Internet explorer randomly throws an error and restarts.

[CraigLC]

Hi guys...
System specs
P2 350Mhz
128 meg of Ram
Running Windows 98
IE 6.0

Recently as I surf IE will throw up a message box that prompts me to send a message to Micrsoft about whatever error I just got and then offers to restart IE for me. This seems to happen a lot when I have multiple windows open and close one but it also just happens randmoly. Sometimes I will have had one window open for a few minutes reading or something and not even touching anything...it just errors. I have a new Hardrive to put in but was wonderring what is wrong here? any thoughts? I downloaded the latest version of IE and overlayed hoping some file was corrupted but no luck. I downloaded a program called spybot or somehting like that hoping maybe some spyware was bugging me but it still errors. Thanks for any ideas in advance.

 

[Mercutio]

Which version of Windows is this?

You can try running sfc.exe. Under 2000 or XP that should be "sfc /scannow".

You might also try running IE's repair process, which is usually found in Add/Remove Programs, or in Win98's System Information applet under "Tools".

Sometimes removing the existing version of IE for an earlier one fixes things. I also ran into a situation a while back where installing and uninstalling an OS upgrade fixed IE (going from 98SE to 2000).

There's also the better browser option: Mozilla or even Opera.

 

[CraigLC]

Merc... thanks for replying. As I stated its Win 98. It started when I had Ie 5.5 or so and I downloaded and upgraded to IE 6. That still didn't fix the problem. I'll try thr IE fix problem thing and see if that works. I have no idea how I would remove IE from win 98 to reinstall so I just tried to overlay. I guess the next idea would be to dowload whatever the final service patch was for win 98 as I never did upgrade that. On my slow a$$ dial up at home its gonna take about a week for that thing to download :eekers:

 

[Handruin]

I can download it and mail it to you....might be quicker. PM or e-mail me your address if you want. Just send me which files to download.

 

[Mercutio]

Doug, what you really want to do is get a copy of the IE Administrator's kit to grab the whole install of IE6 SP 1.
You can use that to grab the relevant install files to COMPLETELY reinstall IE.

With that in hand, CraigLC can completely uninstall IE (as completely as Windows will let him, anyway), and work from the newest version. I'm almost positive that will fix his problem.

 

[CraigLC]

Thanks Doug, i appreciate the offer.

So... over all it seems like it just might be easier to install my new hard drive and start over making my old one a back up and pulling all the files off it before formatting it? My current drive is 10 gig (most of you didn't think you could survive with that huh?) and my new one is 80 gig with an 8 meg cache. I just need an ide controller card from promise or other company and it should be good to go. I'm wonderring about operating systems though...debating the cost and benefits of going to a 2000 or XP OS. but then I would need to buy the OS and Microsoft office to go with. The price tag is scary to say the least and I am NOT able to download it even if I wanted to. What i would really like to do is scrap the whole setup for a nice new laptop...but when you work contract to contract and never know when the paychecks will stop its hard to justify the cash ya know?

 

[Handruin]

I would not recommend a PII 350 with 128MB ram running windows 2000 or XP. Would it work...more than likely, but would you be happy with the performance...I suspect not.

My old machine was a PII 350 with 192MB ram (64 & 128 stick) and win98 was the best choice for me on the machine. That machine is still running today at my folk’s house and it STILL has windows 98 on it.

Along the same lines, I install a promise 133 card (the model escapes me at the moment) in my folks PII 350 machine to run (I think) a 40GB quantum AS fluid bearing drive. I was afraid the built-in DMA33 controller wouldn't handle the size on the BX chipset.

If you ever decide to buy W2K or XP, keep an eye out on www.bensbargains.net Me and a few others here were able to buy XP Pro for under $50 shipped legally from Microsoft. They had a deal for new business owners or something like that. (Check the "for sale" section if you're curious, I bet it's in there some where) You can also get the OS cheaper if you buy it with new hardware. OEM copies are in the mid $100 range for a legal copy. Check newegg.com

I'll download Merc's suggestion of the IE Administrator's kit and mail it to you on CD-ROM if you want. If you plan to reinstall you might not need it unless you have trouble upgrading again. I also recommend Mozilla or Opera as Merc suggested. I think most people here like those browsers...but they can speak for themselves. I tend to gravitate to IE 6 because Moz, Firebird, and opera don't support middle button click scrolling which I'm so used to using. (I.E. Click and hold scroll wheel button and drag a window up or down)

 

[SteveC]

I tend to gravitate to IE 6 because Moz, Firebird, and opera don't support middle button click scrolling which I'm so used to using. (I.E. Click and hold scroll wheel button and drag a window up or down)

Firebird does that now. :wink:

 

[Handruin]

My firebird won't do it from the basic install...(looking through options now) I can't find how to make it work with my microsoft blue mouse.

The scroll wheel works, but clicking it does not. I'm running firebird 0.6.1

 

[SteveC]

Hmm, it should be enabled by default. It's under Tools->Options->Advanced and click Use Autoscrolling. It works fine with my Microsoft optical mouse.

 

[Handruin]

I don't have an advanced section. Are we running the same version of firebird?

 

[SteveC]

I just checked, and I'm running the Aug 23 build, which is newer than the official 0.6.1 build. You may still be able to get it working in your version by typing about:config in the URL bar. See if general.autoScroll is there, and if it is, set it to true.

 

[Handruin]

It's not there. Must be a new feature in your build. Thanks for the info though, that's good news.