IE (version 6) will no longer connect to the internet, I must use Mozilla Firefox. This problem appeared after I installed "Zone Alarm Pro" firewall software...that's when my "Konfabulator" widgets ("Stock Ticker" and "The Weather"...ones that require an internet connection to operate), "Streamload Downloader" and "Gmail Notifier" programs all stopped working as well. I can still access my accounts to Streamload and Gmail through Firefox, but the Gmail Notifier and Streamload Downloader give me an error message that they "cannot connect to server". To be fair to Zone Alarm, this problem could have been from when I installed "Avant Browser" (just before installing ZA)...it was recommended as a better/safer browsing alternative to Firefox, but I uninstalled it immediatly...I hated it. Everytime I used it, Firefox wouldn't work unless I changed the setting to "Automatically detect Proxy settings")

I have uninstalled Zone Alarm Pro as well, but the problem persists. Apparently my Windows connection or permission settings have been changed and I dont know how to restore them. I attempted to use Win XP's System Restore and go back to a point in time before both programs were installed, but each restore point I chose failed (which has been an issue ever since I installed XP SP2, it has nothing to do with THIS issue).

The strange part is, ALL these programs (including IE) work perfectly from my daughter's profile (on the SAME computer)!! What could cause THAT?? What could have been deleted or changed within MY profile to cause these problems?? It has to be a port setting or something, right? Whatever has changed, it is isolated to MY profile only. I tried uninstalling and reinstalling Konfabulator and Gmail notifier programs, but this did not fix the problem.

I also notice that graphic links in the email I receive in Outlook Express (such as ones from eBay) now appear as red X's instead of images...apparently THEY are not being allowed to connect either??

Any assistance you could provide would be greatly appreciated.