IE Crashing Certain Websites

gerrymadden1

In the past few days my internet explorer has been crashing when I try to access certain sites. (I've recently downloaded / installed IE 8)

The error message reads that Internet Explorer has encountered an error and will close. It offers to create a dump file.

The sites are ones that I've accessed regularly e.g. www.autotrader.co.uk.

Any thoughts?

W!zard

Have you tried FireFox?

IE does not always keep to the web design standards, while FireFox and all the other browsers do .. its MS after all.

gerrymadden1

Funny thing... I've just noticed that I can access the autotrader site if I google it with a UK specific enquiry.

On the other hand, if I try to go directly to autotrader, it automatically redirects me to the Northern Ireland site before it crashes. I can see the webpage but the error message says the site is causing a problem.

Maybe IE8 doesn't allow redirects???

If so, maybe I can switch off that option?? Am I gettng near the solution?

I'm afraid Firefox is not an option.

PogMoThoin

How many problems do You have to have with crappy IE before You dump it for a better browser? :eek:

Get Firefox and make it look like IE, I've even gone to the further trouble before of changing the desktop shortcut icon to look like IE so it'd never be known that they were using firefox

W!zard

Go to your Windows Update settings and see if there is an update for IE, this might stop the problem if it is a bug. Is there a security option to why you can't install FireFox? (ie at work?)

Sleipnir

IE8 has a problem in that many websites are not compatible with it. There is a "compatibility button" up near the address bar which you can click on when you go to a website that's not compatible.
Stupid, but there you go.

gerrymadden1

Point taken...

As I said. its a work laptop and certain browsers are banned.

I recently installed Google Chrome and it started messing up loads of work related online stuff. Last week we got emails outlining the problems and banning Chrome + instructions to uninstall!

When I get my own laptop I'll certainly take your advice, Wizard & Pog Mo Thoin. Thanks.

Sleipnir

W!zard wrote: »

Have you tried FireFox?

IE does not always keep to the web design standards, while FireFox and all the other browsers do .. its MS after all.

but...most websites usually say something like "this website is best viewed with Microsoft IE 6.0" or whatever.
IE is the standard browser (whether we like it or not)

Epic Tissue

gerrymadden1 wrote: »

Point taken...

As I said. its a work laptop and certain browsers are banned.

I recently installed Google Chrome and it started messing up loads of work related online stuff. Last week we got emails outlining the problems and banning Chrome + instructions to uninstall!

When I get my own laptop I'll certainly take your advice, Wizard & Pog Mo Thoin. Thanks.

If your work related stuff is made for IE then Firefox won't help you much either

Black Swan

PogMoThoin wrote: »

How many problems do You have to have with crappy IE before You dump it for a better browser?

Get Firefox...

I use FF3.0 and it's now beginning to experience problems, shifting from FF3.0.8 to FF3.0.9 to FF3.0.10 (the last two within one week of their release). It was experiencing crashing (and security problems) too. For example:

Mozilla Foundation Security Advisory 2009-14
Title: Crashes with evidence of memory corruption (rv:1.9.0.9)
Impact: Critical
Announced: April 21, 2009
Reporter: Mozilla developers
Fix: Firefox 3.0.9

Description: Mozilla developers identified and fixed several stability bugs in the browser engine used in Firefox and other Mozilla-based products. Some of these crashes showed evidence of memory corruption under certain circumstances and we presume that with enough effort at least some of these could be exploited to run arbitrary code.

3.0.10 security and stability release now available
Posted by Nicole Loux April 27th, 2009 · Firefox

Editor’s note: Mozilla released a security and stability update for Firefox 3.x users on Monday, April 27, 2009 at 3:05 pm PT. Check out the Mozilla Developer News announcement, reposted below, for more details.

As part of the Mozilla Corporation’s ongoing security and stability process, Firefox 3.0.10 is now available for Windows, Mac, and Linux users as a free download from getfirefox.com.

We strongly recommend that all Firefox users upgrade to this latest release.

