All browsers stop working at a certain point.

MouseOnMars · 06-18-2008, 04:18 AM

Hello,
I am suffering for the last three days a big odd problem with both Internet Explorer 7 and Firefox (2 & 3). It all begun at the moment when i plugged my new iPod to iTunes 7.6.1 version (later I updated to 7.6.2 but the problem remains). It had some music in it, so i tried to transfer the licenses. At that moment i was trying to buy a plane ticket with Firefox. iTunes said it couldn't transfer the licenses, and firefox got frozen. It wouldn't allow me to close the windows, and Task Manager wouldn't allow me to kill the process. Then I started iexplore.exe and it never opened, but there appeared (in the TaskManager) a process of 228 kb that I couldn't kill either. I couldn't start any application that connected to internet, IM software, outlook, they would all show a process using similar RAM (200-240 kb) that i was unable to kill. The PC would not restart either, nor turn off.
This has happened ever since. Now, at a certain point (quite soon after i start using a browser) it will just freeze (Firefox shows a status called "stopped") and then i am unable to close the window, kill the process with task manager or start any other application using internet.
If I start with iexplore then i won't be able to open firefox, and viceversa.
I keep getting the processes visible in the taskmanager and i am unable to kill them, and then i cannot turn off my comp or restart it.
I am using Windows XP SP 3. I tried to update to Firefox 3 and it is all the same, I uninstalled, reinstalled, erased my user profile preferences, nothing helps.

Please help me solve this mystery... Thank you so much for your help!!

**af3** · 06-19-2008, 09:05 AM

I would recommend a full cleanup complete with a virus and spyware scan. How old is the computer? Maybe it can't handle all this at once without having a meltdown.

MouseOnMars · 06-20-2008, 02:23 AM

I have done a full virus and spyware scan, Bitdefender, Trend Micro Online, Panda and Kaspersky didn't found anything. I really believe that something I did with the iTunes buggered the browsers or the connection with the internet. My computer is a PIV 3,2 Mhz with 2 Gb RAM, I think it can handle all those processes and some more, as it has done all these months. All of a sudden one browser will stop (usually when interacting with it, e.g: when pressing a search engine, or inserting a login pass in a site) and then it won't close. If i open the task manager there it is the process with 48 Mb or whatever and it won't allow me killing it. If i try to open a different browser (iExplore or Firefox) it won't start and the Task Manager shows the exe file with just 230 Kb aprox. Once that this is happening i can't shut down or restart the comp and i need to reset manually.
The computer works, i can open heavy programs like photoshop, or autocad, but it won't let me open anything that connects with internet: Yahoo Messenger, Outlook, etc....

Thank you!

**af3** · 06-20-2008, 06:12 AM

If you have 4 different firewalls to go with your 4 different anti-virus programs, be sure outgoing traffic is not being blocked for some reason on one of them.

3,2 Mhz

3.2GHz?

I would never use an iPod with my computer after reading what you said.

MouseOnMars · 06-21-2008, 01:04 AM

Sorry, I didn't explain well, I just have BitDefender installed, the rest were just online scans, therefore only BitDefender firewall is setup in my system. And yes, I meant 3,2 GHz.
The problem is not just with the traffic, I cannot kill the processes in the TaskManager, and i cannot restart or shut down either, and then if i open any other browser, or IM software or Outlook, a process of just 230 kb will show and never complete the opening process.... There is sure something buggered. Thank you!

**af3** · 06-23-2008, 07:34 AM

Are you running as an administrator?

If so, I would install CCleaner and post a list of your startup programs in this thread so we can see what may be interfering with normal usage of your computer.

CCleaner has a tools section with a startup program check list. If you could install CCleaner and post a screenshot of your startup programs, it would help us diagnose the problem.

There are of course other programs that display the list of startup programs, but CCleaner also does a full cleanup of all the junk on your hard drive as well as a registry cleanup. BE SURE TO UNCHECK “INSTALL YAHOO! TOOLBAR” WHEN YOU INSTALL CCLEANER.

