IE8 won't even start...

[Rosie-L]

System: XP-SP3 patched right up-to-date.

Hi folks.

Although I have no problems with anything else installed on this PC, Internet Explorer 8 won't start at all. No matter what method I use to fire the executable, the mouse cursor flashes to the busy cursor momentarily then quickly returns to the ordinary arrow pointer, and nothing else happens. No messages - nothing.

There is no entry for any process with a name starting with "ie" in Task Manager/Processes.

There is no uninstall option in Add or Remove Programs, so I downloaded IE8 and reinstalled, during which process it uninstalled the previous version - or so it said, but to what extent?

Anyway, no change after the reinstall, and no difference shutting down firewall (Online Armor) or anti-virus.

Unless there is a known issue that explains this behavior (or lack of!), I guess what would make the most sense is some way to completely clean out all traces of IE, including all registry traces, and start again.

Is there any such tool? Any other suggestions?

Reinstalling XP is NOT an option - apart from this one problem XP seems to be working fine.

TIA

- Rosie

[Rosie-L]

Happy days!

I found my answer on this blog post, which might help others in the same trouble.

After following those steps exactly I now have a working IE8 installation again.

But I also followed his other advice and downloaded (whisper) Firefox.

- Rosie

[Kathy Lee]

"Now please note that in the following steps it is MOST IMPORTANT that you reboot your PC every time you are prompted to do so. This is CRITICAL. No matter how tiresome the repeated reboots, DO NOT DEVIATE."

IE8 performs too slowly on my computer, it might be because I refused to reboot the system and refused Windows update before finishing the installation. I will try to remove it and reinstall.

[Rosie-L]

Hi Cathy Lee.

After following Bill Hely's advice and installing Firefox I have noticed during the past couple of days that it is much faster than IE8, even though my IE installation is now running properly since I followed his recovery steps.

- Rosie