IE: first load of websites is often missing the javascript, I have to reload before using the site.

What is your Operating System and Browser / versions?  How current are you with WindowsUpdate.  Much really does depend on your environment.  Have you tried adding the problem link to IE - privacy tab to allow it?  Are you running Firewall or Pop Up Blockers that may be blocking access, and/or unique settings in browser that does not allow the load initially, such as meta refresh?  What is the Java plug in you're using, updated?  Any damaged or unknown items listed in IE - tools - internet options - general - temporary internet files - settings - view objects?  If so delete those items, close IE and try again.  I'll include a link to test your Java Applet and JavaScript environment, if needed, but don't want to bother you with it until more is known.  Have you updated Java?  Tried setting IE to defaults to test?

Asta

Windows XP SP2 Tablet Edition, IE 6.0.1.2900.2180.xpsp_sp2_gdr.050301-1519. All the latest WindowsUpdate updates.

I'll try the privacy tab idea, that's a great one.

No popup blockers, only the running XP SP2 firewall. Where would I check for the Meta Refresh settings?

Java plugin is Sun, very latest version.

Nothing damaged or unknown in temp internet files, although I cleared them all out anyway to be sure. I do have the cache space set to 1MB to keep that low.

I'm interested in those links you mentioned!

Is there a way to set IE to default, but then be able to restore my current settings after the test?

Thanks for the feedback Asta!

Mike

Could be your javascirpt/vbscript registry entries are bad. I once had a problem like that. My Hotmail windows wouldn't come up, although I could navigate to other websites. Also, the Search window was blank, and other windows as well.

Check out this link, and follow the instructions. It's pretty simple, and if it is the problem, you'll be up and running in just a few minutes. And doing this won't hurt if your registry entries are OK. It only takes a minute, so try it, and post back here with the results.

Several dialog boxes are blank
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;831430

Asta,
I tried the Privacy Tab idea, no luck. Also, checked META REFRESH setting - it is set to enable. Where should I go from here? (great list of things to try, btw. I hope you have more) :)

coderlen,
I just tried re-registering those entries. I'll give it a try over the next few days and report back!

Do you see the yellow Information Bar at the top when you try to do the initial load and login?  

Any progress or changes?

If you have any old cookies for the problem site, please delete them and again clear the temp files, including offline content and history files.  Close IE and reopen again to test please.

As I navigated through the various links there with IE / XP Service Pack 2, the Information Bar does appear and is blocking access of Activex components, which is normal.

As regards setting IE to defaults, my personal choice is to 'always' jot down my ideal settings prior to making modifications, and recommend that highly.

Some detail on the SP2 Information Bar...
Description of the Internet Explorer Information Bar in Windows XP SP2
Describes the new Internet Explorer Information Bar feature that is included in Windows XP SP2.
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;843017
Windows XP Service Pack 2: Use the Internet Explorer Information Bar
Learn to use the Internte Explorer Information Bar in Windows XP SP2.
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/web/sp2_infobar.mspx

Asta,

I'll clear out all cookies and temp files, reboot, and try again. I'll let you know!

So that you have an actual example to look at, I created some screenshots of the problem in action. You can see that I'm not experiencing the Information Bar (although I hope it ends up being something that simple!) :)
http://www.trollan.com/sharedfiles/MissingData.jpg
http://www.trollan.com/sharedfiles/JavascriptError.jpg
http://www.trollan.com/sharedfiles/AfterRefresh.jpg

Coderlen,
I was able to successfully re-register the entries. After a couple days of use, I'm still running into the problem.

Asta,
I've cleared out all cookies and temp files, rebooted, and tried again. It still acted up.

I repeated that process, only this time I also tried shutting down a few other programs before pulling up Bank of America. Same problem.

Thoughts?

Sorry my other suggestion didn't work.

A very similar situation with a bank login popup was recently solved here in EE. Check out this link:

https://www.experts-exchange.com/questions/21415667/javascript-popup-can't-connect.html

Let us know if it works. Thanks, and good luck.

So much depends on what's running in the background concurrently, available resources, settings and more.  I'm again assuming you've cleared all old cookies related to the problem site, tried pasting the link to your Privacy tab - pop up blocker/settings as well as the security tab to the allowed zone ....  Hopefully the latest information provided to you by coderlen helps you.

I'll stay tuned and check back on your progress when time permits.

Hopeful,
":0) Asta

Coderlen, it looks like the solution was to set everything back to default. I'll give that a try - it's not hard for me to remember my settings so I'll see if that fixes it and then enable my settings one-by-one until it stops working (or hopefully just keeps working).

I'll keep you posted!

Well, I'm sure glad you got it working. You're like me, I would also enable the settings one by one until it stopped working. I have to know the exact cause as well. That will do me good as well, I'll put it in my personal Knowledge Base for future reference.

I look forward to your next post. Later.

Ditto that.  ":0) Asta

No luck yet. I've been re-adding my options one by one.

Unchecking "Reuse browser window for launching shortcuts" should have been the first one. Sure enough, I clicked on a link, and it opened up in a window where I had half filled in a form. Clicked back, and the stuff I'd entered was gone. Doh! Oh well, the option is set now. :)

Why don't you just try resetting all the setting back to default. In Internet Explorer:

Tools>Internet Options>Advanced>Restore Defaults

That's what worked for the other guy. Try it!

That's what I did, and it seemed to have worked so far! I'm still adding back in my settings one by one to see which one breaks it. Thanks for the tip coderlen! You'll be getting points for this one.

Severisth

I'm glad it worked, Severisth. From your earlier response, it seemed like you hadn't reset the settings back to default.

I'll be looking forward to seeing which setting it was that caused the problem.

I'm very pleased that coderlen has been helpful to you in this regard and would agree wholeheartedly that is where points belong when you're ready to finalize this.
":0) Asta

After 21 days of testing various combinations, I've come to the conclusion that setting the browser settings back to default did NOT solve the problem. The problem had been intermittent, and it worked for a short time after changing the settings but soon thereafter began acting up again. The second time around, setting the browser options back to default did not resolve the problem.

I've found a website which ALWAYS gives me the problem: https://www.thawte.com/ucgi/gothawte.cgi?a=w44700158187049000
I get a javascript error each time I visit.

UPDATE: I just tracked down the javascript error to a function which was trying to save a cookie. I changed my Privacy settings to "Accept all Cookies", pressed ctrl-F5 (no-cache refresh), and the page worked. I then changed the Privacy setting back to "Medium", closed the browser, went to the page and it was broken again.

This is a good lead! If anyone has any suggestions, please post them. I'll keep you updated.

Argh, I take it back. The "Accept All Cookies" fix only worked once - I haven't been able to repeat that fix. Back to the drawing board.

astaec, your comment on 5/26 about my deserving the points was much appreciated. Shows your heart is in the right place. By the way, your suggestions were excellent, and I would not have thought of them. But, the problem is not solved yet, so nobody gets any points yet.

Thanks for the followups! I'm also buried in deadlines, but first chance I get I'll check for spyware/viruses and specific Tablet PC issues.

Thanks so much for your help. What a pain, these little bugs!

Thank you, will listen further for updates when time permits.  I agree, these little things can get to be very time consuming to resolve.

Asta

Thank you very much.  ":0) Asta