This document applies to PCs with Internet Explorer version 6, 7, or 8 in Windows.
Various issues can occur while using Microsoft Internet Explorer (IE) Web browser software. Select a section below that corresponds to the problem you are having in Internet Explorer. If you cannot find a section that best matches your problem, use the section on
repairing Internet Explorer
.
Spyware and browser hi-jacking issues
If the computer becomes slow when connecting to the Internet, your home page always changes to a page you do not want, unwanted desktop links display, advertising windows pop-up repeatedly, or search bars suprisingly display, your computer has spyware or adware.
Resetting Internet Explorer settings
Resetting settings in Internet Explorer versions 7 or 8 can resolve many types of problems.
| CAUTION: | After using these steps you might need to reenter information in trusted Web pages, such as passwords or personal information. |
To automatically reset Internet Explorer settings, click the Microsoft Fix it Solution:
If you cannot use the Microsoft Fix it Solution, use the following steps to manually reset the settings:
Open Internet Explorer, click Tools
, and then click Internet Options
.
Click the Advanced
tab.
Click Reset
.
Figure 1: Internet Options: Reset button
When done, close all open IE windows, reopen IE 7, and then try to view the Web page again.
Resetting Internet Protocol settings
Perform the steps in this section to reset
your Internet Protocol settings in Windows. Resetting TCP/IP (Internet Protocol) can resolve issues such as always receiving a Page cannot be displayed
message or 404
messages. Use the following steps to reset TCP/IP depending on which version of Windows you are using:
Resetting IP in Windows 7 and Vista
In Windows Vista, use the following steps to reset the Internet Protocol:
Click
Start 
, click
All Programs
, click
Accessories
, and then right-click
Command Prompt.Select Run as administrator
.
Figure 2: Opening Command Prompt
At the C:\Windows\System32 command prompt, type the following: netsh int ip reset
.
This command returns a series of responses that end with OK!
, and then a request to restart the computer.
Close the Command Prompt window and restart the computer.
Click
Start
, click
All Programs
, click
Accessories
, and then right-click
Command Prompt.Select Run as administrator
.
At the C:\Windows\System32 command prompt, type the following: netsh winsock reset
.
A success message is shown when the command passes.
Restart the computer. IP is reset.
Resetting IP in Windows XP
In Windows XP, use the following steps to reset the Internet Protocol:
Click Start
, and then click Run
.
Type the following into the Open
field: netsh int ip reset c:\resetlog.txt
Click OK
.
Restart the computer and try to log in and browse the Internet. If the problem persists, continue using these steps.
If you have Windows XP Service Pack 2 or later, click Start
, and then click Run
. Type netsh winsock reset
in the Open
field.
If you do not have Service Pack 2, perform all the following steps to remove and restore the winsock
files:
| CAUTION: | The following steps involve editing the Registry. Make sure that you create a restore point or back up the Registry before continuing. |
Click Start
, click Run
, and type the following into the Open
field: regedit
The Registry Editor displays.
Click the plus sign (+) next to the following keys: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\
Click Winsock
, press the Delete
key, and click Yes
to confirm the removal of the key.
Click Winsock2
, press the Delete
key, and click Yes
to confirm the removal of the key.
Restart the computer. You must perform this step.
Open the Network Connections window (from either Control Panel or the Network Places sidebar), right-click the network connection, and select Properties
.
Click Install
, Protocol
, Add
, Have Disk
, and type c:\windows\inf
into the field.
Click OK
, and select Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)
from the list of available protocols.
Click OK
.
Restart the computer and try to log in and browse the Internet.
Resetting IP in Windows 98 and Me
Repairing Internet Explorer
If Internet Explorer has a problem that is not listed in this document, repair Internet Explorer.
| CAUTION: | After using these steps you might have to reenter information in trusted Web pages, such as passwords or personal information. |
| NOTE: | If you cannot repair Internet Explorer using the following steps, get the latest version of Internet Explorer from Microsoft (download or order a CD). For more information, go to
www.microsoft.com/windows/ie/
(in English). |
Repair Internet Explorer in Windows 7 or Vista
Internet Explorer is integrated into Windows Vista. To repair Internet Explorer, repair the system
Click
Start
, click
All Programs
, click
Accessories
, and then right-click
Command Prompt.Select Run as administrator
.
