For the past week or two, every time I click on a link, I get a clear window frame and the egg timer but that's all. The link won't open. I have Windows XP and have all the updates for IE 6. I am also running Pest Patrol and Norton Anti Virus 2003.What can I try?

Thanks (in advance) for your help

Dani AI

Generated

Symptom pattern (blank frame + hourglass on click, or “deeper” links that stop responding) usually points to one of three things: a broken protocol/file association or DDE handler, an interfering add‑on or shell extension, or something that intercepts clicks (security software or a profile corruption). Quick, non‑destructive checks first:

  • Right‑click a link → Open in new window.
  • Copy the link and paste it into the address bar.
  • Type a known URL and press Enter.
  • Start Internet Explorer without add‑ons: run iexplore -extoff.

If typed URLs work but clicked links do not, focus on associations and add‑ons. Check Tools → Folder Options → File Types → HTM/HTML → Advanced → Open and confirm the action points to Internet Explorer (make a registry backup first). If comfortable editing the registry, back it up and verify the protocol handlers under HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT for http, https and htmlfile before changing anything.

If associations look correct, re‑register a small set of core IE components from an elevated command prompt (each command should report success), then reboot and retest:

regsvr32 urlmon.dll
regsvr32 actxprxy.dll
regsvr32 shdocvw.dll
regsvr32 mshtml.dll
regsvr32 jscript.dll
regsvr32 vbscript.dll
regsvr32 browseui.dll

Other useful steps if the problem persists: create a fresh Windows user to rule out profile corruption; boot Safe Mode with Networking; temporarily disable firewall/antivirus to test for interference; run sfc /scannow to repair system files. Build on ’s point about unwanted software by continuing malware scans if anything looks suspicious, and use the add‑ons‑free test from above if ’s posted log suggests extra toolbars/BHOs. Make a System Restore point or registry backup before making changes.

Recommended Answers

All 5 Replies

First up you can try a repair of IE by going to add/remove programs, select IE & you should get an option to repair.
If this doesn't fix it download & install Adaware, update it & in settings make sure to tick; scan within archives, deep scan registry & then in 'Tweak' tick automatically try to unregister objects prior to deletion. Run the scan & place a check next to everything it finds & remove them. Download Spybot S & D, update & run it. Remove everything it finds. Within this program there is an option to 'immunise'. do this. There is also a link to spywareblaster, follow the link, download & install it, then update it. This program runs in the background to keep those little bugs out.

I have a similar but different problem, any help would be appreciated. I have SBC DSL/yahoo. When I use AOL with the dsl, the system works well, however when I am using the browser provided by Yahoo (internet exploarer 6 something I believe), it will start working correctly, the first or second order of links will work properly, after that, if I click on a deeper link, there will be no response. Other than that the browser works normally. This is a relatively new happening. It is especially bad because my antivirus updates seem to use that level of links and thus I have to get them manually. The AOL approach has no problem going to these links.

Thanks

ARG

arg,

Due to the confusion it causes, we ask that members not "piggyback" their question onto a previous poster's thread, but start one of their own instead (regardless of how similar your problem might seem to that in an existing thread).

Please start your own thread on your problem, and try to include as many specifics concerning the problem as possible when you do. I'll delete your post here once I see that you've gotten your own thread going.

Thanks. :)

The following is my Hijack log after deleting the 3 keys you suggested.

Any further ideas.

Thanks,

jps609

Logfile of HijackThis v1.97.7
Scan saved at 6:58:34 PM, on 6/29/2004
Platform: Windows XP SP1 (WinNT 5.01.2600)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v6.00 SP1 (6.00.2800.1106)

Running processes:
C:\WINDOWS\System32\smss.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\winlogon.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\services.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\lsass.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccEvtMgr.exe
C:\Program Files\Cisco Systems\VPN Client\cvpnd.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\VS7Debug\mdm.exe
C:\Program Files\Norton AntiVirus\navapsvc.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\ScsiAccess.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\ZoneLabs\vsmon.exe
C:\WINDOWS\Explorer.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\System32\WFXSVC.EXE
C:\Program Files\WinFax\WFXMOD32.EXE
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccApp.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Works Shared\WkUFind.exe
C:\Program Files\Microsoft IntelliPoint\point32.exe
C:\Program Files\Zone Labs\Integrity Client\iclient.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\ctfmon.exe
C:\Program Files\AIM\aim.exe
C:\Program Files\Linksys\Wireless-B Notebook Adapter\WPC11Cfg.exe
C:\Documents and Settings\J & J\Desktop\hijack\hijackthis\HijackThis.exe

R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://www.netscape.com/
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://www.netscape.com
R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings,ProxyOverride = localhost
O2 - BHO: (no name) - {06849E9F-C8D7-4D59-B87D-784B7D6BE0B3} - C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 6.0\Acrobat\ActiveX\AcroIEHelper.dll
O2 - BHO: (no name) - {53707962-6F74-2D53-2644-206D7942484F} - C:\Program Files\Spybot - Search & Destroy\SDHelper.dll
O2 - BHO: (no name) - {AA58ED58-01DD-4d91-8333-CF10577473F7} - c:\program files\google\googletoolbar2.dll
O2 - BHO: (no name) - {AE7CD045-E861-484f-8273-0445EE161910} - C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 6.0\Acrobat\AcroIEFavClient.dll
O2 - BHO: NAV Helper - {BDF3E430-B101-42AD-A544-FADC6B084872} - C:\Program Files\Norton AntiVirus\NavShExt.dll
O3 - Toolbar: &Radio - {8E718888-423F-11D2-876E-00A0C9082467} - C:\WINDOWS\System32\msdxm.ocx
O3 - Toolbar: Norton AntiVirus - {42CDD1BF-3FFB-4238-8AD1-7859DF00B1D6} - C:\Program Files\Norton AntiVirus\NavShExt.dll
O3 - Toolbar: Adobe PDF - {47833539-D0C5-4125-9FA8-0819E2EAAC93} - C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 6.0\Acrobat\AcroIEFavClient.dll
O3 - Toolbar: &Google - {2318C2B1-4965-11d4-9B18-009027A5CD4F} - c:\program files\google\googletoolbar2.dll

The following is my Hijack log after deleting the 3 keys you suggested.

Any further ideas.

jps609,

You haven't previously posted in this thread, and none of us have (unless I missed something) suggested deleting any registry keys. Are you sure you responded to the right thread?

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