Help computer misbehaving!!!

[dance cat]

Help- I have reached the end of my meagre computer skills.
My PC is being awkward and is now not letting me on the internet using the shortcut from the desktop or from the start menu. I have to repeatedly use windows task manager to end the IEXPLORE.EXE to open and close down the internet. I have repeatedly virus checked- I use McAfee firewall, virus scan and privacy service- and it tells me the PC is clean. Can somebody explain why it's started doing this and use words I am likely to understand as I am a bear of little brain when it comes to computer language
I have now succumbed to vast amounts of chocolate which is not a good sign
I appreciate that I may not have explained this very clearly not being a computer person

[Northants Girly]

So - how did you get on the internet to post this dance cat?

[Minnie M]

So - how did you get on the internet to post this dance cat?

[dance cat]

I can get on the internet after I go into windows task manager, but this is a little frustrating when it happens everytime I want to get on the internet or shut down my computer

(goes and gets more chocolate and returns to dark room)

[Northants Girly]

I can get on the internet after I go into windows task manager, but this is a little frustrating when it happens everytime I want to get on the internet or shut down my computer

(goes and gets more chocolate and returns to dark room)

I wish I could help - but my brain has got that Friday afternoon feeling even though it's only Thursday

[dance cat]

Yes my brain is so dead I've convinced myself it's Wednesday and not Thursday. Perhaps more chocolate would help?

[Dreadful Scathe]

did you fix this?

[El Salsero Gringo]

I have now succumbed to vast amounts of chocolate which is not a good sign

Are you grating the chocolate into the ventilation grille, or posting it through the small slot in the front of the computer case?

[dance cat]

No it is still misbehaving. i can get in from the start menu but I'm still having to use task manager to shut down all the IEXPLORE.EXE entries before it will let me in. Help Help!PLEASE
And no as the computer is misbehaving it doesn't deserve chocolate, no matter how thin I grate it and how much it begs

[El Salsero Gringo]

I'm pretty sure there should only be one IEXPLORER.EXE entry (under the processes tab of the task manager) regardless of how many windows you have open.

If you boot the machine from cold, how many do you see?

[David Franklin]

I'm pretty sure there should only be one IEXPLORER.EXE entry (under the processes tab of the task manager) regardless of how many windows you have open.

Having just tried it here, if I launch IE twice, I get two IEXPLORER entries (running XP Home). Of course, normally I use Firefox - which would be my first suggestion here...

[dance cat]

I currently have two entries, because I tried unsuccessfully to get in through the desktop and then went in through the start menu

[ChrisA]

I'm pretty sure there should only be one IEXPLORER.EXE entry (under the processes tab of the task manager) regardless of how many windows you have open.

Well I have one per instance. (running on XP Pro, SP2) (And in the hope of reviving the forum pedantry award, it's iexplore.exe, not iexplorer.exe )

No idea what's the problem in this case , but I am quite worried about someone being able to:

open and close down the internet.

[Dreadful Scathe]

No idea what's the problem in this case , but I am quite worried about someone being able to:

open and close down the internet.

Indeed, I wondered why I couldnt access anything on the net yesterday.

Sounds to me like a possible browser hijacker or spyware. Whats your home page when you do get IE working?

Quick fix. Remove all IE icons, install Firefox and tell it you want to use it as your main browser.

[dance cat]

Many apologies over my inaccurate use of computer terminology In my defence I am a bear or cat of very little brain when it comes to computer language. It mostly consists of 'the thingy here' and the 'thingy on the thingy'
My home page is ntl. I know before everyone starts shouting at me that ntl is a law unto itself but I don't have a BT phone line.
Once again my apologies for shutting the internet down for Chris A and Dreadful Scathe yesterday. PLease don't sue

[El Salsero Gringo]

OK, so you run Explorer, and it doesn't open a window (but it *does* appear in the task manager) - is that correct?

[dance cat]

Yep! Any thoughts?

[El Salsero Gringo]

If you're sure you want to use Explorer, download it the installation package from Microsoft - http://www.microsoft.com/windows/ie/default.mspx and see if reinstalling it helps.

[DavidB]

It is possible that there is something in your 'Home Page' that is causing a problem. The 'Home Page' is the page that gets loaded by default when you start up Internet Explorer. You could try setting your 'Home Page' to 'Use Blank'.

You can do this without opening Internet Explorer by:

- Start > Settings > Control Panel. This will open up the 'Control Panel'
- Double-click on 'Internet Options'. This will open up a new screen called 'Internet Properties'
- Click on 'Use Blank' in the 'Home Page' section.

[dance cat]

Many thanks for all the advice. It's been much appreciated
I can now access the internet without any problems through the start menu though the desktop shortcut is still not behaving. The joys of computers!!
I know it's defeatist but I think I'll just carry on with the start menu access until that gives up the ghost.Then I'll just eat more chocolate.