After repairing XP Home Internet Explorer 6 wont navigate anymore
Hi All
I am working on PC that lost its WInsock and network connection after installing a new HP Printer driver. After considerable attempts to repair the Winsock using many of the articles on EE that unfortunatley didn't work, I have just finished repairing the OS, using the Windows install disc's option to repair existing instead of install a fresh copy of Windows. This was the only viable option left as the customer did not want a complete re-install. The OS and winsock has subsequently been fine except that when you start Internet Explorer (which has reverted from version 7 to version 6 during the repair), it starts up OK to the Home page, but wont allow you to navigate away from the Home. When you type another URL or select a bookmark, IE6 appears to freeze with a blank window, then opens a second blank window and then after 60 seconds or so, closes the second window and reverts back to the Home Page on the first window.
I have also seen this exact same behaviour on a laptop two weeks ago, where the user had removed IE7 and no matter what we tried we couldnt get it to reslove this navigation freeze., nor uninstall or re-install IE6 or IE7. On that occasion the OS was re-installed, but I dont have that luxury here. But as the effect is identical, there must be a known issue with reverting from IE7 to IE6 and trying to get back again.
I have checked with the user and this machine was definitely running IE7 before I repaired the OS, which is now running IE6. Another problem with this is that you cannot run Windows Updates anymore, which was the same with the laptop. When I repaired the OS Windows Updates was working for a while, so something must be patching that causes this corruption in IE6.
Any ideas please?
Thanks, C
I am working on PC that lost its WInsock and network connection after installing a new HP Printer driver. After considerable attempts to repair the Winsock using many of the articles on EE that unfortunatley didn't work, I have just finished repairing the OS, using the Windows install disc's option to repair existing instead of install a fresh copy of Windows. This was the only viable option left as the customer did not want a complete re-install. The OS and winsock has subsequently been fine except that when you start Internet Explorer (which has reverted from version 7 to version 6 during the repair), it starts up OK to the Home page, but wont allow you to navigate away from the Home. When you type another URL or select a bookmark, IE6 appears to freeze with a blank window, then opens a second blank window and then after 60 seconds or so, closes the second window and reverts back to the Home Page on the first window.
I have also seen this exact same behaviour on a laptop two weeks ago, where the user had removed IE7 and no matter what we tried we couldnt get it to reslove this navigation freeze., nor uninstall or re-install IE6 or IE7. On that occasion the OS was re-installed, but I dont have that luxury here. But as the effect is identical, there must be a known issue with reverting from IE7 to IE6 and trying to get back again.
I have checked with the user and this machine was definitely running IE7 before I repaired the OS, which is now running IE6. Another problem with this is that you cannot run Windows Updates anymore, which was the same with the laptop. When I repaired the OS Windows Updates was working for a while, so something must be patching that causes this corruption in IE6.
Any ideas please?
Thanks, C
Create this script with a .cmd extension, it will remove and reinstall automatic updates.
net stop bits
net stop /s wuauserv
regsvr32 /u wuaueng.dll /s
del /f /s /q %windir%\SoftwareDistribut
del /f /s /q %windir%\windowsupdate.log
regsvr32 wuaueng.dll /s
net start bits
net start wuauserv
wuauclt.exe /resetauthorization /detectnow
Also, run
http://www.snapfiles.com/get/winsockxpfix.html
net stop bits
net stop /s wuauserv
regsvr32 /u wuaueng.dll /s
del /f /s /q %windir%\SoftwareDistribut
del /f /s /q %windir%\windowsupdate.log
regsvr32 wuaueng.dll /s
net start bits
net start wuauserv
wuauclt.exe /resetauthorization /detectnow
Also, run
http://www.snapfiles.com/get/winsockxpfix.html
ASKER
bmsjeff
Why run winsockxpfix? - i tried this program before I repaired the OS and it did nothing to repair the Winsock. I dont think the Winsock is a problem here - do you think it is still affected?
C
Why run winsockxpfix? - i tried this program before I repaired the OS and it did nothing to repair the Winsock. I dont think the Winsock is a problem here - do you think it is still affected?
C
Winsockxpfix does repair the winsock. It may not be the issue, but running it will fix the winsock.
