While I was preparing the Question below, the problem has become worse and I'm now thinking it is a problem not limited to IE5/6 but more involving the OS.
The new behavior I'm noticing is that I can click on associated files and open the parent program, say Notepad and even Word. Once open, I can still call on the Save As or Open dialog and the dialog will open. If I open the parent program by itself and try to Save As or Open, hang!
This behavior has been very troublesome in Word, where any filerelated dialog box causes the program to search the for files and, thus, hang.
My only choice is to right click and create a new Word document. Change the name to something appropriate. Click to open the file and enter data. I can't use the programs Open File dialog boxes to open new files or Save As dialog boxes to name/rename files.
File Dialog calls in IE 5.0 and now 6 result in "Not Responding"
While using IE5.0, my computer has been hanging (mouse works, icon stuck as an hourglass, nothing but Ctrl-Alt-Del works) when I use IE to call up a dialog box that lists files. This includes the SAVE AS, SAVE TARGET AS, SAVE PICTURE AS, OPEN|BROWSE, etc. I upgraded using Windows uppdate to IE 6.0 - still no go.
I can "end task" the NOT RESPONDING item and all the IE windows will close.
This hanging happens even when I'm looking at a PDF file using Acrobat Reader and click the little floppy "save" icon on the Acrobat toolbar.
Added info:
- I avoided this once by calling up a web page in Windows Explorer; I was able to save a picture. When I tried exactly the same sequence later in the day, it was hanging just like an IE window would.
- I've experimented with the hanging behavior and, when I have both pointed at web pages, can usually get the Window Explorer window to hang and then End Task it, and all the Windows Explorer windows will close, but the IE windows WILL NOT close. This may be a property of the End Task command.
As further information:
- I have been having trouble with my DDEML.DLL file allegedly replaced with an older file. Actually, all my system files seemed to have a 1990 last modified year, so I set my System File Checker to Update File Information.
- Acrobat Reader uses the ACRD32 process, which usually misbehaves and keeps running even when all the programs using it are already closed. I often close the process manually using Task Manager|End Task.
- MAPISP32 often behaves the same way as ACRD32, so I usually have to close it manually.
- I have a Palm Hotsync Manager installed on my notebook, as well as a CASIO EXILIM USB driver and all the usual Toshiba drivers.
I've tried:
- erasing content from Windows|Temporary Internet Files - currently about 800 files and about 5MB large,
- using Scandisk - did not find any errors,
- using HouseCall anti-virus from Trend Micro - no viruses found,
- using System Information|Internet Explorer Repair Tool|Repair Internet Explorer - finished and rebooted,
- using System File Checker|Scan for Altered Files|Update File Information - 1700+ files updated,
- using Registry Checker - No errors found,
None of these have fixed my problem of not being able to call up a dialog box that lists files.
My system is a Toshiba Protege 3020CT:
Microsoft Windows 98 4.10.1998
Clean install using OEM Preinstall Kit /T:C:\WININST0.400 /SrcDir=C:\WINDOWS\OPTIONS
\CABS /IS /IW /IQ /ID /IV /IZ /II /NR /II /C /U:xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
IE 5 6.0.2800.1106
Uptime: 0:00:48:56
Normal mode
TOSHIBA
GenuineIntel Pentium(r) Processor Intel MMX(TM) Technology
96MB RAM
71% system resources free
Custom swap file on drive C (1864MB free)
Available space on drive C: 1864MB of 6176MB (FAT32)
