IE Problems – 3610 days old

[Lonnie]

Daughter's computer=HP Pavilion/Full version WinME/IE6SP1/cable

Background info:
Original OS w/HP was 98SE, upgraded to ME. Major crash (unable to restore), couldn't find recovery cds for 98SE to re-install that OS to re-install upgrade ME. I purchased full version of ME, installed that, no problems until past 3 weeks or so...worked great since February this year.

Problem:
Sometimes she can't 'connect' to Internet, checked with cable ISP - they ran tests on their end while on phone w/me (I am the 'fixerupper' on her machine)...this has been an 'open troubleticket'...did ping testing, all kinds of tests w/techs...no problems on their end - they state that the tests show that her cable modem is 'connecting' perfecting as far as their equipment shows. Last 2x I was on phone w/tech, I decided to do an IE Repair, rebooted, was able to connect perfectly then!Tech stated that there was probably something wrong with the installation of the OS. That was Monday & Tuesday, this week. Today, it happened again, but I decided not to call ISP tech...I did a repair of IE again, rebooted, was able to connect...grrr.

Question:
Once 'we' make cds of all pix,personal stuff (etc), do I have to do a complete wipe of HDD and re-install the 98SE and then the Full ME...OR...just wipe the HDD and re-install the Full ME by itself?

Upgrading to XP is NOT an option.

I don't mind doing the work, but need guidance on proper procedures (major PITA is doing the personal junk...oops, sorry ).

If other info is needed, just ask.

Need suggestions, comments, etc.

Thanks to all that reply. Your inputs are always appreciated.

[James]

Install 98se and updates,4get ME.

[Jizzy]

Word to James. Reinstall Windows 98SE and throw ME out the window. Stay with 98.

[Lonnie]

Thanx, James & Zack...but she doesn't want 98SE, she wants to keep ME.
Still no reply as to what procedure should be done.

[TJM4FUN]

If you insist on ME, you bought the full version so you should just format and install that.

Just be sure you have the full version, not the upgrade.

Also, be sure you have spyware scanned the pc with both adaware and spybot. spyware often renders IE unusable, and
the repair only lasts til the the spyware that is still there reactivates.
Don't just use one, use both as they each miss at least one spyware program.

[kayNan]

If you MUST use ME then just wipe the HDD and install ME by itself, but make sure you have all of the HP drivers before you begin.

[Lonnie]

Thank you both.
No virus/spyware at all on her computer...I installed SSD & Ad-aware when I installed them on my computer...what programs I have, she has Her NAV is updated daily.
When re-installing her FULL ME, should her printer, scanner, etc be already attached? Her HP Printer7150 is a PITA to get installed - had to have tech @ BBuy do that when it was purchased...took him 3 hours to get it working properly.
By HP drivers, what do you mean, exactly?

[kayNan]

HP drivers for any hardware that is HP specific, check HP's website and look up what drivers they have available for download...how does your cable modem connect to your PC, HP may have a driver that might fix your problem, maybe a network card driver or motherboard update....it's a shot in the dark but its easier than reloading and worth trying.

[Lonnie]

cable modem is connected w/NIC card. HP not involved with cable modem at all.
all mobo stuff (video,etc) is integrated...so no updates for each item can be done.

[Grogan]

I would disconnect printers and scanners while installing an OS. You don't need devices sending strange signals through the busses. I've seen that trip up setup. More so, USB devices. A parallel printer shouldn't cause any grief, especially if it's switched off.

Onboard components like display adapters need drivers as well. WinME might have them already though.

In fact that's why a lot of people get talked into WinME upgrades by technicians... it makes their lives easier because it has more drivers for modern hardware than Win98.

[Lonnie]

Thanks, Mike for the info. Will make sure that printerand scanner are disconnected to her pc when I get around to doing the wipe. I believe both the printer and the scanner (HP) are USB. When the wipe/re-install of the OS is completed, then I will re-install each device. My main concern is that printer of hers...hope it doesn't give me too much trouble. I do have the cds for the software for both the printer and the scanner...will follow those instructions.
I have no idea when this will all take place, but it will have to be done soon.

[Grogan]

Careful with the printer and scanner drivers on the CDs. WinME is NOT Windows 98 SE. I would download drivers that specifically say WinME is supported in the driver package for the printer and scanner, just to be safe.

Now if the devices are new enough, the CD may indeed support WinME.

[Lonnie]

Printer= 12/02 and scanner =2002 ...but will check on HP website for updated ones anyway. ...The drivers for both devices on the installation cds do state WinME...that much I do remember reading about

[Chickenman]

Mkae sure that your Temporary Internet Files Cache is not set too high. Reduce it to 20 or 25mb. IE has problems when the cache gets too high.

