problem with IE 6.x.xxxxxx

[Xylob the Destroyer]

last nite my Internet Explorer on my Win2K machine started acting weird.
I first noticed it on the Netflix site. Every time I would try to click on a title's "Add" button, IE would pop up an error dialog saying that IE had experienced a problem and needed to close.
Every single time I clicked the "Add" button....
I figured it was just a temporary problem with that site and moved on to some other surfing.
but it was happening at other sites as well.
when I try to access my work email from home, as soon as the secure site comes up it gives me the same message
some forums cause it when I click on the button to reply to a thread.
if there's a pattern to the problem, I'm not seeing it...

I went to MicroSoft's site and downloaded the latest service pack and update for IE, but the problem persists.
Any clues as to what the problem is?
I tried back-tracking to see if there had been any changes to my system since the time IE was working properly (only a few hours before). No new or uninstalled programs. Ran a full virus and Ad-Aware scan, no problems. no new hardware.....

I couldn't find just a basic installation file for IE on the MS site...
I'm thinking of using the Add/Remove programs app to simply delete IE and then re-install it from the Win2K install disc.
What files would I need to back up first?

any insight would be appreciated, but please no fan-boy rants.
I've tried Opera, FireFox, Netscape, and all the others -- I don't like them.
I'll stick with IE.

TIA!!

[redwudz]

About the only thing I backup are the 'Favorites'. Most everything else will replace itself. I don't keep the cookies unless I have cleaned out the ones I don't want.

I'm not sure how well you can uninstall IE as it is pretty tightly integrated with the system.

I assume you have tried to reset IE to 'default' settings?

You could go to MS and see if there is a troubleshooter or help or error page for IE, but the crash seems generic, and if random, not so easy to pinpoint.

While you are at MS, you might do a search for 'reinstalling (Or uninstalling) IE'.

[GKar]

You can try:

1) download i/e setup file from here:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/ie/downloads/critical/ie6sp1/default.mspx

2) follow this procedure to install:
http://www.tacktech.com/display.cfm?ttid=176

Have you tried a repair reinstall of windows 2000?

You can also try 2000Lite from here which will let you uninstall and reinstall I/E using your existing system install disk. I use XPLite myself (No trace of I/E on my system). I think they have a freeware version and pay version.

http://www.litepc.com/xplite.html

[liquid217]

It could be a BHO (Browser Helper Object) that is interfering with normal functionality. BHOs are frequently used by spyware/malware to create plugins for internet explorer. Many times, these plugins interfere or slow it down considerably. Try using HijackThis, and remove any BHOs that exist.

[Xylob the Destroyer]

hhmmmm...
i did get a nasty bit of malware earlier this week.
it was a bitch and disabled regedit and task manager!
it took me 2 hours to clean the shit up and get rid of it.

[ladyb1998]

i had a friend IE6 would shut down everytime he tried to open another window or click on a link. he installed the yahoo tool bar which is a BHO(browser help object). when he unistalled the tool bar everything started to work again. one way around it for him was to hold down the CTRl button before clicking on a link. he got tired of holding down the button to click on a link

[jimmalenko]

Every time I would try to click on a title's "Add" button, IE would pop up an error dialog saying that IE had experienced a problem and needed to close.
Every single time I clicked the "Add" button....
I figured it was just a temporary problem with that site and moved on to some other surfing.
but it was happening at other sites as well.
when I try to access my work email from home, as soon as the secure site comes up it gives me the same message
some forums cause it when I click on the button to reply to a thread.
if there's a pattern to the problem, I'm not seeing it...

I'd suggest that all three of those tasks quite possibly use javascript ...

[Xylob the Destroyer]

I'd considered that too.
I still have the "java" that came with IE5...
I downloaded the newest from Java, but the installation fails everytime I try to run it -- it never tells me why though.

[jimmalenko]

In getting rid of the malware, you didn't install any programs such as content-blockers that may be preventing the JS from working properly or anything ? Does your AV have an "auto-protect" option ?

[Xylob the Destroyer]

nope didn't have to install anything.
Norton has autoprotect -- I've been running it pretty much non-stop for years.

[jhotmann]

I had a similar problem onetime and i ran ie fix http://windowsxp.mvps.org/utils/IEFix.zip and it got everything back to working order.

[isogonic]

3rd party add-ons malware or otherwise can mess with ie, some major offenders are toolbars, search helpers, optimizers, accelerators, download managers etc.

[Xylob the Destroyer]

which is why I have none of those silly-ass add-ins.
my security settings are fairly restrictive as well -- most folks hate trying to surf on my machine because of it.