Figure 3: Opening Command Prompt
Click OK
if a User Account Control message opens.
At the command line prompt, type the following: SFC /SCANNOW
A window opens giving you the status of the files it found and fixed.
When done. close the window by typing EXIT
.
Repair Internet Explorer in XP
To repair or reinstall IE for computers that have had SP2 installed, reinstall SP2, and this automatically reinstalls IE. To repair SP1 or earlier XP computers, click Start
, and then click Run
. Type sfc /scannow
into the Open
field, click OK
, and wait until finished.
| NOTE: | If your computer has Media Center 2005, a message might display stating Insert Your Windows XP Profession CD2 Now
. Click Cancel
to continue. This message might display several times and does not affect the repair of standard files that came with your computer. |
For more information, see Microsoft article
318378
(in English).
Repair Internet Explorer in 98 and Me
Click Start
, click Settings
, and then click Control Panel
.
Double-click the Add or Remove Programs
icon.
Click the Install or Uninstall
tab.
Select Internet Explorer and Internet Tools
, and then click Add or Remove
.
A menu with three options displays. Select Repair Internet Explorer
and follow the prompts until it restarts.
If a new version of IE is available for download from Microsoft, upgrade to a newer version of Internet Explorer.
Uninstalling Internet Explorer
Internet Explorer offers important functions to the operating system and should not be removed. However, if Internet Explorer was updated to a later version, you can go back to the last previous version.
To automatically uninstall Internet Explorer 8 and go back to the last installed version, click the Microsoft Fix it Solution:
If you cannot use the Microsoft Fix it Solution, use the following steps to manually uninstall an updated version of Internet Explorer:
In Windows 7 or Vista:
Click
Start
, click
Control Panel
, and select
Uninstall a program
.
Click View installed updates
from the left.
Select the Internet Explorer update from the list of installed updates.
Click Uninstall
and follow the messages as they open to uninstall Internet Explorer.
In Windows XP:
Click Start
, click Control Panel
, and select Add or Remove programs
.
Select the checkbox Show updates
at the top.
Select the Internet Explorer update from the list of installed updates.
Click Remove
and follow the messages as they open to uninstall Internet Explorer.
Opening Internet Explorer 7 or 8 without Add-ons
Over time, browser add-ins accumulate and can produce spyware problems, error messages, or IE startup problems. You can start Internet Explorer 7 without any third-party add-ons or by using the following steps:
In Windows 7 orVista: click Start
, and type the following text into the Search
field: iexplore -extoff
In Windows XP: click Start
, Run
, and type the following text into the text field: iexplore -extoff
Home page cannot be changed
This issue can occur because of spyware or because Norton Internet Security 2006 is installed with Home Page Protection enabled.
Open Internet Explorer, click Tools
, and then click Internet Options
.
From the General Tab, in the Home page section, change the Address field to the home page address (for example, www.hp.com).
Click OK
.
If Norton 2006 is installed, a Norton Antivirus Home Page Protection Alert
window opens. Continue to the next step.
If the home page does not change or changes to a different address than what you selected as the home page,
update virus or adware definitions and scan the computer for spyware
. Remove any spyware that is found. For more information, see
About Spyware, Adware, and Browser Hijacking Software
.
Select the home page address that is listed after Change to: in the Home Page Protection Alert message.
Figure 4: Home Page Protection Alert
Click OK
.
The home page changes and the new home page opens when Internet Explorer is opened.
Images do not display
If images do not load into Web pages, use the following steps:
Figure 5: Example of missing graphic placeholder
In Internet Explorer, click Tools
, and then click Internet Options
.
