for the last like 2 months links that open up new windows or media files havent opened. all i get is either no response at all or a new window saying 'page cannot be found' 'server cannot be found' blah blah blah. dunno what to do about it really as i havent changed the settings. if you have any ideas let me know. much thanks.

Look in your Firewall-program settings. Most likely you have (inadvertently) moved your IE into a "blocked" or "partly-blocked" zone. (Don't know your firewall, hence the quoted references).

Delete it from there. Next time you start IE, your firewall should offer to make new rules for IE, and off you go...

i looked at my norton internet security settings and i have IE on "permit all", but norton is off to begin with as i leave it disabled for bittorrent which is also not working. ya know anything else that could cause IE to act up like this. thanks.

Check the DNS-settings (rightclick My Network Places on the desktop, select Properties, click TCP/IP, click on Properties.
They might have gone haywire.

I dont have My Network Places (i do but its empty) cuz i have Windows Xp but i went to Network Connections and looked at my connections and they all seem fine (they are set at auto-detect connections).

Did you happen to install a program called Silencer? Its supposed to kill all those annoying ads on web pages? Ever since i installed it on my laptop to give it a try (thank god i left my desktop alone, links that open in new windows and are redirects from things like linksynergy and whatnot never open. And of course the stupid prog cant be uninstalled. So if thats your problem id say format. Thats what i plan to do as soon as this semester ends. Hope that helped.

format? thats wack dude i also have to do that due to some horrible problems my windows has (changed the mobo and added other new hardware - didnt quite go as smooth as i thought it would) but still i plan to leave as is and let it horribly wither away before i format.

but yah i dont think i have 'silencer' but ima check. you should try - 'hijackthis' 'cwshredder' and 'Browser Hijack blaster' for you silencer program or just find out where it is in the registry im sure someone out there has had the same problem with it youre having.

as for me im gonna cry till this starts working again. :knock:

dont knock till youve tried it...although that doesnt apply for eveything...lets face it...

Well Silencer modifies the .MFF file ie uses and im not sure how to fix it. Its been a while anyway and my laptop needs a good format anyways. Thanks for the ideas though... i might just DL them and use em in conjunction with ad aware and spybot. Hey, You go to UAlbany? Im stuck at RPI... small world. Def nice to see more people from NY on the boards.

haha yah, albany. you could just start using netscape, phoenix, etc. but yeah im thinking i will have to format as well one of these days. lemme ask you did RPI kill bittorrent or any other p2ps over there?

You guys could just try using XPLite to remove IE(Yes it really completely removes it), then reinstall it if you still want to use it. You might also try removing the file you mentioned and see if IE Repair option will replace the file, if not you can put that one back(just remove it from its directory and place it in a safe place)

Thats a good idea. Thanks storm... ill try removing the file and repairing it. Now on to other matters, No RPI did not kill p2ps yet as i know people who use BT on campus. So they still work.