Better known as Microsoft Internet Explorer or simply IE, it is nothing but a series of web browsers supported by high graphic content. It is included in the line up of applications in the operating systems of Microsoft Windows itself. The popularity of this browser is more than evident by the fact that ever since 1999, it has been the most widely used web browser. The latest version offered as you all might have known is the Internet Explorer 7. So what exactly is this www.internetexplorer.com…why do I ask this? Well, just enter this URL in the address bar and see what you get. All you’ll find is a weird (literally) web page offering you the download of Internet Explorer 7 and some free anti virus softwares. But hey, is that the actual Internet Explorer homepage, I’m afraid not…….

You will find the Internet Explorer homepage in no other site but in Microsoft’s official web site. http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/winfamily/ie/default.mspx is the direct link to the Internet Explorer home page. As soon as you open the page, you get the classic Windows feel and why shouldn’t you, it is the Microsoft web site after all. The page introduces you to the Internet Explorer version 7 and explains its features and the benefits of using it thereof. The version 7 is a free download directly offered by Microsoft web site. Microsoft promises that the Internet Explorer 7 is the best against viruses which normally would do harm to the older version and eventually to your computer.

The web site also offers a technical support in case the user faces any problem with the browser during use, anytime in the future. Apart from the technical support, there is a forum where users can discuss their problems with others about any topic that draws attention, which may not necessarily relate to Internet Explorer. Any software or even game related topic can have its place in this forum. So there you have it, Microsoft’s very own Internet Explorer.

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Adobe Flash Player is perhaps one of the most downloaded applications, which helps the users to enhance the quality of animations and enables the aspect of interactivity between the web pages. A flash player makes it easy for videos to be consolidated into html pages. With the help of a adobe flash player, users are able to view Internet pages in a rather rich format, which could not be possible otherwise. The flash player comes in many versions and as the version name suggests, you have got to have the latest to enjoy the whole experience of Internet surfing.

Now, the adobe flash player is constantly being modified to make it better than ever. In order to avail of these features, it is important that the user upgrade his flash player whenever required. One problem that is usually faced by the user is that if he using both Internet Explorer and Firefox at the same time, an upgrade will be prompted twice, i.e., individually for both Internet Explorer as well as Mozilla Firefox. Keeping this aspect aside, upgrading the adobe flash player is totally hassle free and the best thing is that the latest version hardly takes any time for the download making the installation process pretty fast.

The adobe flash player 9 is the latest that is available for upgrade at this stage thereby giving the user access to fast playing animations, games, videos and other multimedia content on the web sites. Upgrade isn’t all that difficult because as soon as you visit the flash website, you will be asked to download the latest version which in this case is Adobe Flash Player 9. Moreover, the users need not worry because every version of the flash player has backward compatibility. Apart from Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox, it also supports other platforms like Opera as well as Safari. 

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Cannot connect to Internet? Well, don’t get hyper because more often than not it’s just an overloaded network server that is responsible for this. However, you have every right to try out your own things because although quite common, an overloaded network server is not the only thing that can make Internet inaccessible to you.

You may not be aware, but there are plenty of other reasons as well such as a badly configured firewall setting or an inappropriate entry in the proxy settings of your Internet connection. Sometimes, it has also been noticed that a dysfunctional Internet connection has been the result of malicious software codes such as viruses, Trojans, worms, spywares etc. Some of these unwanted software codes can take complete control of your system and when this happens, it might make Internet inaccessible to you.

So, if you cannot connect to Internet, I would recommend that you first try to find the root cause of the problem. Your first step should be to run a virus scan on your computer using an effective anti-virus software program. For best results, you need to turn off the “System Restore”, before you actually click on the Scan button. System Restore continually keeps creating backups of your system and if you do not turn it off during a virus scan, chances are high that the virus might resurface after some time.

If a virus-scan fails to improve your situation, you should move on to other issues such as your firewall and proxy settings. The easiest thing to do here is just reset all the settings to their default levels. You should make further changes only when the default settings fail to give the desired results. If none of this works, then I must admit that you will have no other option but to pick up your phone and call your Internet service provider. That’s the last and final remedy in case you cannot connect to Internet.

