Typing in fields in IE crashing open window

Hey!

A couple of days ago my IE (5.5) started to do something bizarre. I can surf just fine, but if I try to type an address into the address field, or try to enter any information into a form on a website, the window freezes. This happens as soon as I type the first letter in the field. (The letter will not show up on screen.)

I am able to use MS applications and Outlook Express with no problem.

I've scanned for viruses, haven't found any (but my software is a bit old). I haven't tried to reinstall IE yet. I was wondering if anyone has had the problem or knows what's going on with my system.

Thanks!
Ana

 

Clean out your Temporary Internet files, run Ad-Aware and run the Repair Tool.

 

See:
http://support.microsoft.com/defaul...crosoft.com/support/kb/articles/Q221/0/85.ASP

 

I ran Ad-Aware and used the Repair tool. I also followed the instructions based on the MS support sites. None of this worked.

I was able to install Netscape Navigator and use it with no problem, but I'm partial to IE. Any other thoughts about what may be happening?

Thanks!

 

Anakalia - you said ".... I've scanned for viruses, haven't found any (but my software is a bit old)." That is not a good thing. New viri showing up almost daily so you really need very up-to-date AV engine and dat files. Really.

If that just ain't a happening right now, there are a number of web sites that will scan your system for critters at no cost and a couple p of AV packages that are also free. Check the archives and you should find quite a few links to them . Click on the search button at the top and use free *virus program*. I just tried and got 42 hits and most contain useful information.

 

I've gone to the freebie websites and cleaned and scanned and nothing is coming up.

I'm in agony here. Navigator works like a slug and I desperately want my IE back!!!

HELP!!!

 

Why not see whether upgrading to IE6 fixes the problem?

 

Did it...to no avail!

I can't figure this thing out!

 

Close IE.

Open Regedit to:-

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\RemoteComputer\NameSpace

In the right hand pane highlight the {D6277990-4C6A-11CF-8D87-00AA0060F5BF} value and delete it (right-click on it - select Delete - click OK).

Reopen IE.

 

Pure Genius!

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

 

You're welcome, you're welcome, you're welcome

Glad that it's fixed.

 

Okay, I guess I spoke too soon!

I did the fix that you suggested and it worked. Yesterday I went home, logged on to my computer and IE was ******* up again. I went back to check on that registry and it is not there.

I am just stumped as to what's going on.

 

Oh no! Try disabling any applications which run at startup. Does IE still (mis)behave in the same manner?

 

Reinforcement:

Turn off AutoComplete Form
This function saves information you enter into forms including passwords and user names; Go to the Tools menu.
1. Select Internet Options.
2. Select the Content tab.
3. Under Personal Information, click AutoComplete.
4. Uncheck the following: Web Addresses, Forms, User Names and Passwords.
5. Click Clear Forms and possiblyClear Passwords. [you must know these or have made note of them somewhere so you can manual type them in again when asked for.]
6. Click OK.

Go to the Tools menu.
1. Select Internet Options.
2. Select the Advanced tab.
3. In the Settings window scroll to the Browser header.
4. Uncheck Use Inline AutoComplete for Web Addresses.
5. Go to the Security header.
6. Check Do not save encrypted pages to disk.
7. Check Empty Temporary Internet File folders when browser is closed.
8. Uncheck Warn if changing between secure and not secure mode.


Clear out old web pages
This will remove any old pages that were saved by your browser.
1. Go to the Tools menu.
2. Select Internet Options.
3. Select the General tab.
4. Under Temporary Internet files click Delete Files.
5. Check Delete all off-line content.
6. Click OK.
7. Under Temporary Internet files, click Settings.
8. Check Every visit to the page.
9. Click OK.


Clear your History
1. Go to the Tools menu.
2. Select Internet Options.
3. Select the General tab.
4. Under History, click Clear History.
5. At the dialog window click OK.
6. Close the Internet Options window by clicking Apply, then OK at the bottom of the window.

In order for any of the changes above to go into effect, remember to restart your browser.

NOTE* This is less than ideal as opposed to doing the IE history/tmp deletion_cleanup in dosmode, corrupted index.dat files are not fixed when doing the standard cleanup from within windows protected mode but it is better than nothing. Symptoms indicate you have a corrupted cached file or link somewhere. I just hope this doesn't involve cookies or fav ico's.

When you have cleaned your history...Click on the addressbar dropdown arrow, does anything remain on a list, in there?
==============================
Curious.........

Is it possible to log in as new user, disable all the autocomplete features, and see if behavior is reproduced? [provided all users do not use same settings and preferences]

 

Brett:

I cleared the three things I had in startup out, rebooted, and lo! this poor PC is resurrected once again.

I can't confirm what's going to happen once I shut down and startup again tomorrow, but today I can use my computer.

Keep watch out for me for future posts as my piece of junk continues to flatline! (Saving the nickels and dimes for a new one!) I appreciate the help!!

Ana

 

Good work brett,

If this indeed proves to be the fix, but why did you suspect this from the getgo?????

Why did the deletion of the task scheduler key value, in the registry, temporarily fix this problem? [I meant to ask this before]

Could it be that something running in the background was called from the scheduler and subsequent closing of program took care of the conflict?

===========
Anakalia,

What programs did you remove from startup? I am real curious which one of these was not working or playing well with others, at least when typing in IE and why it would only fuss when this particular task was being attempted.

================
I feel like I should know this but the puzzle pieces aren't fitting together. I'm misplaced a piece or two....

 

I'm not really sure what is causing this problem. A few weeks ago, a friend asked me to look at her computer - every time she was attempting to pull down the address list history, IE would lock for about half a minute during which time there was constant activity over the dial-up connection. I disabled/deleted everything which I thought could possibly be the cause of that activity and was quite surprised when deleting the value mentioned above (which is responsible for the OS searching remote machines for Scheduled Tasks) appeared to provide a fix. Alas, as in Ana's case, it was only a temporary fix. I was intending to load Ethereal and hopefully gain some insight as to what was going on during the locks but the impatient woman formatted before I had the opportunity

 

Ahh.... personal experience and perfect timing for Anakalia. Thanks for answering. I was just curious as heck, as to why this hkey was suspected. I couldn't find any reference to link the symptoms, Anakalia was experiencing, to the Task Scheduler. I thought I may have missed some known-bug headsup some where along the line.

Thanks for the answer. To bad Anakalia has't returned to fill in the names of the mystery programs she eliminated from startup.

 

I started getting this behavior last week. Running Windows 2000 Professional SP2 and IE 6.
I have traced this occurring whenever either Xolox or Kazaa is installed, and they don't even have to be running actively or in the background at the time.
Uninstall these apps, and the problem goes completely away.

 

For that you need to use Spider since it will mark the index.dat files for deletion at next boot. You get fresh, new ones when you start IE.