Can't figure this one out

Hi,
When I go to my homepage there are usually ads or other information in a box
but now nothing. Everything else appears normal. I called my ISP provider
and there should be something in the box at all times. They think that it
has to do with my browser. I installed Firefox and it works just fine. FYI,
I have Adobe Flash installed - if that is the problem and also Java. Also,
when I go to the Vista Community for Discussion page, no posts show up
and that window is now blank - it used to work but everything else on the page still appears. The latest post shows up for about 1 second and then disappears.
What happened and how do I correct it? Could it be something in my security
settings?

I'm using Vista Home Premium and ie7.
Anti-virus program is AVG Free 7.5.519. Firewall is Vista's own plus I have
a hardware router installed - Westell Model 327W set for cable not DSL - I have cable broadband. Anti-spyware is CA Security Suite [only anti-spyware]. IE7 security settings are all default. FYI, I removed CA Security Suite and installed Ad-Aware 2007 because I thought that CA might be causing a conflict but still the problem.

I tried opening up ie7 with no add-ons but still had the same problem.
FYI, I'm using Firefox to post this.

I've reset ie7 through Internet Options but no luck - same problem

I have ie7 already on my computer. Would downloading it again help or hurt? I'm thinking there is maybe a broken file or registry entry and downloading it again would overwrite that bad file/registry item. MS site won't let me download it again [says that I already have it]. Need a site if you agree. Thanks.:confused

 

Thanks for the reply Halo. I guess that I may have been a little unclear so let me answer your questions. When I open up ie7 and it goes to my homepage, most of the page shows up as normal but there is a square area in the page that is completely blank. When I open up the same page in FF, ALL the page shows up - fyi, my homepage is www.optimum.net. When I go to the Vista Discussion Forum using ie7, everything shows up EXCEPT the message posts [in whatever forum category I choose]. In FF, everything shows up including the posted messages. At this site, everything is showing. In fact, I'm using ie7 to write this post. I just can't figure this out. I did a Google search to see if I could find a similar problem and the solution plus did a search for security and custom internet settings using internet options - no luck in either case.

I use ccleaner regularily so my maintenance is right-on. I defrag monthly so that should be good. I've run my anti-virus plus ran Kaspersky online - no viruses. Same for anti-spyware.

Unfortunately, Vista came pre-installed on my computer so I do not have installation disk only restore disks which I created on first start-up. Looks like I can't do your last suggestion.

MS forums were no help - got everyone scratching their heads. Not having ie7 completely isn't a great loss since I still have FF but I would like my computer to have full access to everything.:confused

 

This is my second try to answer your post Halo. Don't know where the first one went - cyberheaven? I'll try to clear up by answering your questions. When using ie7, all of homepage [www.optimum.net] shows up normally except for a small square of information. Using FF - EVERYTHING shows up.
When using ie7 for Vista Discussion Forums, everything shows up except the posts in whatever forum I enter. Using FF - everything shows up. FYI, everything is showing up here at this site using ie7. Really have no idea if other sites are affected until I try them.

I use CCleaner so my maintenance is up-to-date. Anti-virus scan [AVG and Kaspersky online] came up empty. Ditto for anti-spyware. Defrag monthly.

Only have restore disks which I created at first use of computer. No install disk so I can't use your suggestion.

Did a Google search to see if there were others with my problem - no luck there. Did a Google search for internet options security and also searched for custom internet settings - no luck again. MS internet forum came up blank also. This whole thing doesn't make sense to me!

 

Hi,
I just wanted to let you that nothing extra worked so I was left with only one other choice and that was to do a format and then reinstall everything - not fun. Everything is back to normal now. Thanks anyway.