Basic Internet Explorer troubleshooting

Basic Troubleshooting Tips for Internet Explorer

You should always use the latest version of Internet Explorer that is compatible with your Operating System, earlier versions are less secure and can be exploited to infect your computer.

From time to time, some of you will experience problems with Internet Explorer, and the purpose of this article is to introduce you to a few basic techniques for troubleshooting them. It is not meant to be a guide to resolving all IE problems.

• Clear out your Temporary Internet Files
• Troubleshoot Internet Explorer Add-ons
• Reset Internet Explorer to Default Settings

Clear out your Temporary Internet Files

To improve website rendering times, Internet Explorer stores copies of webpages, images, videos etc. in the following folder ....

%USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\TemporaryInternetFiles

.... and unless you flush them out from time to time, they build up, and can have a noticeable effect on IE's performance.

So if IE is running slowly, and/or erratically, then the first thing to try is to empty your TemporaryInternetFiles folder ....

• Click Control Panel > Network and Internet > Internet Options to open the Internet Properties window.

• In the Browsing history section click Delete to open the Delete Browsing History window.

• As well as the Temporary Internet Files, check any other items you want to delete, then click Delete to remove them.
  
• It's not necessary to delete Passwords and a real nuisance if you do, so always ensure it is unchecked.

Troubleshoot Internet Explorer Add-ons

Internet Explorer allows the installation of Browser Helper Objects and Toolbars which extend its capabilities. Most of these are legitimate, many come bundled with "free" programs and are installed when you install the program, and many are installed as a result of Malware.

See .... Internet-Explorer-add-ons-frequently-asked-questions

Good, indifferent or malicious, they can all potentially affect the performance of Internet Explorer, and it's useful to be able to isolate them, to determine which (if any) might be the cause of any problems you're having.

Since IE 7 it has been possible to run Internet Explorer in No Add-ons mode.

To do so ....

• Click Start > All Programs > Accessories > System Tools
• Click Internet Explorer (No Add-ons)

.... which will run Internet Explorer with all add-ons disabled.

If Internet Explorer appears to be running better, then the next stage is to try and determine which of your add-ons is causing the problem.

• Start Internet Explorer in "normal" mode.
• Click Tools > Manage Add-ons

• Click on the add-on you want to disable to highlight it.
• Click the Disable button.
• Repeat to disable all your add-ons.

Next

• Enable one of your add-ons and re-start Internet Explorer.
• If Internet Explorer is still working OK, enable the next one and re-start Internet Explorer.

Repeat this process with all your add-ons, until you find the add-on or add-ons that were causing the problem.

Reset Internet Explorer Settings

If everything we've tried so far has failed to resolve any problems you have with Internet Explorer, then you may want to consider setting Internet Explorer back to its factory default settings.

To do this ....

• Start Internet Explorer.
• Click Tools > Internet Options > Advanced

• In the Reset Internet Explorer settings section click the Reset button.

• Check the Delete personal settings if you wish to remove your personal settings.
• Reset Internet Explorer Settings will now process your request using the settings you've selected.

• It will also produce a log at .... %USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\brndlog.txt