Can you ping an IP, like 4.2.2.2 from a command prompt?
Can you ping a URL , like www.google.com from a command prompt?
If yes on the two above,
What error do your receive when you try to go to www.google.com?
What error do your receive when you try to go to 72.14.207.99?
Can you ping an IP, like 4.2.2.2 from a command prompt?
Can you ping a URL , like www.google.com from a command prompt?
If yes on the two above,
What error do your receive when you try to go to www.google.com?
What error do your receive when you try to go to 72.14.207.99?
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
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ASKER
bmsjeff, in response to your question:
> Can you ping an IP, like 4.2.2.2 from a command prompt? - YES
> Can you ping a URL , like www.google.com from a command prompt? - YES
> If yes on the two above,
> What error do your receive when you try to go to www.google.com?
> What error do your receive when you try to go to 72.14.207.99?
I receive the same error as stated in the question: When you type another URL or select a bookmark, IE6 appears to freeze with a blank window, then opens a second blank window and then after 60 seconds or so, closes the second window and reverts back to the Home Page on the first window. Or IE becomes totally non-responsive. You can change the home page to anything in Internet Options via the Control Panel, but you cant go to another URL or IP directly once the browser is launched.
I am going to look at your IE7 uninstall data and see if that is there as I suspect this is where the problem lies.
Thanks, C
> Can you ping an IP, like 4.2.2.2 from a command prompt? - YES
> Can you ping a URL , like www.google.com from a command prompt? - YES
> If yes on the two above,
> What error do your receive when you try to go to www.google.com?
> What error do your receive when you try to go to 72.14.207.99?
I receive the same error as stated in the question: When you type another URL or select a bookmark, IE6 appears to freeze with a blank window, then opens a second blank window and then after 60 seconds or so, closes the second window and reverts back to the Home Page on the first window. Or IE becomes totally non-responsive. You can change the home page to anything in Internet Options via the Control Panel, but you cant go to another URL or IP directly once the browser is launched.
I am going to look at your IE7 uninstall data and see if that is there as I suspect this is where the problem lies.
Thanks, C
ASKER
bmsjeff,
Yep that was it! The IE7 installation is put back to an IE6 when you do a Windows Repair from the install discs. However it appears that not all the IE7 files are completely removed by the repair and they conflict with the IE6 version, causing this wierd issue. The IE7 spuninst.exe set everything straight. Just for info and others to refer to, folder on this PC was:
> %windir%\ie7\spuninst\spun
There as no sign of IE7 in Control Panel>Add/Remove Programs.
Windows Update did not need to be uninstalled as you first suggested as the problem was always with the browser - Win Update just couldn't navigate to its own web-site. For the record I did not use the script you suggested. Win updates is working fine again once this was corrected. Obviously the winsock is still in fine fettle!
SheharyaarSaahil,
I did download the dial-a-fix prog, but didnt want to use it as the site states its in beta version and I couldnt risk it with this particular PC - saved and noted for the future though.
Thanks for your help both - as I have seen this identical problem before, presumably the keywords are enough for others to locate this in EE?
Cheers, C
Yep that was it! The IE7 installation is put back to an IE6 when you do a Windows Repair from the install discs. However it appears that not all the IE7 files are completely removed by the repair and they conflict with the IE6 version, causing this wierd issue. The IE7 spuninst.exe set everything straight. Just for info and others to refer to, folder on this PC was:
> %windir%\ie7\spuninst\spun
There as no sign of IE7 in Control Panel>Add/Remove Programs.
Windows Update did not need to be uninstalled as you first suggested as the problem was always with the browser - Win Update just couldn't navigate to its own web-site. For the record I did not use the script you suggested. Win updates is working fine again once this was corrected. Obviously the winsock is still in fine fettle!
SheharyaarSaahil,
I did download the dial-a-fix prog, but didnt want to use it as the site states its in beta version and I couldnt risk it with this particular PC - saved and noted for the future though.
Thanks for your help both - as I have seen this identical problem before, presumably the keywords are enough for others to locate this in EE?
Cheers, C
http://wiki.djlizard.net/Dial-a-fix