06-18-2008, 04:18 AM	#1 (permalink)
MouseOnMars Registered User Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 11 OS: Windows XP SP3	All browsers stop working at a certain point. Hello, I am suffering for the last three days a big odd problem with both Internet Explorer 7 and Firefox (2 & 3). It all begun at the moment when i plugged my new iPod to iTunes 7.6.1 version (later I updated to 7.6.2 but the problem remains). It had some music in it, so i tried to transfer the licenses. At that moment i was trying to buy a plane ticket with Firefox. iTunes said it couldn't transfer the licenses, and firefox got frozen. It wouldn't allow me to close the windows, and Task Manager wouldn't allow me to kill the process. Then I started iexplore.exe and it never opened, but there appeared (in the TaskManager) a process of 228 kb that I couldn't kill either. I couldn't start any application that connected to internet, IM software, outlook, they would all show a process using similar RAM (200-240 kb) that i was unable to kill. The PC would not restart either, nor turn off. This has happened ever since. Now, at a certain point (quite soon after i start using a browser) it will just freeze (Firefox shows a status called "stopped") and then i am unable to close the window, kill the process with task manager or start any other application using internet. If I start with iexplore then i won't be able to open firefox, and viceversa. I keep getting the processes visible in the taskmanager and i am unable to kill them, and then i cannot turn off my comp or restart it. I am using Windows XP SP 3. I tried to update to Firefox 3 and it is all the same, I uninstalled, reinstalled, erased my user profile preferences, nothing helps. Please help me solve this mystery... Thank you so much for your help!!

06-19-2008, 09:05 AM	#2 (permalink)
af3 TSF Enthusiast Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: USA Posts: 1,173 OS: XP32, the gaming OS. My System	Re: All browsers stop working at a certain point. I would recommend a full cleanup complete with a virus and spyware scan. How old is the computer? Maybe it can't handle all this at once without having a meltdown.

06-20-2008, 02:23 AM	#3 (permalink)
MouseOnMars Registered User Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 11 OS: Windows XP SP3	Re: All browsers stop working at a certain point. I have done a full virus and spyware scan, Bitdefender, Trend Micro Online, Panda and Kaspersky didn't found anything. I really believe that something I did with the iTunes buggered the browsers or the connection with the internet. My computer is a PIV 3,2 Mhz with 2 Gb RAM, I think it can handle all those processes and some more, as it has done all these months. All of a sudden one browser will stop (usually when interacting with it, e.g: when pressing a search engine, or inserting a login pass in a site) and then it won't close. If i open the task manager there it is the process with 48 Mb or whatever and it won't allow me killing it. If i try to open a different browser (iExplore or Firefox) it won't start and the Task Manager shows the exe file with just 230 Kb aprox. Once that this is happening i can't shut down or restart the comp and i need to reset manually. The computer works, i can open heavy programs like photoshop, or autocad, but it won't let me open anything that connects with internet: Yahoo Messenger, Outlook, etc.... Thank you!

06-20-2008, 06:12 AM	#4 (permalink)
af3 TSF Enthusiast Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: USA Posts: 1,173 OS: XP32, the gaming OS. My System	Re: All browsers stop working at a certain point. If you have 4 different firewalls to go with your 4 different anti-virus programs, be sure outgoing traffic is not being blocked for some reason on one of them. 3,2 Mhz 3.2GHz? I would never use an iPod with my computer after reading what you said. Last edited by af3; 06-20-2008 at 06:14 AM.

06-21-2008, 01:04 AM	#5 (permalink)
MouseOnMars Registered User Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 11 OS: Windows XP SP3	Re: All browsers stop working at a certain point. Sorry, I didn't explain well, I just have BitDefender installed, the rest were just online scans, therefore only BitDefender firewall is setup in my system. And yes, I meant 3,2 GHz. The problem is not just with the traffic, I cannot kill the processes in the TaskManager, and i cannot restart or shut down either, and then if i open any other browser, or IM software or Outlook, a process of just 230 kb will show and never complete the opening process.... There is sure something buggered. Thank you!

06-23-2008, 07:34 AM	#6 (permalink)
af3 TSF Enthusiast Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: USA Posts: 1,173 OS: XP32, the gaming OS. My System	Re: All browsers stop working at a certain point. Are you running as an administrator? If so, I would install CCleaner and post a list of your startup programs in this thread so we can see what may be interfering with normal usage of your computer. CCleaner has a tools section with a startup program check list. If you could install CCleaner and post a screenshot of your startup programs, it would help us diagnose the problem. There are of course other programs that display the list of startup programs, but CCleaner also does a full cleanup of all the junk on your hard drive as well as a registry cleanup. BE SURE TO UNCHECK “INSTALL YAHOO! TOOLBAR” WHEN YOU INSTALL CCLEANER.