PogMoThoin

Epic Tissue wrote: »

If your work related stuff is made for IE then Firefox won't help you much either

For this we have the IE Tab add on. This is the beauty of Firefox, its add ons, theres an add on for everything. Have a read of this thread for some add on idea's

W!zard

IE is the standard that we have to bite the bullet on but its not the web design code standard that all other browsers follow. Point taken tho :pac:

Googles new browser is in early stages, FireFox is the only serious competitor to IE but I do find it strange that a work place would ban FireFox over IE ! IE has the most problems with Security holes, then and now and in the future because it is what it is, MS.

Bring back Netscape ..

Gadgetman496

PogMoThoin wrote: »

How many problems do You have to have with crappy IE before You dump it for a better browser? :eek:

Get Firefox and make it look like IE, I've even gone to the further trouble before of changing the desktop shortcut icon to look like IE so it'd never be known that they were using firefox

Everybody knows about Firefox but it is a matter of choice surely?

Why is it that everytime a user asks for assistance with IE that they instantly get bashed?

If your choice is Firefox? so be it, but at least have the courtesy to respect other peoples choices (even if it goes totally against yours).

If you hate it (IE) so much (as many do) and are unwilling to make a positive contribution to the OPs predicament, then say nothing at all & start a "Lets Bash IE thread" yourself.

The OP is looking for someone to help fix his existing Browser, not a recommendation for a replacement.


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CrinkElite

gadgetman496 wrote: »

Everybody knows about Firefox but it is a matter of choice surely?

Why is it that everytime a user asks for assistance with IE that they instantly get bashed?

If your choice is Firefox? so be it, but at least have the courtesy to respect other peoples choices (even if it goes totally against yours).

If you hate it (IE) so much (as many do) and are unwilling to make a positive contribution to the OPs predicament, then say nothing at all & start a "Lets Bash IE thread" yourself.

The OP is looking for someone to help fix his existing Browser, not a recommendation for a replacement.


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get a load of this http://sillydog.org/mshidden.php come back and tell me it's ok to even consider using IE

ynotdu

Sleipnir wrote: »

IE8 has a problem in that many websites are not compatible with it. There is a "compatibility button" up near the address bar which you can click on when you go to a website that's not compatible.
Stupid, but there you go.

Sleipnar not stupid at all.You nailed what the problem is and IE8 is still in beta and even microsoft warns not to download beta versions to your main computer.

when Internet explorer 7,s full release came out many software providers were months behind in compatability.

even Revenue online services(R.O.S) did not work with it:D

I know because a friend worked for R.O.S and they were tormented by people using IE7 while they were still based on ie6!

I checked the backwards compatability button on IE8 and it worked fine.

ynotdu

CrinkElite wrote: »

get a load of this http://sillydog.org/mshidden.php come back and tell me it's ok to even consider using IE

hi CrinkElite I followed the link and it is dated 2001?

I had heard about this but not sure if it still happens.

I think 9/11 changed the world of the internet forever and if I was to type Al Qua..... in full, a pentagon/GCHQ computer would draw it to the attn of somebody/something for further analysis.

CrinkElite

I don't know about that but I am interested to see if these index.dat files are actually present on my drive,I'm in the process of doin exams and essays at the mo so I don't really want to go deleating hidden files in pure dos mode, i will lok into it though and i'll post what i find on the security forums if your inerrested

ynotdu

CrinkElite wrote: »

I don't know about that but I am interested to see if these index.dat files are actually present on my drive,I'm in the process of doin exams and essays at the mo so I don't really want to go deleating hidden files in pure dos mode, i will lok into it though and i'll post what i find on the security forums if your inerrested

dont get me wrong Microsoft were doing this before 9/11 from what i read(index.dat files)

There is no non sinister reason for this that i can think of.

PogMoThoin

gadgetman496 wrote: »

Everybody knows about Firefox but it is a matter of choice surely?