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Contrary to popular belief, anti-virus software is only protecting you from half of the malicious content that you’re likely to find on the Internet. The other half comes in the form of Malware; an umbrella term for spyware, adware and several other disruptive applications.

It was only just recently that the top anti-Virus suites implemented scanning software to tackle the new problem. But despite the improvement of actually recognising the issue, it’s still important to have anti-Malware software installed if you wish to effectively wipe out the threat.

Viruses, understandably, take much of the media’s attention with their ability to spread like wildfire and cause severe disruption on a global scale. Yet Malware is much more common and can have a similarly disastrous impact on an operating system’s ability to function properly.

Even with the latest version of Internet Explorer, Malware makes it possible for other web users to hijack your browser and re-direct your every request to a third party website – usually one which sells an affiliated virus removal package.

Indeed, almost all Malware instances point to a commercial product which the user is trying to sell. They have several ways of succeeding. One of the most common is to include spyware with download packages.

An unsuspecting user might initiate a download without reading over the small print in the terms and conditions. When they install the program on their system, it will unpack several other applications. Some of these will operate in the background and the user won’t even know that they’re there. They can gather information about the user’s browsing habits, the sites that they visit and even more worryingly – bank details.

Other adware threats are less discrete and will spring up pop-ups on your desktop. You’ll even see your browser toolbar overtaken by commercial icons if you’re particularly unlucky.

One of the most popular tactics for Malware hackers is to spring up an alert box which states that the system is under attack from a deadly virus. The pop-up is dressed to look like a standard system warning, but it acts as an advertisement which will take the user to another third party website. As you can see, affiliation schemes are a popular target for the hackers.

The solution to all this, as you’ve probably gathered by now, is to protect your system with anti-Malware software. Most anti-Virus programs are extremely well designed to keep out the threat of Trojans and worms, yet they do little to fight off spyware which a user willingly installs without a second thought.

Anti-Malware products work in a similar fashion to virus protection software. They sit in the background and run a discrete check on the files that you download. If known instances of spyware or adware are detected, you’ll be confronted with an alert message and an option to either eliminate the threat or continue.

In most cases, eliminating the threat will simply mean not downloading a certain product. When software is packaged together, it becomes almost impossible for an Anti-Malware utility to sift out the good from the bad.

When you install the program, however, you should receive notification of the third party content that you might not have noticed in the zip.

By far the most popular form of Anti-Malware software is the “Search and Destroy” utility. This tool doesn’t prevent all new occurrences of malicious content, but it will scan your hard drive and sniff out the bad files. You can then opt to place the programs in quarantine and have them immobilised from operating on the system.

Inevitably, having spyware and adware running on a computer will decrease the performance. After rebooting with the files destroyed, you should notice that things run a lot smoother. It’s also a good idea to look out for recurring threats.

Some Malware programs are designed specifically to re-install themselves when a system restarts. They can be hard to remove and even with the top Anti-Malware software on the market, your best hope is to enter Safe Mode and remove the threat from there.

You’ll find that Anti-Malware software is cheaper than the better known Anti-Virus varieties. It’s now possible to get sufficient support for Malware removal through the likes of Norton and Symantec. But there are also several free utilities available on the Internet, and these can be efficient for most spyware and adware instances.

Don’t assume that just because you have virus protection, you’ll be safe from Malware. It’s a very different problem and one which the major companies are only just beginning to address.

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Have you opened up Internet Explorer only to find that your browser re-directs and sends you off where you don’t want to be visiting?

If the answer is yes, the chances are high that you’ve been attacked by the notorious about:blank homepage hijacker. It’s likely that if you’ve been affected by the virus, you’ll know it as the Cool Web Search utility that appears on the desktop and in your web browser.

Make no mistake; there are many different homepage hijackers in circulation. They are used for several reasons, most notably for hackers to send traffic to websites of their choosing. Sometimes this’ll be to steal advertising revenue, other times it may be to fool a search engine. And of course, there are those occasions where the pesky hackers will attack for the sake of attacking.

