C9082467} - C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\MSDXM.OCX
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [ScanRegistry] c:\windows\scanregw.exe /autorun
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [TaskMonitor] c:\windows\taskmon.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [LoadPowerProfile] Rundll32.exe powrprof.dll,LoadCurrentPwrScheme
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [POINTER] point32.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Adaptec DirectCD] C:\PROGRA~1\ADAPTEC\DIRECTCD\DIRECTCD.EXE
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [AVPCC] "C:\Program Files\Kaspersky Lab\Kaspersky Anti-Virus Personal\avpcc.exe" /wait
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SystemTray] SysTray.Exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [StillImageMonitor] C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\STIMON.EXE
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [IgfxTray] c:\windows\SYSTEM\igfxtray.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [HotKeysCmds] c:\windows\SYSTEM\hkcmd.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Zone Labs Client] C:\PROGRA~1\ZONELA~1\ZONEAL~1\zlclient.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [CriticalUpdate] c:\windows\SYSTEM\wucrtupd.exe -startup
O4 - HKLM\..\RunServices: [AVPCC Service] "C:\Program Files\Kaspersky Lab\Kaspersky Anti-Virus Personal\avpcc.exe" /service
O4 - HKLM\..\RunServices: [TrueVector] C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\ZONELABS\VSMON.EXE -service
O4 - HKLM\..\RunServices: [GoBack Polling Service] C:\Program Files\Wild File\GoBack\GBPoll.exe
O4 - Startup: GoBack.lnk = C:\Program Files\Wild File\GoBack\GBMenu.exe
O4 - Startup: Microsoft Works Calendar Reminders.lnk = C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Works Shared\wkcalrem.exe
O9 - Extra button: Related (HKLM)
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Show &Related Links (HKLM)
O12 - Plugin for .UVR: C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\Plugins\NPUPano.dll
O16 - DPF: {D27CDB6E-AE6D-11CF-96B8-444553540000} (Shockwave Flash Object) - http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab
O16 - DPF: {02BF25D5-8C17-4B23-BC80-D3488ABDDC6B} (QuickTime Object) - http://www.apple.com/qtactivex/qtplugin.cab
O16 - DPF: {9F1C11AA-197B-4942-BA54-47A8489BB47F} (Update Class) - http://v4.windowsupdate.microsoft.com/CAB/x86/ansi/iuctl.CAB?37900.1677083333
O16 - DPF: {11260943-421B-11D0-8EAC-0000C07D88CF} (iPIX ActiveX Control) - http://www.ipix.com/viewers/ipixx.cab
O16 - DPF: {A8F2B9BD-A6A0-486A-9744-18920D898429} (ScorchPlugin Class) - http://www.sibelius.com/download/software/win/ActiveXPlugin.cab
O16 - DPF: {1239CC52-59EF-4DFA-8C61-90FFA846DF7E} (Musicnotes Viewer) - http://www.musicnotes.com/download/mnviewer.cab
O16 - DPF: {638AF6A2-81A1-4655-9FFA-9FC09CDE22CF} (CScanner Object) - http://www.pestscan.com/scanner/ppctlcab.cab
O16 - DPF: {2FC9A21E-2069-4E47-8235-36318989DB13} (PPSDKActiveXScanner.MainScreen) - http://www.pestscan.com/scanner/axscanner.cab
O16 - DPF: {E855A2D4-987E-4F3B-A51C-64D10A7E2479} (EPSImageControl Class) - http://tools.ebayimg.com/eps/activex/EPSControl_v1-0-3-0.cab
O16 - DPF: {4E888414-DB8F-11D1-9CD9-00C04F98436A} - https://webresponse.one.microsoft.com/oas/ActiveX/winrep.cab

Many thanks, DomRUK.

 

Beside the problem you mention are you seeing about blank anywhere when surfing and searching, or are any search redirected ?

the second problem maybe related to the first,, have you ever cleaned or better yet replaced the heatsink and fan, usualy only about ten to tweenty bucks.

Also go get a free online scan
eTrust AV Web Scanner: http://www3.ca.com/virusinfo/virusscan.aspx
Trend Micro - Free online virus Scan: http://housecall.trendmicro.com/

 

Yes indeed! www.google.co.uk won't open, so I have to use www.google.co.uk/search which works fine. When I try www.google.co.uk it almost immediately says Done in the bottom left corner, and at the same moment, the web page screen area goes blank (white) - but the address of where I was last at remains in the Address bar at the top.

I don't remember any other regular problems with sites going to about:blank when surfing and searching (recently that I can recall) and I'm not aware of any other searches redirecting - other than the usual redirections that sites tell you about as they happen.

Another symptom: if I try to open Internet Explorer for the first time when I'm online, and it freezes, the left two thirds of the area in which a website appears remains as the desktop (icons and background) and the right third is blank (white).