Why is it that everytime a user asks for assistance with IE that they instantly get bashed?
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Because Firefox problem threads often appear here, the usual answer is to uninstall and reinstall, good luck with trying that and IE..........................but hopefully that will change. It's a security risk because IE is too close to the core of the Windows operating system. In fact Microsoft itself argues that it's actually not a browser but part of the operating system. Such closeness is not a good thing; it means that a hacker who breaks into IE may not only have hacked your browser but may also be able to gain access to the operating system itself.

Also, how often do You see security flaws in IE? As the world's most popular browser it's a target for hackers. That's because any vulnerability they uncover can be utilized against over 90% of all computers. That's quite a temptation. In fact there have been more attacks against IE than any other Windows component. The best way to avoid viruses and malware is to avoid IE and use a better browser

ethernet

ynotdu wrote: »

Sleipnar not stupid at all.You nailed what the problem is and IE8 is still in beta and even microsoft warns not to download beta versions to your main computer ...

Then why is IE8 being pushed out through Windows Update? :pac:

ynotdu

ethernet wrote: »

Then why is IE8 being pushed out through Windows Update? :pac:

Hi ethernet is it doing so now,I hav,nt checked in a while?

I long since stopped using automatic updates for windows(how often Ms have caused problems with updates)

last I read on a usually realiable tech site was that IE8 was going to be an automatic update,but you know the way rumours spread on the internet.

My browser of choice(by a mile)was always ff but as discussed on the thread: firefox has it a future?It is being supported less and less by software providors and on many viral video sites&more it is not finding plug-ins to play media.

I am hoping this is just a bug in the present version,but i suspect it has more to do with Google Chrome pushing itself so intensly?

CrinkElite

ynotdu wrote: »

dont get me wrong Microsoft were doing this before 9/11 from what i read(index.dat files)

There is no non sinister reason for this that i can think of.

Ok I realise th it's goin a bitt far to suggest that m$ is retieving and using this data in any way but the fact that there is a file hidden from u and explorer and the DOS terminal in such a way that it can only be uncovered if you know it's there.
this file is [eledgedly] recording urls + search data + indexing your files + previous email corespodence in and out and all files attatched to those emails (and god knows what else)
the fact that this file exists AT ALL presents an enourmous security risk to any IE/Outlook user and a sweet nut to anyone who would like to cause harm to that user.
as I said I havn't verified the existence of such a file yet but you have to admit the aticle is fairly convincing and specific in what it says.

ynotdu

CrinkElite wrote: »

Ok I realise th it's goin a bitt far to suggest that m$ is retieving and using this data in any way but the fact that there is a file hidden from u and explorer and the DOS terminal in such a way that it can only be uncovered if you know it's there.
this file is [eledgedly] recording urls + search data + indexing your files + previous email corespodence in and out and all files attatched to those emails (and god knows what else)
the fact that this file exists AT ALL presents an enourmous security risk to any IE/Outlook user and a sweet nut to anyone who would like to cause harm to that user.
as I said I havn't verified the existence of such a file yet but you have to admit the aticle is fairly convincing and specific in what it says.

CrinkElite so many knowlegable people/sites have reported this(hidden file)I would be amazed if it is not true,the question is why it is/was there?

ok it was individuols who created the internet(so we are told)but the Pentagon made sure it succeded?????

A perfect snooping device for law enforcement/paranoid organisations?


There is a free programme called Ccleaner available from download.com(I always reccomend download.com because there downloads have been proven to be Malware free time&again,and plenty of free thinking computer geniouses keep an eye on that promise!)

Ccleaner deletes index.dat files and in latest version overwrites files/programmes you have deleted but are still on your hard drive&recoverable.it has many options and has over 7 million downloads to date.

I recommend you take up the offer of saving changes to your registry each time(saves to my documents)

if no problems occur it is safe to delete all but the last 2 or 3 in my experiance.It cleans up and speeds up a pc so much it really worth an install IMO.

