Links not working

I hope this is an easy one for someone to answer, about a week ago internet explorer will not open any links such as one in an email or even on a web page, I can connect from my favourites and if I paste address in search bar ,but if I click on a link the internet explorer page pops up with "connecting" in the tool bar but then thats all that happens it will just stay like that for ever until i close the window, have looked around at different programs in windows but because I'm no geek I haven't found anything that would help

 

Which Version of IE are you using, and what OS are you using ?

Have a look here : http://support.microsoft.com/kb/281679

 

I'm using IE7 and xp and outlook express for mail and I have macafee installed and is up to date

 

ok tried what PLODR suggested but still having problem what next?

 

Hello,
Did you try the link that FED UP suggested? The main thing to do is in an admin account.

1. Quit all programs that are running.
2. Click Start, and then click Run.
3. Type regsvr32 urlmon.dll and then click OK.
4. When you receive the "DllRegisterServer in urlmon.dll succeeded" message, click OK.

Open IE. Go to Tools>Internet Options> Click the Advanced tab. At the botton click the Reset Button.

 

tried what fedup suggested, interestingly, the link he supplied worked but when I click on a link in outlook express they still won't work

 

How about updating to IE8 ? Theres even IE9 Beta available for download now . Better yet, switch to Firefox !
ie8 for xp :
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/en/details.aspx?FamilyID=341c2ad5-8c3d-4347-8c03-08cdecd8852b

Firefox:
http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/

 

ok have updated to IE8 and that seems to have fixed the problem, thanks everyone for the help