You may have heard the about:blank problem described as a symptom of the HomeOldSP hacker. There is a simple reason for this, and to find it you only have to look as far as the Windows Registry where you’ll find the following key:

HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,HomeOldSP = about:blank

While you might think that it’s possible to get rid of the about:blank virus by simply deleting the registry entry, it’s not quite as simple as that. Deleting the entry will temporarily disable the virus, but the infestation is designed to undo any attempt to delete it permanently. This means that within moments, you’ll be suffering from the same about:blank problems.

The good news is that the threat isn’t severe. It won’t render your system useless, although the same can’t be said for Internet Explorer which becomes extremely difficult to use with any variation of the Cool Web Search virus in place.

The DLL file at the root of the problem can be found hidden away at the key below:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\

WindowsNT\CurrentVersion\Windows\\AppInit_DLLs

Once again, it’s not worth deleting the DLL because it will simply re-spawn. To remove it effectively, we need to download a copy of HijackThis and a comprehensive registry cleaner.

A good registry cleaner will scan and remove the about:blank hijacker. But it’s well known that the virus is capable of avoiding deletion across some anti-Virus platforms. Booting in safe mode is a good way of ensuring that you get to the root of the problem when you run your removal software.

It’s also possible to go in and correct the problem manually, if a little problematic to do so. You will need to use the Windows Registry Editor to locate a key named AppInit_DLLs. In its value entry, you will find the corrupt hidden DLL file that needs to be removed. The only problem is that you won’t be able to remove it unless you go through the Windows Recovery Console and rename the file first.

Before you can delete the file, you will need to lift the read-only protection that the hacker has placed on it.

Open up command prompt, find the stray DLL, and enter the following:

ATTRIB -R *file-name-here*.dll

Once the attribute has been changed, go ahead and delete the DLL file. Reboot the system and load up Internet Explorer. You should find that the about:blank problem is fixed.

We would strongly recommend that you purchase, or download, a sufficient spyware removal tool. There are many which sit in the web browser with the sole purpose of preventing intrusions such as the about:blank homepage hijacker.

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HTTP Error 403 is caused by a web server believing that data sent by the client is correct, but also that the actual access to the data is forbidden or disallowed by the authorizer.

So it’s basically telling you that the page is there, but you’re not permitted to view it.

The thing which confuses many web users is that the same page can be accessible via different means. For example, you might be able to view it when clicking a link in another page. But if you try to bookmark the destination page itself, you’ll be returned with a 403 error when you later try to return to it. Why is this?

Well, by far the most common reason is a configuration setting known as directory browsing.

Directory browsing is where we enter the folder rather than the file itself, as a means of navigating the website.

Take for example, the following address:

http://www.mytestsite.com/media

This URL could potentially return a 403 error. But with the following URL:

http://www.mytestsite.com/media/index.html

This could display the actual page without an error.

Now, of course, when we access folders as shown in the first example, it’s the nature of the web server to look for a page title “Index” to return to the browser. But if directory browsing is turned off, the server will automatically throw a Forbidden Error, even if the page itself is entirely viewable when clicked by a standard A HREF link!

If every page is returning a Forbidden Error – directory browsing or not – you would normally expect a 401 to be thrown. The 401 error represents your more typical “Not authorized” message.

However, some browsers are still known to translate the 401 diagnosis and display a 403 instead. It matters little. If you’re having trouble accessing every page in the site, it’s usually a sign that you have a blanket authentication error. It could be that you were supposed to enter a username or password to access the page. It could also be a problem with a scripting language that’s running on the site.

A more obscure reason is simply that the website has changed web server and is now being hosted elsewhere. If the host has “cancelled” the directories to the old site, it may still take a little time before the client is redirected to the new location. During this time window, a 403 error is likely to be displayed.

There are several free online utilities that will run a check of a website’s authentication, providing it uses HTTP Basic Authentication. These will return information on the access layers, and will ultimately inform you whether the problem lies with the web server and host.

