Adaptable Ali: Firefox website www.mozilla.com and either download the latest version or the update

Andersp: I have to say, i have never had any problems with firefox until today......

Badinage:  Where do i, or how do i find the download that will fix it?

Adaptable Ali: Thats why i dont like Firefox. It 'gives" you so many "surprises" you havent asked for / need. Happens many times that you get a message "Firefox is uploading blah blah blah and will start in a few minutes".
Not to mention problems like yours with a frozen screen :( No i prefer a reliable browser as Internet Explorer.
Those who like new "toys" can play with Firefox LOL

Adaptable Ali: I had a similar problem and found out that it was an incompatability with one of the Microsoft Updates, by simply downloaded the update for firefox it fixed itself

MadMonkey: and TigerCat, this time once you have your machine all nice and happy again, with all your own personal programs installed, internet settings etc i would suggest that buy a small portabale USB drive (20gb is sufficient) and use Norton GHOST to ghost an entire image of yur PC. That way if an error ever presents itself again you simply plug it in, select the GHOST option and bingo......in record time it will wipe your PC and GHOST it back to a nice working position....similar to the RESTORE in XP but much MUCH better

Actually, doing a complete reformating of your puter is preferred.. it is very simple to do for XP. You take the disk. Insert it in the puter. shut off puter.. and restart. it asks two questions similar to are you sure you want to? YES. It will delete everything on the HD.. Yes.

Definately make sure you back up the files you want on your puter that you need. Such as pictures and recipes and anything you created on your word programs. You can always redownload Spybot. And for free virus software AVG
Like any other virus software though, you can't have anyother virus software installed.

TigerCat: Right, here we go lol --- No safe mode needed as long as you can set the following:

1. make sure that anything you need saved is backed up to DVD or another means, if not a problem do not worry.
2. make sure your Boot sequence is set to go from DVD first
3. load your DVD Windows install disk into machine
4. reboot
5. first thing it should say is Hit Return to Boot from cd ??? (if i remember correctly)
6. then just follow instructions, as i said when it asks about formatting the drive, YES

I do not really want to go into partitioning etc... as hopefully once we have your PC up running it will be ok.
Just post here and one of us will tell you the Main things to install to have a safe PC

I am pretty sure thats all you will need to get up running, if not Gordon Shumway or someone else will say something

Then of course you will have to reinstall any of your own software you use (internet connections etc...)

MadMonkey: Thank You so much Mad! I haven't re-booted in such along time & was getting very much confused ( which isn't 1 of my strong points) LOL Can I be able to do this when I'm in safe mode?

TigerCat: If you have the original disk, just make sure your boot sequence boots from you DVD-ROM drive first

The first option you should get is Press Return to boot from DVD (or words to that effect) which of course you want to do. Then just follow the instructions. for setting up a new system.

Make sure you have the Product Key number though (25 digit code in 5 blocks of 5, numbers and letters) which will normally be on the install disk or the side of the machine, and like i said make sure you have anything you need to keep backed up first.

Its always best when problem get to much to start fresh

p.s. (edit) Do not worry about deleting anything, on install makes sure disk is formatted, which it will ask you, and all should be fine

MadMonkey: I have the disk for a complete re-install..just wondered if I have to delete everything in the task manager box or would I be able to do that when I'm in a "safe" mode? Compared to what I had to deal w/ earlier this is heaven at the moment! LOL

TigerCat: If you are having that amount of problems, i would advise a complete clean install of Windows
Of course you will need the Install disk that should (hopefully) of come with the computer, or a new one. Of course you will have to back up any important stuff either to DVD or use an on-line storage site ( ADrive will give you up to 50gb of space ).
This is a much better idea when having so many problems. System Restore is only OK if you know you have a good Restore Point.

wetware: I can get the Task Manager up....would I have to delete everything (if possible) to do a re-install?

For some reason when I click on start, the things that are missing are Control, help, search & something else. I still can't get into the security tho...

Whoo Hoo! Actually got something accomplished! LOL....I downloaded both SpyBot & Ad-aware. SpyBot did what others didn't...It actually worked! It got rid of alot of things.

wetware: Ah I see. I have never come across it greyed out that must be what TigerCat means.

Mousetrap: Yes...right-clicking on the "taskbar" should bring up a mini-menu having "Task Manager" as an item.
I think "Task Manager" should always appear there on that list, but it can be greyed out if Task Manager has been disabled by the Administrator...or by a virus.

TigerCat: That is how I get it too. Or I right click on a space in the the blue bar where it shows what programs are running at the bottom or top of your screen.

Mousetrap: It doesn't have it on my menu..or anywhere else unfortunately. The only time I would a message about task manager is if I press ctrl+alt+delete buttons at the same time. can't even do a re-boot at the moment

TigerCat: I dont use IE 7 but I would not have thought Dell needed to do it. Can you just not right click on your menue at the bottom and open it?