Click the Advanced
tab and select Show pictures
under Multimedia.
If Show pictures is not selected, select Show pictures
, click OK
, and reopen Internet Explorer. You are done.
If Show pictures is already selected, click Cancel
, close the Internet Options window, and continue using these steps.
Figure 6: Advanced tab of Internet Options window
Close Internet Explorer.
Click Start
, click Run
, and type the following into the Open
field: regsvr32 /I mshtml.dll
Click OK
and open Internet Explorer.
Images now display when browsing Web pages.
Error: "Enable Active X" or "Your current security settings prohibit the running of Active X controls"
Perform the following steps to resolve this issue:
Open Internet Explorer.
Click Tools
, click Internet Options
, and then click the Security
tab.
With Internet
selected as the zone, click the Default
button.
Close all open IE windows, reopen IE, and try to view the Active X content in the Web page again.
Close Internet Explorer.
When you have finished repairing Internet Explorer, restart the computer and try visiting the Web site again.
| NOTE: | If your computer has Media Center 2005, a message might display stating "Insert Your Windows XP Profession CD2 Now." Click Cancel
to continue. This message might display several times and does not affect the repair of standard files that came with your computer. |
Error: Internet Explorer 7 could not be installed
The following message displays after you try to install the Internet Explorer 7 update:
Internet Explorer 7 could not be installed. You must restart your system to confirm that any changes to your system are undone.
This error can occur if system files cannot be updated or the installer is unable to write to the Registry keys. Make sure that Internet Explorer is being installed from a user account that has Administrative privileges. If you are trying to install the update from an Administrative account and the error continues, rights or permissions might need to be set in the Registry.
Use the automated Fix it solution from Microsoft before installing Internet Explorer.
Error: Internet Explorer has encountered an error and needs to close
To resolve this error, make the following changes in Internet Explorer:
| CAUTION: | After using these steps, you might have to re-enter information in trusted Web pages, such as passwords or personal information. |
First,
reset Interent explorer
to disable 3rd party add-ons that might be causing problems. If the error continues, use the following steps:
Open Internet Properties:
In Windows 7 or Vista, click
Start
, and type the following into the search field:
inetcpl.cpl In Windows XP, click Start
, click Run
, and type the following into the Open field: inetcpl.cpl
In Windows 98 and Me, click Start
, click Settings
, click Control Panel
, and double-click Internet Options
.
In IE 7, click the General
tab, and click Delete
from the browsing history section, and then click the Delete Cookies
button.
In IE 6, click the General
tab, and click Delete Cookies
.
Click OK
on the confirmation window that opens.
In IE 7, click the Delete files
button, click OK
on the confirmation window that opens, and then click Close
.
In IE 6, from the General tab, click Delete Files,
select Delete all offline content
, and click OK
.
Click the Programs
tab and then click the Manage add-ons
button.
Add-ons are active-x controls that change the way Internet Explorer functions. These can be toolbars, plug-ins, and other code that can interfere with the operation of IE.
Select any suspicious add-on names from the name list and select disable
to prevent the add-on code from opening when IE is opened.
Click the Advanced
tab. Remove the checkmark from Enable third-party browser extensions (requires restart)
.
| NOTE: | Preventing third-party browser extensions removes search toolbars, gadgets, and Symantec's phishing filter notification from the top menu. |
Click OK
, and click OK
again to restart the computer.
The error no longer displays.
| NOTE: | These errors are probably caused by browser extensions that were added by spyware or adware. If you want use third-party browser extensions, use the HP support document
About Spyware, Adware, and Browser Hijacking Software
(in English), to learn about removing spyware and adware and how to better protect your computer from these types of software. When protected, you can reenable the use of third-party extensions. |
Error: A Runtime error has occurred. Do you wish to debug?
This error occurs when IE cannot use the script from a Web page. These errors are harmless, but can happen frequently and become annoying. You can turn the messages off by disabling script debugging.
