Win IE won't load pics or media player

WinXP Home, IE 6. About two weeks ago my IE started giving me a problem. If I open something like Mapquest, the placeholder is all that loads for the map; if I open a site with a MediaPlayer file (I do that a LOT, looking for MP files for work), it only loads the placeholder. If the option is available I can download the media file and it plays fine on my computer. But it won't load on the page.

I used to have a problem like this when I used dial-up and when I had inadequate memory. I'm using broadband and have plenty of memory now, so it shouldn't be doing this. It started suddenly, and I think some setting got changed inadvertently, but don't know what.

Any suggestions?

 

Two suggestions.

1) move from IE to Mozilla Firefox

2) Check your internet security settings.

dins

 

OK. Check my Internet Security settings... for WHAT? What SHOULD they be?

 

Sorry, Not very helpful. Go controlpanel>internet properties>security we're trying to see if your settings are too high preventing images from being downloaded. Set it to medium.

dins

 

Try this link:
Pictures Are Not Displayed on Web Sites in Internet Explorer

 

>>Set it to medium.

that's where it is set. And I'm reasonably sure that is where it was set before the problem started.

 

Ok, that would have been very helpful to begin with. I've been through all the possible issues, including attempting to Restore (it will only let me restore to one or two points for some reason, apparently after the problem: it remains). The only thing left on the page you linked is a Registry Problem. I know absolutely nothing about registry files.