Another IE 6 problem

[johng]

Problem with IE 6
Let’s say I go to a web page which has a web site link, such as a url. When linking to that, if the link stays on the same page, I’m ok. But if an additional browser screen is needed, I have a problem. All I get is a second browser screen with the middle totally missing...like it was cut out with scissors, showing the desktop. The toolbar is there but not displaying the URL. This applies to any website that I go to and try to link to another site on the page.
Attempted fixes:
1) Updated Microsoft downloads
2) I ran the IE repair scheme through the add/remove program.
3) I ran system file checker from the RUN menu.
4) I then went to the following URL which is a fully illustrated guide to all of the possible recommended settings which I did and restarted: http://www.techspot.com/tweaks/ie6/index.shtml
4) No luck and am now asking here.
As a last resort, is it possible to reinstall IE 6 over the existing one? Is there any uninstalling required first?
Thanks much.

[AnnMarie]

Hi johng - welcome to CTH. Try this. Close IE and go to Start > Run, and run the following commands one after the other, each line followed by 'enter':

regsvr32 shdocvw.dll
regsvr32 urlmon.dll
regsvr32 comcat.dll
regsvr32 actxprxy.dll
regsvr32 Shell32.dll (winme/2000/XP)
regsvr32 Oleaut32.dll
regsvr32 Actxprxy.dll
regsvr32 Mshtml.dll
regsvr32 shdoc401.dll (win95/98)


Run each line individually. After each run, you should see a short message stating the command was successful. Now reboot. Do you still have a problem?

[johng]

Followed your instructions and rebooted but no luck. . .still the same. Any further suggestions appreciated. Thanks.

[AnnMarie]

Hi again johng - You may have a broken entry in file associations. You could try this:

Go to my computer click on the View Menu and select Options or folder options and click on File Types.

Scroll down to the URL:Hypertext Transfer Protocols, click edit then edit again when the new dialogue box opens and make sure the following is in the application used to perform action box:

"C:\PROGRAM FILES\INTERNET EXPLORER\iexplore.exe" -nohome

The same applies for URL:Gopher

DDE should be set to: "%1",,-1,0,,,,
Application should say: IExplore
DDE application not running should be blank
Topic should be: WWW_OpenURL

[johng]

Thank your for patience.
Again, did as you said with these results:
The present dialog in the perform action box for both the URL Hypertext Transfer Protocols and the Gopher reads:
“C:\PROGRA~1\INTERN~1iexplore.exe” -nohome
I re-entered your “C\PROGRAM FILES\INTERNET EXPLORER\iexplore.exe” -nohome and was rewarded with this error box:
“The specified program could not be found. Make sure the file name and path are correct.”
Also. . .All of the DDE settings were in exactly as you said they should be. No change needed there but will not accept the revised entry in the perform action box per above

Back to you. . .please. Thanks.

[AnnMarie]

Hi Johng - short file names associated with Internet shortcuts can cause problems with links opening in Outlook Express so may well be contributing to your issue.

First lets make sure that Internet Explorer is set as your default browser. Go to Start > Settings, and click Control Panel. Double click the Internet or Internet Options icon and click on the Programs tab. Make sure that there is a check next to "Internet Explorer should check to see if it is the default browser" then click Apply > OK

We will try this again, if thats OK with you, your PC might not have liked the caps. Go back to My Computer and click on the View Menu again. Select Options or folder options and click on File Types.

Scroll down to the URL:Hypertext Transfer Protocols, click edit then edit again when the new dialogue box opens and make sure the following is in the application used to perform action box:

"c:\program files\internet explorer\iexplore.exe" -nohome

The same applies for URL:Hypertext Transfer Protocols with Privacy and URL:Gopher

Now open Internet Explorer, and then click Yes when you receive the following prompt.

Internet Explorer is not currently your default browser. Do you wish to make it the default? See if you still have a problem.

When you restart IE on the next occasion (after this current session), it will ask if you want to check that its the default browser again. Say No and Uncheck the message that appears.

[TonyKlein]

If you're running Windows 98, this is a rather common problem, and there it usually is an oleaut32.dll version conflict:

If that's your operating system, do this:

Go to Start/run, and type SFC.
Choose 'Extract One File From Installation Disk'.
Type oleaut32.dll, not worrying about its location. Then, click Start.

Next to 'Restore From', type in or browse for the file’s location, which is probably in the Win98 folder of your installation CD-ROM (typically D:\Win98), or in your Windows\Options\Cabs folder, as the case may be.

Then, next to 'Save File In', enter C:\Windows\System, and click OK. System File Checker looks for the file, saves it as you requested, and then tells you that 'the file has been successfully extracted'.

Reboot, and tell us whether that solves your problem.