CrinkElite

ynotdu wrote: »

CrinkElite so many knowlegable people/sites have reported this(hidden file)I would be amazed if it is not true,the question is why it is/was there?

ok it was individuols who created the internet(so we are told)but the Pentagon made sure it succeded?????

A perfect snooping device for law enforcement/paranoid organisations?


There is a free programme called Ccleaner available from download.com(I always reccomend download.com because there downloads have been proven to be Malware free time&again,and plenty of free thinking computer geniouses keep an eye on that promise!)

Ccleaner deletes index.dat files and in latest version overwrites files/programmes you have deleted but are still on your hard drive&recoverable.it has many options and has over 7 million downloads to date.

I recommend you take up the offer of saving changes to your registry each time(saves to my documents)

if no problems occur it is safe to delete all but the last 2 or 3 in my experiance.It cleans up and speeds up a pc so much it really worth an install IMO.

cheers ynotdu, I have been using Ccleaner for a while now, It's one of the most straight forward no BS programs that i have ever come across.
It gets rid of all sorts of crap but correct me if I'm wrong, these specific index.dat files are completely invisible to windows and windows explorer, I had thought that Ccleaner would destroy these files but after consideration it's pobably safe to assume that CC can only opperate as deep as explorer can. as I said this is speculation, gimmie a week and I'll see if I can get more concreet evidence.

btw I love the way you can disable startup regkeys in CC and reinsert them later. The program is a piece of pure class

ynotdu

CrinkElite wrote: »

cheers ynotdu, I have been using Ccleaner for a while now, It's one of the most straight forward no BS programs that i have ever come across.
It gets rid of all sorts of crap but correct me if I'm wrong, these specific index.dat files are completely invisible to windows and windows explorer, I had thought that Ccleaner would destroy these files but after consideration it's pobably safe to assume that CC can only opperate as deep as explorer can. as I said this is speculation, gimmie a week and I'll see if I can get more concreet evidence.

btw I love the way you can disable startup regkeys in CC and reinsert them later. The program is a piece of pure class

Hi Crinkelite below is an email I received today from a usuably realiable source:


which could leave them vulnerable to attack via bogus files. As a result, Microsoft is taking flak for failing to correct a problem found in previous editions of Windows.
Hidden File Extensions by Default



The issue involves the way Windows Explorer displays filenames.
In all editions of Windows after Windows 98, the default setting hides the filename extension (which identifies what type of file it is). This means that a Word file titled 'partyinvite.doc' will show up in Windows Explorer as simply 'partyinvite'. The only exception to this rule is if Windows does not recognize the file type.
The reason for this setting is that it makes for a less cluttered look and avoids filling the screen with redundant detail. However, a flaw in the way it works leaves it liable to exploitation by hackers. They can take an executable file (which can do much more damage to a computer when opened) and disguise it by calling it 'partyinvite.doc.exe'.
Executable File Icon Appearance Ambiguous

Windows will see this, treat it as a Word document file, and simply display it as 'partyinvite'. Because executable files can be set up to appear with any icon (usually one specific to the program concerned), anyone could set this file to appear with the Word icon. This means that unless the user has the 'Details' view switched on and notices that the file is listed as an 'Application', they would have little chance of realizing it was not a legitimate Word file. (Source: computerworld.com)
Security firm F-Secure has noted this option is still the default setting in Windows 7, despite the problem. It's possible Microsoft could still change this in Windows 7, but it seems unlikely now that the system is at the Release Candidate stage. (Source: f-secure.com)
Users More Easily Fooled

It's worth remembering that you should never open any file unless you are 100% certain it is legitimate and comes from a trusted source. However, most users are much more likely to be fooled by a document file than an executable program file, particularly when it is spread through an email virus. A rogue executable file can do much more damage, as it can attack Windows directly rather than have to exploit a specific problem in an application.
Windows Explorer's settings can be changed so that the legitimate file extension is always visible, regardless of what view mode you have selected. To make the change, open a folder in Windows Explorer, select Folder Options from the Tools menu, and then choose the View tab. From here, un-select the options 'Hide extensions for known file type