IE crashing with multiple browsers!!!

OK in the last couple of weeks I've had this issue with Internet Explorer on Windows 2000.

Every time I open up multiple browser windows, the browsers freeze up on me. Never happened before. So I upgraded from IE version 5 to version 6, but it's still goin' on. I even tried the Windows OS upgrade, via the browser, to no avail.

Anyone encounter this problem, or rather, its solution?

P.S. Someone suggested completely uninstalling IE, then re-installing (instead of installing over an existing version). How can I do this and save my Bookmarks???

 

"Uninstalling" will simply roll you back to the previous version of IE and, as the problem was also present in that version, would, IMO, be a pointless exercise.

Try some housekeeping, Toilethead - flush all temp/history/cache files. Empty the Recycle Bin. Run Scandisk and Defragmenter.

Consider whether you've recently added any new programs which run at boot and, if you have, disable them.

Run the Repair Tool (double-click the entry for MS IE in the Add/Remove Programs list and select "Repair ").

Welcome to the boards

 

Hi toilethead
Welcome to the boards!
Along with Brett's great tips....you might want to:
Check for Spyware ?

Perhaps go into msconfig, and under the start up tab, uncheck any unneccessary things from running at start up.
(start...run...type in: msconfig click ok...and check under the start up tab)
Here are two links to tell you what those items are:

Msconfig entries
and
More of the same

Dusted your computer out lately with canned air?

A few system specs would prove useful as well?

Daizy

 

Thanks for the help, folks!

OK, so far I've done the following, but still encountering the same problem:

1. flush all temp/history/cache files
2. empty the Recycle Bin (always keep that tidy!
3. Run Scandisk and Defragmenter
4. disable new applications (actually the only new application I added within the last month was "Ad-ware ". I had completely uninstalled it, but still had the IE issue, so I re-installed it).
5. Run the Repair Tool on IE
6. Run Ad-ware to remove spyware garbage

I tried the msconfig suggestion, but Start > Run was not able to locate msconfig ( "cannot find msconfig or one of its components. make sure the path and filename are correct and that all required libraries are available. ") I do remember using it a while back, so not sure what happened to it??

Here are my computer specs:

Windows 2000 v. 5.00.2195 Service Pack 2
Pentium 3 - 1K mhz
256 MB RAM
40 GB HD
IE v. 6.0.2600.0000

 

Hi toilethead
Msconfig for 2000
Scroll down to the bottom of the page to where it says:
msconfig from WinXP: Ripped from WinXP, can be used in Win2k

Or another one.

Daizy

 

Have you, by any chance, recently installed Audiogalaxy?

 

Nope, haven't installed AudioGalaxy.

OK, I used msconfig to disable several "unnecessary" startup items. IE still freezing when multiple browsers are opened.

One thing I did notice is the following:

IE version 5's little "e" icon is sort of a navy blue... while version 6 has more of a turquise blue color, agreed? I did notice that when the browser freezes, and I do CONTROL-ALT-DELETE to get to the Task Manager, the browser that is "not responding" has the version 6 turqoise icon, while the other browser that is active has the older navy blue icon. (note: when I "end task" on the frozen browser window, both of them close.) Does this provide any clues?

Thanks!!

 

Ok toilethead back to the drawing board.
Can you give us some system specs then please?

Daizy

 

Windows 2000 v. 5.00.2195 Service Pack 2
Pentium 3 - 1K mhz
256 MB RAM
40 GB HD
IE v. 6.0.2600.0000

anything I'm missing?

 

Nope....that's great.
Not that I'm any further ahead for an idea as to what's causing it?
Hmmmm.....
What are you resources at after a fresh boot?
You've used the terms crash and freeze.....I take it you meant freeze?
How many browser windows are we talking about here?
When it freezes....are you able to do a ctrl/alt/del and end task on the particular page that is not responding?
What about using the
recovery console?

Daizy

 

I don't recall the resources upon boot, but I checked it out and it looked fine.

Yea, I meant freeze... All it takes is to open a 2nd browser window, and they both freeze. Then I do CTRL/ALT/DEL to end task, and it's usually the original browser that's listed as "not responding" (even though neither of them work). What I can do is, if I have to open a link into a 2nd browser window, I can right-click to close the 1st browser very quickly, before they freeze up. But, that is very annoying.

It's all very aggravating, especially when you're trying to develop a website, and want to have several browsers open!!! I really hate to re-install Windows over some stupid little IE bug, but I just can't take this anymore! I wish I could just email Microsoft, but we all know it'll be eternity before I get a response from them.

 

AudioGalaxy seemingly ships with a plug-in called "Gain" which it would appear can cause this problem. Maybe "Gain" is also bundled with other software. Could be worth looking into?

I have also found references to the problem being resolved by restoring oleaut32.dll or by allowing an application called Cmesys (if installed) to run at startup.

 

Come to think of it... I may have installed AudioGalaxy at one point... but I can't be sure. If so, it was a while back and I uninstalled it. But perhaps the "Gain" plugin was left behind somewhere? But what directory??

About restoring "oleaut32.dll "? (if this is very simple, sorry to sound like an idiot! I went into Run > MSCONFIG. Then clicked on "Expand File ". But every time I click on "Browse File" or "Browse From" to select the .dll, MSCONFIG freezes on me!! And I have to right-click to close it, a "msconfig is not responding" pops up.

 

Firstly, just try a Find Files or Folders and look for "Gain ".

Ok, on to oleaut32.dll. Rename your existing oleaut32.dll file (in case there is a need to restore it later). Download oleaut32.zip from here and unzip it to a temporary folder (NOT directly to windows\system). Select Run from Start Menu, type sfc in opening window and click Ok. Now the System Files Checker program starts. Select the option "Extract one file from installation disk" and type oleaut32.dll and click "Start ". Type the full path of the temporary directory in "Restore from:" window and check that it reads "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM" in the "Save File in:" window. Click Ok and then Yes when prompted to restart Windows. Some programs (I think Excel was one) require that a version other than the current version of oleaut32.dll be installed. I'd, therefore, suggest that you try this option as a last resort and ensure that you remember the name given to the renamed file!

 

When I go to run "sfc ", a window pops up (I assume the sfc), then automatically closes itself in the blink of an eye!

 

Hmmm. Time to dust off your virus scanner and run a full system scan as there are one or two bugs which disable either regedit or sfc (Code Red being an example).

 

I've used this on 98.....I'm unsure of 2000....can someone please validate before trying?
*edit*
Yep....shoul work according toWhat Billy has to say.

Close IE, OE, and or outlook first
go to run and type in the following

regsvr32 urlmon.dll

you should see a short message that the command was successful.

Reboot. See if it makes a difference.

If not continue with these in the same manner

regsvr32 shdocvw.dll
regsvr32 shdoc401.dll
regsvr32 oleaut32.dll
regsvr32 mshtml.dll
regsvr32 urlmon.dll

reboot.


Daizy

 

The saga continues!

OK, I ran a virus check and found "KLEZ worm ". It could not clean it, so I selected it and clicked delete. Then I rebooted, but the browser issue remained.

I used the "regsvr32" command on all of the .dll's with success, except for "shdoc401.dll ", which gave the following error:

Might this be the problem then?

 

Klez fixtool.

Hope it helps.

Daizy

 

It got rid of the KLEZ, but not the IE problem... Thanks for all the effort people...