If you’re having trouble with your own website, it’s a good idea to contact your host and query whether directory browsing is allowed. Some hosts are extremely picky and disable direct page accessing altogether. This effectively means that every page must be accessed from another hyperlink. You can’t simply type in the URL without receiving an error – usually the 403 Forbidden Access that we’ve discussed.

As far as HTTP errors go, 403 is by far one of the most irritating to receive. It’s extremely ambiguous and it could be returned for one in a number of reasons. A little troubleshooting should help your cause, as we’ve discussed in this article, but contacting the host or webmaster may be necessary in a large number of cases.

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As the world’s most popular web browser, Microsoft’s Internet Explorer is used by over 80% of users on the Internet. This puts it way out in front of every other browser, but it also means that the software is required to reach out to the newest and obscurest of technologies.

While Internet Explorer is certainly the most popular, it’s not always the most reliable browser on the market. Each browser is different, and we’re going to look at some of the problems you could face while using Microsoft’s popular interface.

The biggest issue, and the source of most criticism directed at Internet Explorer, involves the danger of infecting your system through spyware and adware. There is no absolute way of eliminating malicious content from the web, but Internet Explorer is somewhat exposed to the dangers – more so than its rivals. This is due to the way that the program is structured, making it easier for hackers to attack your system.

It’s quite common to find the browser lagging - or even not working at all – after enabling an ActiveX control which isn’t as it seems. Whenever you load an ActiveX control in Internet Explorer, you’ll be given a warning about the content. It could seem completely innocuous, but after accepting, it’s possible for a malicious user to execute a “drive-by download” and effectively spam your computer without you so much as batting an eyelid.

Yes, this is still possible using Mozilla Firefox or any other browser. The difference is that Microsoft’s product is much more discrete about letting you know that you have a problem. Sometimes it won’t even tell you at all. The only way you’ll know for sure is by running a scan of your computer, or by using good ol’ common sense when the browser freezes up or overflows in third party advertisements.

A good spyware removal utility should clear up any issues related to the third party corruption of your browser, and believe us, there can be many. If you’ve been browsing the Net for a month without sufficient anti-Virus protection, the chances are that you’re harbouring some kind of malicious content.

It’s also good practice to delete your temporary Internet files on a regular basis. Every time you visit a website, a cookie is downloaded on to your computer. As you allow these to mount up, they can clog the system and ruin what was once a fresh browsing experience. They’re also very important when it comes to maintaining privacy in the websites that you’ve accessed.

Sometimes you’ll access websites and click on links which fail to load. This isn’t usually a trait of Internet Explorer, but of a toolbar that’s attached to it. Check to ensure that you have pop-ups enabled, since some sites will use the target=”_blank” key to open a page in a new window.

Other problems such as failed applets and scripting malfunctions can often be a sign that you’re Internet Options have been adjusted. Try going to Tools then Internet Options and under the access permissions, make sure that the three scripting boxes are checked. If they’re not, JavaScript will not run in the browser. This, as you can probably imagine if you have a web background, can cause a lot of difficulties.

With the release of Microsoft Internet Explorer 7, many of the security issues have been taken care of. But that’s not to say we should neglect the likelihood of opportunist attacks on the web. Be sure to browse safely with anti-Virus protection and clean your system regularly.

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“A Runtime Error has occurred. Do you wish to Debug?”

If you have been receiving this message while browsing the Web, it’s likely that you’re suffering from scripting errors caused by configuration options or malicious malware.

Runtime errors can arise out of many things. Maybe you have a pop up blocker installed. When a window opens to execute a script, the pop-up blocker terminates the script before it can complete its command. This leads to what is known as a runtime error.

With every runtime error, you’ll have the chance to debug where the problem is in the code. Of course, as a casual web browser, this isn’t really any of our business. So instead we end up clicking through “OK” messages until the alerts disappear. As such, it can take several clicks to load a single page!