[bobbo]

I have had similar problems with my Comcast cable connection. Once in a while my internet access just quits while my OS, cable connection and IE 6.0 all check out OK. Was advised by Comcast tech support to turn off power to cable modem, then power off computer in that order, then wait about one minute or so. Next power on cable modem, then power on computer in that order. This has worked for me, and I regain my connection (almost) every time. Some times Comcast itself is down.

[Lonnie]

bobbo...been there, done that. Thanks for your reply.

[Moski]

Bump!

[Lonnie]

ok...am getting tired of doing a 'repair IE' nearly every other day on daughter's computer! She doesn't have the time to do re-name on her pix, so that she can burn to cds (too many to re-name,etc.), and I DON'T want to just burn the pix as they are (have never done a pix cd anyway ).
My question(s) -
1. Is there someway of doing a 'dirty' (over-the-top) of her ME (unticking all NAV/Firewall in msconfig so that THEY don't startup when doing dirty re-install)???
2. Will this 'dirty' re-install fix the IE problem?
Need help, please. Like it was stated before...98SE and XP are NOT options.

[Grogan]

No, a dirty install will not fix the IE problem unless you first cleanly uninstall IE6 and revert back to the original IE (if that's even still possible)

What may work, is to uninstall IE, do the dirty install, and then reinstall IE6SP1 and any windows updates that have been applied. This could be very messy, and you probably should only do it as a last resort if the only other alternative is a clean install of WinME.

So try to uninstall the current version of IE from Add/Remove Programs (rebooting when prompted). You may be able to fix it that way, without reinstalling WinME. You then should be able to reinstall IE6SP1.

[Lonnie]

ok, I uninstall IE6SP1 (etc)revert to IE5 (whatever), reboot, then go to the windowsupdate to get IE6(etc), hopefully THAT might work.
Will have to try that on her machine maybe tonight or tomorrow.
As to the dirty...if I have to do that, what am I actually doing...inserting her cd into the cd-rom or just going to C:\WINDOWS\OPTIONS\CABS, dbl click SETUP.EXE icon?

[Grogan]

If the setup files are present and intact in c:\windows\options\cabs, you could run setup.exe from there. I've done it that way on WinME systems when they didn't have a CD.

I'd probably use the CD if the integrity of that directory is unknown. You can stick the CD in the drive and run setup in the root of the CD.

Seriously though, try to avoid a dirty install of WinME.

[Lonnie]

*sighs* yes,sir...but the way things are going now, a dirty install (other than uninstalling IE6, going back to IE5 and then re-installing IE6) seems the most likeliest <sp? solution.

[Lonnie]

UPDATE -

Well, I guess I will have to wait until daughter reads her EZ CD Creator 6 manual on how to put pix onto cds...and then I can put the rest of her stuff onto cds, and THEN completely wipe her HDD and do a clean install of WinME.

Nothing worked (going back to IE5, updating to IE6,etc etc)...still the same problem!...grrrrr Wasted about 4 hours today, trying everything .

Gawd, the thoughts going through my head...*how will I remember how to uninstall her ME, how to wipe her HDD,etc*...my head hurts....

[Jizzy]

She could just put the photos on CDs as data, instead of creating a Picture CD. All the picture cd has is just a front-end for things like a slideshow, useless if you're going to just copy them back onto the newly formatted hard drive.

[Lonnie]

Hmmm, I guess she just wants to put them on cds, to save, then whenever she needs to print out a pix, she would insert said cd into pc, open it, and then do whatever.(have no idea what it all entails - I've never burned a 'data' cd and then used it...only my mp3s ).
Yup, she would be stupid to put all those pix back onto her HDD.
Making a 'data' cd of pix = same as the kind you get from Kodak,etc?
Sorry, doing an OT on my own thread

[Jizzy]

No, making a data cd of pictures would be like making a data cd of any other type of data. Open it in Windows Explorer and you can double-click each image to view it.

The Kodak cds have front-ends for slideshows and other "easy access" bullshit. Useless in my opinion.

[Lonnie]

Confused here...so...she has EZ CD Creator 6.
Nevermind...I will just let her read the thick manual that came with that software, and let her worry about how to do the pix to cd. I guess it has a 'wizard' to walk her through what she has to do.

Thanks, Zack.

[Jizzy]

Here's all you have to do. Select "data cd" at the menu that pops up when you insert a blank cd into the CD-RW drive. Then just drag all the files from hard drive down to the CD, and click burn.

[Lonnie]

Thanks, I figured that out myself ...but I use Nero and she has to start to learn how to use her EZ CD Creator 6. "Mama" can't do everything for her...it's her stuff, she's got to learn how to use her software.