To automatically disable script debugging, click the Microsoft Fix it Solution:
If you cannot use the Microsoft Fix it Solution, use the following steps to manually disable script debugging:
From IE, click Tools
, click Internet Options
, and then click Advanced
.
Remove the checkmark from Display a notification about every script error
.
Select Disable script debugging
(for both IE and other).
Click OK
and restart IE.
Error: Page Cannot Be Displayed
When opening IE after connecting to the Internet, the message Page Cannot be Displayed
displays. Perform the following steps until this error message is resolved:
The Web Page that you are trying to reach might be out of service. Try visiting different Web sites to see if this message still displays from other sites. If visiting other sites also cause the message, continue using these steps.
If the page display problems persist, continue.
In Windows 7 or Vista, click
Start
, and type the following into the Search field:
regsvr32 softpub.dll In Windows XP
, click Start
, click Run
, and type the following into the Open
field: regsvr32 softpub.dll
In Windows 7 or Vista, click
Start
, and type the following into the
Start Search
field:
regsvr32 urlmon.dll
In Windows XP, click Start
, click Run
, and type the following into the Open
field: regsvr32 urlmon.dll
Restart the computer and then try browsing the Internet again.
If the page display problems persist, continue.
Open Internet Explorer, click Tools
, and then click Internet Options
.
Click the Programs
tab, and then click Reset Web Settings
.
Unable to close Internet Explorer
If you cannot close Internet Explorer by pressing the X in the upper right corner does not close the Window, then a 3rd party add-on is probably keeping the Window open.
Reset Interent explorer
to disable 3rd party add-ons.
Unable to view secure Web sites (such as online banking)
Normal Web pages can be viewed, but secure Web pages, such as shopping pages or pages that deal with personal information, cannot be viewed.
To automatically restore security settings in Windows XP and Windows Vista to their default settings, click the Microsoft Fix it Solution:
If you cannot use the Microsoft Fix it Solution, use the following steps to reset SSL encryption so that secure pages can be viewed:
Open Internet Explorer, click Tools
, click Internet Options
, and then click the Security
tab.
Select Trusted Sites
, and then click the Default Level
button.
Click the Advanced
tab and scroll to the Security Options section.
Select Use SSL 2.0
and Use SSL 3.0
if they are not already selected.
Click the Content
tab.
Click the Clear SSL State
button, and then click OK
.
You can now view secure Web sites if you had to make any selection. Browse to a secure Web page to make sure. If you still cannot access the page, use the remaining steps to resolve the problem.
If you are using IE 7, temporarily disable the built-in phishing filter, using the following steps:
Open IE 7.
Click Tools
, click Phishing Filter
, and then click Turn Off Automatic Web site Checking
.
Go to the Web site and try again.
| CAUTION: | With the phishing filter off, you must know and trust the Web site that you are trying to view. Do not type any personal information into a Web form unless you can verify that the site is reputable. |
After you have visited the site, enable the phishing filter.
In Windows XP and Vista, re-register the .dll files:
To automatically re-register the .dll files, click the Microsoft Fix it Solution:
If you cannot use the Microsoft Fix it Solution, use the following steps to manually re-register the .dll files:
In Windows 7 or Vista, click
Start
.
In Windows XP, click Start
, and then click Run
.
Type one of the following items in the Start Search box (Vista) or Open box (XP). Then press Enter
.
If you typed the item correctly, a message displays stating that the RegSrv32 command succeeded.
Click OK
in the message that displays on the screen. Then open the Start Search box (Vista) or Open box (XP) again, and type the next item in the list.
regsvr32 softpub.dll
regsvr32 wintrust.dll
regsvr32 initpki.dll
regsvr32 dssenh.dll
regsvr32 rsaenh.dll
regsvr32 gpkcsp.dll
regsvr32 sccbase.dll
regsvr32 slbcsp.dll
regsvr32 cryptdlg.dll
Restart the computer.
You can now view secure Web sites.