Another problem involves the configuration of anti-Virus software. While it’s certainly advisable to browse with protection, always make sure that you have the right permission levels within the application. If you switch off scripting, you’re likely to get quite a few runtime errors. It’s also important that your anti-Virus suite is configured NOT to scan the Temporary Internet Files. This can lead to all kinds of problems.

Some people find themselves flooded with annoying runtime errors, yet the website itself seems to function properly. To fix this, follow the steps below.

• Go to Tools and Internet Options in Microsoft Internet Exporer
• Click on the Advanced Settings.
• Disable script debugging.
• Disable the script error notification box.
• Save changes and relaunch your browser

This will prevent reports of errors being returned when you load a page. Note that it won’t prevent the actual collision. But you won’t have to click OK several times before a page actually loads.

It’s possible that runtime errors are the result of a spyware infestation. Many malicious users design software which sits under the browser and springs up pop-ups. Due to the rough cut nature of most malwares, they can lead to an unhealthy number of errors. Ultimately, they’re not designed with the end user in mind and in desperation to blitz your browser with third party ads; you’ll be fighting off many errors.

To deal with spyware, there are many excellent free system cleaning utilities available on the market. These will tear through your computer and eliminate the bad apples. They’ll also clean the registry and improve the overall performance of your computer. Most runtime errors are born from collisions with the code. If you’re getting them persistently on reputable websites, the problem is most likely spyware or a spreading virus.

It’s not out of the question, however, that the runtime error is the fault of the developer who created the page. Programming languages aren’t a walk in the park by any means and there is plenty of scope for errors. If the site is using bad code, there’s nothing you can do other than to find a different website. You can eliminate the error reporting however, as we mentioned above, and this is often enough to make a website usable.

You can usually tell when the problem is on the part of the developer. If the errors are occurring on innocuous websites designed for the masses, it’s likely a fault at your own end. Remember that most reputable businesses and organizations are forced to design tidy code that won’t clash with pop-up blockers and anti-Virus software. Still having problems? Remember the three most likely reasons;

• Spyware
• Pop-up blockers and anti-Virus software
• Script configuration settings in Internet Options

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JavaScript has been designed to enhance the browsing experience when using the Internet. It is a programming language and follows the syntax of C, although it isn’t to be confused with Java – a completely different language.

Most web browsers support JavaScript. If you have one which doesn’t, you should definitely consider an upgrade! Internet Explorer offers full support and other companies such as Mozilla implement it too.

Unfortunately, JavaScript can lead to a troublesome browsing experience and poor site usability if used in the wrong way. Many websites will have trouble functioning if the browser is unable to compile JavaScript. This should become less of a problem as developers pay closer attention to accessibility standards, but it’s still there.

So what are symptoms of JavaScript problems? The most obvious is, of course, applets and programs that fail to load. If you are receiving errors and parts of the site are refusing to function correctly, it’s probably down to the JavaScript or the permissions designated to it.

Go to your Internet Options (Usually under Tools from the top toolbar). Then go to Advanced Settings and ensure that the scripting boxes are checked. You should also see an option for Java applets. Make sure this is checked. If the option isn’t there, head on over to Sun’s website and download the latest JavaScript support bundle. Installing it will iron out many JavaScript problems including the biggest problem of sites refusing to operate altogether!

JavaScript can be switched off to prevent pop-ups and dynamically generated adverts. This is one of the biggest reasons why people run in to problems. Of course, it’s nice to block out the bad things. But JavaScript provides some important functionality which has nothing to do with pop-ups. If you are one who likes to get rid of the ads, consider a professional pop-up blocker. Disabling scripting isn’t the best way to go about the problem.

You might also notice that some pages load with errors. How can you tell? Well, usually you’ll see a little exclamation mark in the bottom left of the browser and an “Errors on Page” annotation.

Sometimes it’s quite possible to use the site for its purpose with these errors still on the page. They’re usually down to poor code or technical errors. It’s not the greatest display of web development, but you don’t need to worry unless it’s affecting your browsing experience.