[johng]

Please continue to bear with me on this until resolved, one way or the other
Thanks to both and now per Ann Marie:
Anyway, did as instructed per last thread with these results:
The computer accepted the changes in the file types in lower case. Ok so far. Upon opening IE, was given the prompt as you said it would and clicked YES per your instruction.
Now the bad: nothing changed on my original problem. I reopened IE expecting to receive the prompt screen again in order to uncheck and enter NO per your instructions. No prompt screen appeared on the restart of IE.
Then on a hunch, I went back to the File Types and discovered that the changes that I had made had defaulted back to the original entries!!!
Back to square one. Not only that, but I discovered another new problem. I thought that I would run scandist and defrag like I normally do. To do this, I start the PC on safe mode. I’m now not able to do this. . .I tried restarting and holding down the Ctrl key like I normally do. No luck. It will now not boot in safe mode along with above stuff. . .

To Tony:
The oleaut32.dll is already in the C:\Windows\System (per opening the FIND file and locating it there) In any event, I still extracted it again. There is no difference to my problem.

[TonyKlein]

I know that Oleaut32 is already there.

However the updated version that IE 6.0 installs routinely causes the problem you're mentioning in Windows 98, hence my recommendation to restore the version from your Windows CD-ROM.
It often solves the problem.

There's also a MS article you might want to take a look at:

The "Open in a New Window" Command May Not Work

Good luck,

[johng]

Thank you for the reply. I forgot to mention in my last response that I do not have a W98 CD. Let me ask you this: Would it at least be worthwhile to reinstall IE 6 or even revert back to 5.5 and see what happens? Also, as you know, one of the options in the add/remove programs on IE is to "restore to previous windows configuration" Does this mean the previous IE or the actual Windows, like 95. Thanks again

[TonyKlein]

It will restore your previous version of Internet Explorer.

But you said you extracted Oleaut32.dll.
As you don't have the CD-ROM, do you have the Windows setup cabs on your drive, and did you extract it from there?
This is important. We need to know whether you did restore the Windows 98 version of the dll.

Otherwise we'll have to try another way.

Another question: did Internet Explorer work OK when you first installed it?

If it did, you might try reinstalling IE 6.0

First, do a little bit of cleaning up:

Empty the contents of your Windows\temp folder completely.
Next, go to Start/Find, and type wininit.ini
If/when found, highlight the file and hit 'delete'

Now the first thing to do is to fool Windows into believing you're running an older version of IE/OE, or it won't let you reinstall.

You can do that by editing the version info:

Go to Start > Run, and type Regedit.

Drill down to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer.

Doubleclick the 'version' value in the right pane, and edit it to change the 5.00 part to 5.50

IE Setup will now think you're running an older version of Internet Explorer, and you'll be able to run IE setup and reinstall IE in its entirety.

Don't forget to shut down as many running programs as possible, especially your antivirus, before starting the download and install.

[johng]

Since my last epistle and before getting your latest message, I went ahead and uninstalled 6.0 and the system went back to my previous 5.5 with no problem which is what I am running now, of course. As a matter of fact, Sygate confirmed it upon the initial internet dial. I went ahead to check if this may have cured the problem but of course it didn’t. . .too simple! I think if nothing else this tells me that IE is not, in itself, the problem but don’t know for sure. I have nothing to lose by reinstalling 6.0 which I probably will but have a bad feeling that this will not be the answer. . .again could be wrong. To answer your question, yes, IE 6 worked great before and has since I initially installed it when it first came out. Any further input or comments at this point would be appreciated. Thanks.

[TonyKlein]

I'd like you to reinstall Internet Explorer 6.0 again.

This will update all dlls.

Let's see whether that will do it once more.

Before you do, once again, empty the contents of your Windows\temp folder completely.
Next, go to Start/Find, and type wininit.ini
If/when found, highlight the file and hit 'delete'.

If no joy, we really need to try restoring the Windows 98 version of Oleaut32.dll.

[johng]

Ok. . .successfully reinstalled. Unfortunately, as expected, it did not do the job. I am rapidly approaching discouragement but certainly ready and willing for further attempts. Thanks again for your continuing assistance.

[johng]

Have just discovered a huge clue to this problem: As I said before, when trying to link to another url or site title from the main screen and it requires a second browser screen to come up, then that second screen that comes up is literally missing the middle of the display, with the tool bar ok but the space where the url link would normally show is blank. However, if I click on the red STOP button in the tool bar on that second screen, the linking url then appears. I then either click the GO button or hit enter and THEN the linking page appears in a normal fashion. Go figure. Of course, having to go through this procedure is ridiculous and unacceptable but at least it accomplishes something as a means to the end. I have considered installing Netscape or maybe the free version of Opera or MSN Explorer to see if that would make any difference. But at least this is something to go on.