Unable to view certain Web sites that require cookies
Normal Web pages can be viewed, but Web pages that require cookies do not open or open slowly. Use the following steps to allow use of cookies:
| NOTE: | Using these steps could allow Websites to install tracking cookies (cookies that typically keep track of Web site usage information; sometimes considered spyware). |
From Internet Explorer, click Tools
, and select Internet Options
.
Click the Privacy
tab and then click Advanced
.
Select Override automatic cookie handling
Select Always allow session cookies
, and then select Accept
under First-party cookies and Third-party cookies.
Click OK
and restart the computer.
Internet Explorer icon missing from desktop
To automatically add an Internet Explorer icon, click the Microsoft Fix it Solution:
If you cannot use the Microsoft Fix it Solution, manually add the icon as follows:
Click Start
, and then click and hold the left mouse button on the Internet Explorer
start menu item.
Drag the Internet Explorer Start menu item over the desktop and release the left mouse button.
Missing File Menu, Address bar, or all menu items
To automatically re-enable a missing file menu, address bar, or all menu items, click the Microsoft Fix it Solution:
If you cannot use the Microsoft Fix it Solution, manually re-enable missing menu items as follows:
If most of the menu items are missing, press F11
. Full screen mode was enabled.
If the file menu is missing and you are using IE 7 or Vista, press the Alt
key to open the file menu. To permanently open the Menu bar select Menu bar
from the Tools menu.
If any other toolbar is missing, click Tools
, click Toolbars
, and select the name of the toolbar that is missing.
If the address bar is missing, perform the following steps until the Address bar redisplays:
Open Internet Explorer.
Click View
, click Toolbars
, and select Address Bar
if it is not already selected.
If you had to select Address Bar, it should display. If not continue.
Click View
, click Toolbars
, and remove the selection from Lock the Toolbars
.
Position the mouse cursor over the bottom of the top menu where the Web page meets the menu until it turns into a double edged arrow.
Drag the border down until the address bar displays.
Figure 7: Displaying the Address bar
If the Address Bar still does not display, click Tools
, click Internet options
, click Advanced
, and remove the checkmark next to Enable third party browser extensions
.
Click OK
and see if the Address Bar displays.
If the Address Bar still does not display, use
System Restore
to go back to a known time when the Address Bar was visible.
No sound from Web pages in Internet Explorer (XP)
To hear sound while viewing web pages with audio, perform the following steps:
Click Start
, and then click Control Panel
.
Click Sounds, Speech and Audio Devices
and then click Sounds and Audio Devices
.
Click the Sounds
tab.
In the Program events
list, find and select Windows Explorer
.
Select Complete Navigation
and set sounds
to notify.wav
.
Start Navigation
and set the "sounds
" to Windows XP Start.wav
.
Click OK
.
The saved password and the password you typed do not match (IE 6 and XP)
The password for Content Advisor has been forgotten. Put in a new password, using the instructions below:
| CAUTION: | The following steps involve editing the Registry. Make sure that you create a restore point or back up the Registry before continuing. |
Click Start
, and then click Run
.
Type Regedit
into the Open
field.
Click the plus sign (+
) next to each of the following keys (folders):
Make sure
Ratings
is selected in the left window and appears open. Select the icon called Key in the right pane and press the
Delete
key on the keyboard.
Figure 8: Ratings key in Regedit
Close the Registry Editor and restart the system.
Open Internet Explorer.
Click Tools
, click Internet Options
, and then click the Content
tab.
If a message displays and asks for a password, do not type anything and click OK
.
Click Enable
and select the rating options that meet your needs.
Click the General
tab and select Change Password in the Supervisor Password area
.
Type a new password into the New Password
field and in the confirmation
field.
Click OK
in the Password Settings window, and then click OK
in the Content Advisor and Internet Options windows.
Close and then reopen Internet Explorer for the changes to take effect.
| NOTE: | One or more of the links above will take you outside the Hewlett-Packard Web site. HP does not control and is not responsible for information outside the HP Web site. |