You’ll also find that JavaScript entries can clog up a system’s registry with log files. While relatively harmless, this can contribute towards a reduced system performance and programs can take longer to start. Be sure to stay ahead of the game and clean your registry regularly. There are error blocking software packages on the Net, but even with these, the logs are still building up behind the scenes.

Many forms are coded with JavaScript to validate your inputted information and verify that it meets the requirements. For example, if a password has to be between 6 to 12 letters with numbers and letters – JavaScript will take care of this on the client side. Therefore, if you access a website and the forms are not working, it could be down to the validation stage that occurs after you’ve submitted it.

Even if the data you submit is correct, the form won’t process unless it can verify via the scripting. As you can imagine, this is capable of inflicting serious woes on your browsing experience. Forms and registrations play an important role on the web.

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The use of ActiveX controls are essential for Microsoft Internet Explorer to operate effectively. Without them, certain parts of a web page may not function in the way that the designer intended.

ActiveX is an umbrella term for a loose set of Microsoft technologies. They cover a wide variety of purposes, but the most common includes the ability of OLE to integrate with Microsoft’s popular browser. ActiveX controls are responsible for translating data in to a visual representation on the screen. For example, you might use an ActiveX control to access an embedded spreadsheet. Another popular use comes in the form of an integrated FTP window.

For all of its technology advances, ActiveX is actually quite unstable if left to work on all websites. Malicious users have found a way to target browsers with weak security, and they’ll go as far as to distribute spyware through the misleading certificates of the control.

Many ActiveX errors are triggered by browsers that have had their security settings tampered with. If the security levels aren’t adjusted to accept ActiveX controls, the additional content won’t function and you’ll be left with an error. This is a very common problem and thankfully it’s easy to fix.

Presuming that you’re running Microsoft Internet Explorer, follow these simple steps;

• Select Tools > Internet Options from the top toolbar.
• Navigate your way to the Security tab and notice the different levels. Set the security bar to Medium.
• Click on the Custom Level tab. Ensure that the following boxes are checked; “Run ActiveX controls and plug-ins”, “Script ActiveX controls marked safe for scripting”, and “Scripting”.
• Save and apply your changes.
• Relaunch Microsoft Internet Explorer

This should ensure that ActiveX controls display properly in your browser.

It’s possible that you may still receive an “ActiveX disabled” error. If this is the case, it’s likely that the problem stems from an anti-virus program. Many of these come with settings which disable scripting from the browser, and they will override the existing Internet Options. If you are still having difficulty getting ActiveX to display, ensure that scripting is enabled on your anti-Virus program. There’s an easy way to test whether this is the source of the problem.

Try disabling your anti-Virus protection and refresh the page. If the ActiveX control displays, you know for sure that it’s the anti-Virus suite that is causing the clash. Of course, these programs can be configured very differently. We’d recommend that you check the support site for your software and locate the correct configuration settings. Alternatively, find a “Restore Default Settings” option in the suite and click this. Be careful though, this will return ALL settings to the default values.

Don’t rule out the possibility that an ActiveX control is simply not coded correctly. They aren’t the simplest plug-ins to work with and if a developer uploads code with a slight fault, the entire control will return an error. It may seem as if your browser is to blame, but it’s actually the fault of the coder. Check for a test ActiveX control from Microsoft if you’re unsure.

It’s unlikely, but ActiveX errors can also be triggered by a deep routed problem with the system video card and its drivers. You will typically see a lot more problems than mere ActiveX errors alone if this is the case, but it shouldn’t be ruled out completely. It’s a good idea to keep your video drivers up to date as a matter of good habit. You can upgrade them from the system settings.

If this still doesn’t fix the Active X control, it’s worth visiting the DirectX website and downloading the latest components for your machine. Once again, it’s highly unlikely that a graphics card fault will be the real source of the problem. If it is, you’ll typically notice the performance setbacks in everything that your system does.

ActiveX isn’t the most stable of technologies and its controls can be easily affected by the settings of a browser of the configuration of an anti-Virus package. Be sure to check that scripting is enabled, and if this doesn’t do the trick, consider upgrading your video drivers and obtain the latest DirectX software.

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