IE7 Problem w/ laptop on wireless

Hello,

I have been dealing with this problem for weeks. I have a Sony Vaio laptop running Windows XP SP3. It's connected to the internet via a wireless Netgear pc card that connects to my desktop pc which is connected thru dsl. I'm very new at this type of connection so please go easy on me!

So, after updating to SP2 and then SP3, I updated the Netgear drivers per their support site. I was originally running IE5 and was able to connect to the internet fine... no problems! I also use Firefox with no problems. However, after updating to IE7, I cannot connect at all with IE7. I can't even get into any of the options. It seems to freeze up but when I open the task manager, it says it's running... not Not Responding or anything. It just never loads anything, not even a page that says Could Not Open Page. BUT, Firefox still connects fine.

I am almost 100% sure that this is not a malware issue as the laptop was recovered only days ago. I have fiddled around with the Windows Firewall with no results. I need IE7 to run messenger and email. I just don't understand why Firefox works but not IE7.

I created a restore point before I updated IE7, and much to my dismay... the laptop is not saving my restore points for some reason. I do not know why and it really concerns me. So I cannot restore IE5. I also tried updating it to IE8 Beta and still no luck with that. So I uninstalled IE8 Beta back to IE7.

If anyone can help me I would so much appreciate it! I am at my wits end with this laptop. Any ideas on connecting with IE7? Any ideas on why my restore points aren't being saved?

I am not extremely pc savvy but I understand a lot and follow directions well! Thank you so much in advance for any help or clues!!

Sarah :confused

 

Have I posted this question in the wrong forum?? I reposted it under software if that is the case.

Thanks!

 

have you looked through your IE settings at all? go into internet options / connections tab / lan settings and make sure your auto detect box is checked, no proxy. make sure there is nothing in the dial up/vpn area.

if firefox works, it isnt a problem with your firewall.

 

Hi King Steve!

Ok... originally in IE5, there was nothing checked in the LAN setting under connections. So, I will check auto detect and see if that fixes it.

I do have a question though... I had previously tried to get into the LAN setting under the internet options and I couldn't. It just sat there for a while with the little hourglass. I guess it was 'hanging'??

I don't know... I will try again like you said... could any of this have to do with the problem I'm having with saving my system restore points?

Thanks again!!

Sarah :wave

 

what problem are you having with system restore?

 

to open a command prompt, click start - run - type cmd - enter
command prompt opens
type ipconfig /flushdns and hit enter

try that too.

 

Hi!

Ok... I just tried to open the LAN settings and it just froze up. I had to reboot the whole thing...

Will try the ipconfig/flushdns next!

Thanks so much for your help!

 

i dunno. if its freezing up when you try to open lan settings, you should just try to uninstall ie7 and reinstall it. if ff works, theres obviously something wrong with the ie7 install. i could walk through all the settings with you, but this might be easier.

 

Hello again King Steve!

Ok... I tried the flushdns and then tried to use IE7... it still doesn't work. AND, I still cannot get into the LAN settings.

There is no option for me to change/remove IE7 in the add/remove section. (There's no little button.) I also recently installed SP3... I will try to uninstall that.
Any other ideas?

Thanks again!

 

sorry, no other ideas for you. like i said, i could walk through all the settings, but i somehow dont think itll help. wait around for someone in the software section and maybe youll get some more answers. good luck.

 

Thank you for all your ideas King Steve! I'm currently uninstalling Sp3 to see if that helps at all!

I really appreciate you taking the time to help! I will keep my fingers crossed! Have a nice night!

Sarah :wave

 

youre welcome. if you have any questions just post back and ill try to help if i can.