IE trouble once more - why wont it run on any of my comptuers?

[Lamb Chop]

Yesterday reading newspapers for which I have to use a plug in on Firefox 3.6.12

IE Tab 2 Options - I kept getting a message "your browser needs updating" -

and offering links to FF 3.6.12 Opera and IE8.

My Secunia PSI has been telling me for yonks now that IE8 IE7 are all insecure and cant be fixed.

Local Technician had computer in for another problem and downloaded IE8 on me and set it up when he also uninstalled most of my favourite programs and gave it back with 2 virus's as he had also installed AVG free old version, having taken off Avast too. Along with Winpatrol SAS and Online Armour leaving me with only windows firewall needless to say he is not getting any more business off of myself or anyone I know!

Anyway silly me thought maybe IE8 is fixed and now I can use it - seeing as they have a beta out - so downloaded it. All hell broke use on boot today same as before.

Opened Firefox which loads a Murdoch Newspaper which is on the IE Plug and it crashed the IE plug. First time I have seen that one. Then tried to uninstall IE8 but couldn't find it - last time it was on Programs and it rolled back to IE6 which I have had all the time.

BTW Secunia showed both IE7 and IE8 as being present on my computer before the latest download and I never did get IE7 on this computer as it played up on old one plus a second one - always thought one of my programs is incompatible maybe. who knows. Both different computers but both XP Home.

So as I couldn't connect to the internet - I went to the other place on programs which brings up windows and unticked IE8 so it no longer is on start etc.

Was then able to connect to the internet. Firefox opened and IE plug ok as it opened the newspaper site.

But I use hotmail for some forums and lost that without IE6 and that is gone because of above unticking on windows could restore but it may muck up once again.

Does anyone know any other way of rolling back to IE6? Or why can no longer roll IE8 back.

Now I wonder did the message on the various headers of newspapers just mean that the IE plug in was out of date and I have mucked up the computer and wasted an hour trying to sort it for nothing:angry:

[bludgard]

Now I wonder did the message on the various headers of newspapers just mean that the IE plug in was out of date and I have mucked up the computer and wasted an hour trying to sort it for nothing:angry:

I certainly hope not.

I found the below image here:http://support.microsoft.com/kb/957700#stepsforadv2

I appologige for my ignorance of XP.I've heard nothing but good about it.I''l get to it.I do like my Windows 7.

Hope you can find something useful.

[Digerati]

First, IE8 is not broken. And while I like and use Secunia PSI, it's reporting of IE being insecure is pretty much, simply Microsoft bashing. See this article, Internet Explorer bashing – The difference between vulnerable and insecure. Another good read is, Is Internet Explorer Inherently Insecure?

The point being, all browsers have inherent vulnerabilities and as they become more popular, they become a bigger target, as we have certainly seen with Firefox. The important thing, regardless your browser of choice, is to keep your system patched, updated, scanned and blocked, and to avoid risky behavior like participating in illegal filesharing via P2P sites and torrents. If you "practice safe computing" you can safely, and with confidence use IE8.

I would try downloading and installing IE8 again and see if it fixes your problem. I would avoid going back to IE6 as that was created in a different security environment and is two versions out of date.

Also note that most problems with IE and other browsers are incompatible and/or corrupt add-ins. Often just uninstalling the add-ins fixes everything.

[Lamb Chop]

Thanks for advice guys - I actually use FF because it always has been better than IE and even it has had Secunia say it has problems so take no notice as I don't go to dodgy sites nor share files.

Bludgsard - thanks for link - I haven't even seen Widows 7 as don't get into town too often and no computer shops out in the back blocks of rural Tasmania - but seems it is as good as XP as havent seen the "dont buy yet" so much as we did with Vista which turned out to be 100%.

Solved the problem actually by unticking IE in Control Panel>Add/Remove>Windows components - this when I checked just before shutting down by re ticking it and taking the chance the whole system would go crazy again - didn't happen.

And why because by doing it- it had rolled back to IE6 which being the embedded browser that came with XP Home has never ever played up.

I have noted is in my book of fixes as not the only person in the world whose 2 computers does not like the two new version for some reason. Mind both have exact same list of programs.

I will stick with Firefox and its plug in IE2 tab as working well again today.

Also news is Murdoch newspapers are going to paid subscriptions for their newspapers come January 1 here in Australia so will be reading mainly ABC which is up to date and works perfectly just with Firefox. We will see how well Murdoch does. He is annoyed with our ABC for saying always be free and seeing as it is taxpayer funded like the BBC so it should ! Even if biased to the left on politics!

[bludgard]

Nothiing like a well behaved machine.

Glad all is well.

[Lamb Chop]

Nothiing like a well behaved machine.

Glad all is well.

Thanks just had the IE2 plug crash but tried again and okay.

Blooming heck I hope if people are expected to pay for newspapers on line - they update their equipment so that Firefox users who are only second to IE because many have it loaded on their computers.

I have always like machines - worked on the Hollerith a forerunner to office computer systems.

[bludgard]

I have always like machines - worked on the Hollerith a forerunner to office computer systems.

This Hollerith was a machine indeed was it not?

I'm going to play around with XP sometime after the first of Dec.I might have to upgrad to use the MS virtual machine.I have played with a few virtual softwares and things do not always run as I expect.What with driver issues and the whatnot.Possibly all virtual machines have shortcomings?

[Dencandy]

First, IE8 is not broken. And while I like and use Secunia PSI, it's reporting of IE being insecure is pretty much, simply Microsoft bashing. See this article, Internet Explorer bashing – The difference between vulnerable and insecure. Another good read is, Is Internet Explorer Inherently Insecure?

The point being, all browsers have inherent vulnerabilities and as they become more popular, they become a bigger target, as we have certainly seen with Firefox. The important thing, regardless your browser of choice, is to keep your system patched, updated, scanned and blocked, and to avoid risky behavior like participating in illegal filesharing via P2P sites and torrents. If you "practice safe computing" you can safely, and with confidence use IE8.

I would try downloading and installing IE8 again and see if it fixes your problem. I would avoid going back to IE6 as that was created in a different security environment and is two versions out of date.

Also note that most problems with IE and other browsers are incompatible and/or corrupt add-ins. Often just uninstalling the add-ins fixes everything.

Thanks for those links, Digerati. It seems to me those articles make a lot of sense. The nature of the medium (communication using electronic data transfer) means a browser can never be completely secure, and users need to understand that. The most we can hope for is as secure as possible within the inherent limitations and constant vigilance to rectify vulnerabilities when they are found.