Phil Thien schrieb am Tue, 21 Apr 2009 16:16:06 -0700:
> I had assumed that, if I run w/o add-ons, and still have the problem, the
> problem wasn't related to add-ons.
Strictly speaking, this is correct. The point is that other applications that
are not per se "add-ons" can well hook into some IE functionality and thus
cause a problem. And these can only be identified by these additional steps. A
typical example of that were most "Desktop Search" applications and IE7. Most
of them caused problems with IE7, but rarely anyone made a connection to them.
So disabling add-ons under IE seems
> irrelevent.
It disables add-ons (for instance Flash). It doesn't disable toolbars (at least
not completely) and other programs.
I suppose I could run in Safe Mode, but the problem is
> intermittent (once to twice a day) and I can't sit at my machine running in
> safe mode all day long, waiting to see if the problem happens.
I agree, that's impractical, but the only way to rule certain applications and
drivers out. Another option is to temporarily install a second Windows setup on
your machine and don't add anything beyond updates and IE8 and then check if
the same problem happens there. You can run this unlicensed for some 30 days or
so, I think.
You can at least rule out some startup applications by disabling them via
msconfig. This is not as good as safe-mode, but near.
> So I'm not sure what the next step should be. Are there steps besides
> disabling add-ons and running in Safe Mode?
I don't know what I should tell you.
Are you aware about the problem with using many entries in Restricted Sites
("immunization" feature of several anti-spywares)?
I think I also pointed earlier to security programs. Some security programs do
slow down IE and thus very well can also trigger this.
Is there some scheme you could identify involved?
For instance, does it happen when you quickly open several pages in new tabs
from a single page (like a Google search result).
Or when opening one favorite after the other?
Or with certain sites?
So, some sequence of steps where it is very likely to reproduce for you again
and again?
Or can it happen simply and randomly when you open "any single new" tab after
not opening any tabs for a few minutes?
Does it happen when opening new tabs (which way?) or new windows or typing a
new address in the same tab or creating a blank new tab and then typing in a
web address or ...?
> (4) Played with cache settings (right now set to check for new versions each
> time I visit a web page)
this can slow don browsing a bit as it cannot reuse stuff from cache as soon.
No big deal, though.
> (5) Completely cleaned-out Temporary Internet Files, deleting all INDEX.DAT
> files and allowing new ones to be created
What's the size? If set to more than 100 MB, reduce to 100 MB.
> (6) Removed stuff like Yahoo Widgets and Google Toolbar, and elimnated every
> non-essential start-up.
> (7) Make sure I have the latest add-ons (even though running w/o doesn't
> help). So I have the latest flash, the lastest java, the latest PDF viewer,
You can check load times of add-ons in the add-ons management. Do you see any
with more than 0.01s? Java and it's helpers is said to prolong load times.
Btw, do I understand correctly that the tabs do not "connect" at all then? This
almost certainly rules out things like slow load times. What exactly happens
then beyond seeing the "Connecting ..."? Do you see the rotating "connection
circle" on the tab? Is it frozen or does it keep rotating endlessly? What
happens if you then simply put your cursor in the address bar behind the URL
and hit ENTER? (which sends the request a second time).
Is it possible that you have a lot of IE tabs open at that time (say 20)? When
the system runs out of certain ressources it then cannot build any more
"graphics". It may either not create a new tab at all, or if it creates one it
may then not be able to actually show the result, thus staying at "connecting
... If you encounter such an occurance you will also not be able to get a
right-click menu for instance. But this state should go away once you close an
IE instance as this frees some ressources.
You may sometimes also hit a site that *really* is slow and doesn't deliver
much for IE to display for a long time. Or your nameserver is slow (which would
then result in the page with the connection check button).
I mean you may experience several different causes that all result in the same
end-user experience for you, but some may be out of control of IE (and some
not).
Kai
--
Helpsites about Windows:
http://www.mvps.org
IE repair script:
http://iefaq.info
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