I tried changing the default website from about:blank to a different one, but it didn't make any difference to the fact of an initial online freeze of Internet Explorer - however the freeze was different, in that the webpage area managed to get completely white, rather than have two-thirds of the desktop remaining. This also happened when I changed the default page to "current ". If I leave the freeze happeneing rather than shutting it down using control-alt-delete to end task, then if it's left pondering, once I do shut it down, the computer more generally freezes, I found. (As I've said, Internet Explorer doesn't freeze if I open it before going online, and once it's open, it opens fine from then on for any additional windows, but if I close it and re-open it, that doesn't work if it's not frozen (and been end-tasked) since last start up of the computer. It's just a problem the first time that I open it without Internet Explorer open at all, when I'm online - so I always open it before going online and keep one screen open at least while online so as to not have a freeze of the Internet Explorer screen on opening.

Is there a website that can give me some pointers as to how to clean the headsink and fan - I know I can get the box open, as I did recently when the front grey button broke (I have a gateway computer - the button is hard plastic with a thin plastic axle) and I'm just using a pencil to press the on/off button currently - other than this, the computer looks as good as new. I don't know what the headsink and fan would look like (but I can guess the fan is an air fan like a small office air cooling fan).

Aren't I covered on the scan aspect already, as I have Kaspersky anti-virus which I keep up to date more than weekly, and every week I do a scan of the complete computer. ACTUALLY, now I mention that, the results of the scan always has a whole list of corrupted files from c:\WINDOWS\OPTIONS\CABS\NET7.CAB/. There are exactly 50 of these files, plus one other which is c:\WINDOWS\OPTIONS\CABS\OLS\AT&T\ATTKIT.EXE/WISE0004.BIN/WISE0066.BIN
(The only AT&T thing I have on my computer that I can see is an advert for AT&T internet in my shortcuts which targets to "C:\Program Files\Online Services\AT&T\ATTSETUP.EXE ", but I went to the above OPTIONS\CABS file location and found what looked like a program ready to set up AT&T on my computer in C:\WINDOWS\OPTIONS\CABS\OLS\AT&T, an application called Attkit.exe)
Also at the top of the list is what I guess is the usual few "read access denied" which are 4 emails (I think I checked these old email for bugs a while ago***EDIT-SEE NEXT POSTING***) and two others:
c:\GOBACKIO.BIN Read access denied - this always runs in the background to restore the computer back in time if need be, and
c:\WINDOWS\WIN386.SWP Read access denied - don't know what this file is.
However, I guess it's more likely to be a problem with the list of 50. The first 5 are:
c:\WINDOWS\OPTIONS\CABS\NET7.CAB/tl3c3x9.bin Corrupted
c:\WINDOWS\OPTIONS\CABS\NET7.CAB/infrared.cnt Corrupted
c:\WINDOWS\OPTIONS\CABS\NET7.CAB/irxfer.cnt Corrupted
c:\WINDOWS\OPTIONS\CABS\NET7.CAB/msnds.cnt Corrupted
c:\WINDOWS\OPTIONS\CABS\NET7.CAB/winpopup.cnt Corrupted
The last 5 are:
c:\WINDOWS\OPTIONS\CABS\NET7.CAB/rpcltc6.dll Corrupted
c:\WINDOWS\OPTIONS\CABS\NET7.CAB/rpclts3.dll Corrupted
c:\WINDOWS\OPTIONS\CABS\NET7.CAB/rpclts5.dll Corrupted
c:\WINDOWS\OPTIONS\CABS\NET7.CAB/rpclts6.dll Corrupted
c:\WINDOWS\OPTIONS\CABS\NET7.CAB/rsvpsp.dll Corrupted
(followed by the (AT&T kit mentioned above)

I remember that when I ran scannow after the first email which said "If you still have the problem, start~run~sfc /scannow to take care of any system file problems ", the one file it replaced from elsewhere on the hard drive was some sort of similar looking CABS file (sorry didn't keep an exact note of its name), but other than that it didn't tell me anything else that needed repairing.

Your question has reminded me of quite a few things - hope these highlight something to you. Many thanks, DomRUK.

 

Yes you should do preferable two onlines, besides regularly running your anti visus program. some nasties will interfer with or might interfer with you program, so when things dont seem right get a couple free onlines, it takes some time but is well worth the effort.

Dont worry about those cab files

Not sure im understanding what you describe with google.
do you ever see anything like this screenshot
http://users.pandora.be/h_coremans/spyware.jpg
with about blank in the addressbar ?