Just downloaded IE 7 & some add-ons but still have alot of pop-up's & pages showing up but it is running lot better than before. I'm wondering how I can enable the task manager or would Dell needs to do it? Just curious

TigerCat: Are you able to open IE up at all? If so, open it.. then click on "TOOLS", when the drop down menu appears click "INTERNET OPTIONS" another box comes up. There are tabs along the top. Click on the "PROGRAMS" tab. About 2/3 rds down is a section "DEFAULT WEB BROWSER" if the button to the right of it says "MAKE DEFAULT" and is bold, click on it. Then select "APPLY" then "OK". Hopefully that will fix it.

What you are doing there is allowing IE to be your default browser. Since you are using two browsers like I do. One has to be default, and since you run several other things with your IE browser it needs to stay as your default browser.

Bernice: ! Finally have time to play & now it looks like I'll be calling Dell. I'll be playing phone tag that's for sure. A friend from work knows someone who does computer shows...if he can get it working normally again, my friend said that he can upgrade it bigtime LOL

TigerCat: hmmmmmmm.....sounds like you have picked up a viruii (sp) somehow :(

Bernice: I tried that as well, but the only date it showed that I could do it is the same day. Even when I click for last month, stays in the current month

TigerCat: try a system restore to an earlier date/time when all was well.....

Getting all sorts of pop-up's saying Spyware alert or if i wanted to make IE my browser & more things w/ it. I then just click everything no an such. When I do log in, I don't have a background pic of anything but have a red screen w/ something for downloading anti-virus

ScarletRose: Nope....never changed either my firewall or virus programs & it shows that both are on. Never ran updates for IE. When I do a temp file delete at least 1 time each week, there wouldn't be anything in the MSN part, just in the temp files mostly. I could have picked up a virus of some sort because I can't turn on my Automatic Updates in my security. It will always be on but this week, it was turned off ( not by me) & when I click on the turn on part, nothing happens. Would get a thing that the security center can't turn it on. Then I'll go to automatic updates & click on when I would like the updates to be done. Today in fact, I set when it should be done. Stayed on-line during that time & didn't get anything for it showing either in my icons or when I went to log off.

Another thought Tiger.. do you regularily run the updates for MS IE? Sometimes they will download and then not get installed? 

TigerCat: Two thoughts here Tiger..

1. Did you recently put a firewall or a virus program on your puter that you might need to tune the program to accept your IE?

2. Is it possible you deleted certain files on your puter that actually were needed to run IE? Or, could you have picked up a virus?

Snoopy: WOW.....thanks so much for that...that is just so informative :)

Is there anyway to enable the task manager besides calling Dell?

ScarletRose: Windows XP Home Edition. I have downloaded IE7 & I would still have to re-install it. I can't even get into Control Panel let alone see it LOL

Bernice: http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&ct=res&cd=1&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.seoconsultants.com%2Fwindows%2Fkeyboard%2F&ei=KodBSK2dBaaM0QS0pu2ZCA&usg=AFQjCNENMHye_lZh0-GxvVSvywSIhe3L_w&sig2=K7oLC3zAsp9oFnyq6CVp1A

I understand that F5 is a refresh but what are the other 11 "F" keys for? can or does anybody know?

Czuch: Sure, try HERE

MadMonkey: Do you have a link for the free avg download?

Come on Firefox users, get ready to Set a Firefox World Record!

All you have to do is download Firefox 3 when it goes live on Download Day — some time in June (I will let you know) and see if it can set a record for the most software downloaded in 24 hours

You can keep track on everything here - World record attempt

TigerCat:  What OS do you run? And I assume you are running a PC? Or is it a Mac?

You could uninstall OE7 and then reinstall it..

Bernice: I tried that but it only went to the same day that I tried it..not even an earlier date. Even tried doing the ctrl-alt & delete buttons but received a message that the task manager has been disabled by the admin.

TigerCat: try a system restore to an earlier date/time when all was well, and Ctrl/Alt/Delete is a soft reboot anyway, but you could try it.

I tried rebooting my computer & nothing seems to help.....my IE is completely messed up & the only way I can stay on-line is by using firefox. I'm also wondering if I could completely start over by deleting everything & then re-install everything back. Someone mentioned to me today that I can completely start new by holding down the Ctrl-Alt & delete button at the same time. I'm wondering would that completely do the job?

I seem to have lost the ability to use smileys in my games messages, and can no longer switch to rich text editor, I haven't changed any settings or updated anything, does anyone have any suggestions

Windows XP SP3 is coming next week

MadMonkey:

i am running out of suggestions now. just one more hint:
depending on the mainboard it may take up to a whole year until the power/data gets lost after the removal of the battery.
maybe you can find a nice place on your shelf to store that laptop for the next months...

diogenysos: Tried that lol

MadMonkey:

hmmmm - how about resetting it all by shorting out the CMOS-battery-poles??