Internet Explorer with Win98 keeps "(not responding)" ...help?

[tapped]

Hi... Hope someone can help... I've been having a problem with IE (default version with Win98). With certain sites, it sometimes hangs - freezes. I have to Ctrl+Alt+Del and "End Task" to get out of it, but that rebuilds the desktop, leaving everything else open. The system tray, however, isn't rebuilt, and I have to close whichever apps are running in it and restart them. If I have "Browse in a new process" checked (under the Advanced tab of the Internet options applet), I can open a new IE, shut the previously open IE, and save the desktop from being rebuilt. Every so often, however, whether I follow this proceedure or not, the desktop will be rebuilt anyway.

Netscape Communicator 4.06 doesn't do this at all. I thought it might have been something with my last modem's drivers, too, so I bought a new modem (need to anyway...). Even with the new modem (3Com Voice/Fax 56k v90/x2 - not a Winmodem), the problem still occurs... At least I know it's not my hardware....

I've searched the M$ support pages (what joke...), but to no avail... If anyone could give me any good ideas, or steer me in the right direction, I'd appreciate it.

I don't have IE4 Powertools installed, but I DO have TweakUI 98 installed. I've heard this can cause funky stuff with SOME apps, sometimes, but I'm not certain...

Thanks for any help....

[Virx]

Hm I have same problem. Ihave Pentium Celeron 300A 32MB RAM, 3,2 HDD. Installed NU and direct connection to internet. When I start two of IE4 then some times goes one of them (not resposible) and when I end task then other close too and desktop rebuilded. I think maybe error is in NU. Error accours when I speedy move in pages back. Maybe I have to low memory.

[Eli]

I have a similar problem as well. I think it's more of a bug in IE 4.01 than anything else. It seems to happen when I visit specific sites.

[chadzy]

Two words: Win95 OSR2.5
Do NOT download IE4. Wait for IE5 so you can pass on the desktop integration. The Active Desktop is an absolutely toxic piece of software that screws with many things. I have personally seen it mess up several kinds of apps, which were all restored by simply uninstalling the active desktop. Its really impossible to tell what software is affected until it gets corrupted. How this thing got past any form of testing/verification is beyond me. Sorry I don't have better news. . .good luck!

[Cyclops]

tapped

I agree with chadzy! I've tried Win98 about a dozen times on 3 different computers and it's nothing but problems, mostly related to IE4 and Active Desktop.

I always return to Win95 OSR2.1 and find it to be much more stable and speedy.

If you like Netscape 4.06, I think you'd like 4.5 even better. It's faster and a number of added features.

Cyclops o-)

[Eli]

Any idea when IE 5 will officially be released?

[chadzy]

March 17. Of course, it probably won't solve the problem (namely Active Desktop). I would bet that MS will keep the Active Desktop in place on Win98 while not adding it to Win95 systems that didn't have IE4 installed. I suppose Win98 users are left to hope that IE5 will be more stable and perhaps address some of the issues that cause the Active Desktop to be unstable in the first place. Don't hold your breath for that to happen though. Even NT is not truly stable, and anyone who has spent time with the Office suite knows how bug-riddled it is. I honestly don't think MS is capable of producing a stable application, let alone OS.