Gateway Pc what model , country and how old
we will find more info.. Im sure one of our forum menebers probaly already knows exactly what you need.
heatsink and fans are relativly simple to replace. if you can though just take it to a local pc shop

 

***ADDITION TO LAST POST*** (see *** in post above)

These 4 emails that get "read access denied" when doing the Kaspersky anti-virus scan on the whole computer are all ones that I SENT rather than received, and I've just got into the file of my "Sent store" deep in the computer (Application data etc. etc.\ \ \) and scanned it with Kaspersky, and there were no ploblems at all. There are always a few emails at the top marked as "read access denied" when I do the full scan, and it's different ones each time, and sometimes from the inbox instead of the sent store. As you can tell, the log still exists for full scans since June 2003 actually! There has been a list of NET7.CAB files as most of the list in every scan since 28th October 2003, before which it was a different selection of CABS files (again, the same each time). Maybe I did a Windows update at that time on Internet Explorer? Actually, while writing, I've just checked, and the most recent before then were
06 October 2003 October 2003, Cumulative Patch for Internet Explorer 6 Service Pack 1 (KB828750)
06 October 2003 817787: Security Update Windows Media Player 7.1

but scans on the 9th, 14th and 21st of October had the old corrupted files list, so it wasn't at the Windows Update point that this list changed.

 

I'll do those online scans, but meanwhile in answer to your other questions:

I'll not worry about those CAB files then.

What I'm describing with Google is that I can't open the webpage www.google.co.uk - I just get a blank white webpage almost immediately.
Because of this I use www.google.co.uk/search, and this gets me to the google search site. Or do you mean that you don't understand why this is happening, I guess.

I had a look at the screenshot http://users.pandora.be/h_coremans/spyware.jpg but I've never had anything like that appear on my screen.

My Gateway PC is from June 2000, bought over the phone (I'm in England UK, so maybe from Dublin, Ireland = "all enquiries/correspondence to "), and the model is:
650 ESSENTIAL SYS IE
with Pentium III 650 MHZ
Intel 810 Chipset
256K L2 Cache
128 MB Memory
15GB Hard Drive 200W Tower Case
Windows 98, second edition
Works suite 2000
Internet Explorer 5 (I've updated to details in my first post, using Windows Update)
Norton 5.0 Anti-virus (replaced with Kaspersky a good while ago)

Many thanks, DomRUK

 

Im not sure I understand the google problem. perhaps installing there toolbar will help. it has a great popup blocker that comes with it.
http://toolbar.google.com/
another thought, on IE's toolbar go tools internet options, languages,
what's set there ?
IE seams to work better if us english is the first in the list.

for the heatsink and fan perhaps ask Gatewasy email support. I dont think they charge just to ask.
https://support.gateway.com/support/contact/contact_tech1.shtml

 

I've set I.E. to U.S. English, but no change.

I uninstalled I.E.6 back to I.E.5 and the dialup freeze problem and the blank page on "www.google.co.uk" problem both solved themselves, so it seems to be a problem with I.E.6, either in itself, or in relation to my system.

I've tried some more things:
I ran Bug Doctor (realtime) at http://www.pcdocrx.net/cgi-bin/view.cgi/pcweb201/download.html?dllfix.net and it found various files missing which I then obtained and put in my system (other than help files missing etc). Some of these were .DLL files and things. Anyway, no improvement (but probably good for my computer).

I used a driver search program to check re my drivers (regarding the buzz), but some of my hardware doesn't need drivers anyway, so I'm leaving that alone now, except I got a fresh copy of MSCDROM.INF and put that in place.

I found that the uninstall of I.E.6 has a repair option, which showed me I needed to reinstall the first time, and then the second time there was still one of the two files missing, so I got it off the web and then it repaired itself - but still no improvement on my two problems of freezing if I open online the first time, and the google blank page.

From all these trials, I'm pretty confident now that the fault that makes it freeze is to do with
- the dial up sequence in I.E.6, or
- something that only happens the FIRST time I.E.6 is opened when already online, as it solves itself for a second successful opening of I.E.6, and
- it's not to do with any other program being opened that I can see, as there is nothing added to the "Ctrl+Alt+Delete" list between the two attempts to open I.E.6.
- as I.E.5 does open properly, I'm happy there's not something like a bug or problem in my computer.

I've put a note on the computer so my wife knows what to do if it freezes, and I've put "www.google.co.uk/search" in my favourites instead, which is never any problem.

Many thanks for your help - let me know if any one ever comes across a solution to this!
DomRUK

 

Internet Explorer 6 Freezes On First Online Opening - Solution!

INTERNET EXPLORER 6 FREEZES ON FIRST ONLINE OPENING - SOLVED!!!

PROBLEM SOLVED!!! After over six months it's finally solved!
It was easy in the end - all I did was enable script debugging in the advanced tab in Internet Options in IE6. (the Google problem must be a separate problem - but it's not so serious at all, as I can still get the website easily by adding \search).

The full solution is:
INTERNET EXPLORER 6 FREEZES ON FIRST ONLINE OPENING
The solution that worked for my Windows 98 2nd Edition computer was:
Open Internet Explorer and go to the Tools menu and select Internet Options.
Click on the Advanced tab, and near to the top in the Browsing section look if there is a tick in the "Disable Script Debugging" line - if there is, click on it so it disappears. This enables script debugging, and solved the problem for me.