Resources

Run Anti-Virus/Anti-Spyware Software

Quite often spyware, adware, or a virus will be the culprit when it comes to problems accessing websites. In some cases, the problem exists for all websites and in others, it might only occur for a handful of sites. Obtain a reliable Anti-Virus/Anti-Spyware Software application and run it. If you don’t already have one, I can recommend Anti-Virus Plus.

Run chkdsk

Since it is possible that your disk has errors, you should run chkdsk to check for them. This utility looks for problems related to cross-linked files, lost clusters, bad sectors, and directory errors. In order to access chkdsk, follow these directions:

• Click “Start.”
• Click “Run.”
• Type “cmd”
• Press enter.
• Type “ckdsk” at the prompt.

Clear Internet Cache

In some cases, simply clearing out your Internet cache will resolve the issue for you. Follow the directions that belong to the browser that you are currently using on your machine.

Clear Internet Cache: Internet Explorer

1. Open Internet Explorer.
2. Select “Tools” from the top menu bar.
3. Select “General”
4. Select “Delete Files” from the section titled “Temporary Internet Files.”

Clear Internet Cache: Mozilla Firefox

1. Open Mozilla Firefox.
2. Select “Tool” from the top menu bar.
3. Select “Clear Private Data”
4. Select “Browsing History,” “Cache,” “Saved Form and Search History” and click “Clear Private Data” Now.”

Clear Internet Cache: Netscape

1. Open Netscape.
2. Select “Preferences” from the top menu bar underneath “Edit.”
3. Select the option to expand “Advanced” by clicking on the small plus sign.
4. Select “Cache.”
5. Select “Clear Cache.”

Clear Internet Cache: Opera

1. Open “Opera.”
2. Beneath “File”, select “Preferences.”
3. Select “History and Cache menu”
4. Select “Cache.”
5. Click “OK.”

Run the Java Test

In order to see if the problem is with your Java installation, you should run the Java test. Visit this link, Java Test, and see if your installation is working okay. If you see the “dancing Duke logo” then your Java is installed properly. If you don’t see it, then either your Java isn’t installed or it isn’t installed properly.

Uninstall and Reinstall Java

If your version of Java isn’t working properly, then you need to uninstall it and reinstall it.

Java was originally developed by Sun Microsystems as a programming language that is often used by interactive websites and online games. They use applets that are installed using the Java Runtime Environment (JRE). You can either update Java by going to the website or set it to automatically update whenever there is a new version available.

There are a couple of ways to clean up your computer that has different updates installed on it. Right now, Java is running version 6, update 11. You can delete anything prior to that if you wish. Once you delete a version, there may still be “pieces” of the program left in the registry. There are ways to get rid of these extra registry keys, but you should always be sure that you have done a thorough backup because any mistakes made in the registry can be harmful to the computer.

Manually Removing the Registry Keys

You can go into the registry and delete any keys that pertain to the older versions of Java. This might be easiest to do if you are uninstalling the entire Java program, because you want to be sure not to delete any keys that are used to run the current Java program. If you do want to get into the registry:

1. Go to Start and then the Run key.
2. When you see the edit field, type in regedit.
3. Navigate to: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/Software/Microsoft/Windows/CurrentVersion/

Uninstall. You will see many registry entries that are in curly brackets. The registry keys for Java have a name that includes Java2.

1. Highlight the registry keys you want to delete by right clicking on the registry key and choosing delete. Confirm and click on Yes.

RegCure

You can use a registry cleaning program such as RegCure to clean up your registry once you have deleted the older versions. This program will fix any problems that you are having with the registry, including removing leftover Java registry keys.

You can always go onto the Java website and check for Java updates there. You can also use the website to verify the version of Java that is running on your computer. Now that I’ve given you information on deleting the old versions, I’m going to ask why you want to? Unless you’re getting java errors, having older versions of Java on your computer won’t hurt it and shouldn’t make it run slower, but deleting programs and registry keys can cause problems. If you have a lot of old versions on your computer and you really want to get rid of them, I’d recommend deleting everything that is Java-related and then doing a clean install of the new program. But, like so many things on computers these days, if it ain’t broken you just might want to leave it alone.

Troubleshooting Internet Connection Issues

Internet Explorer Cannot Display the Webpage

If you are able to check your email and play games online, then you are connecting to the Internet and the problem might be with the specific pages that you are trying to navigate. If your error message says that Internet Explorer cannot display the webpage, but you are able to open multiple pages in MSN, then the other site you are trying to access might be offline temporarily for maintenance, or the site might be suffering performance issues.

Reboot your Power Supply

It is also possible that your network is having issues that are interfering with your Internet access. The first thing to try is a power cycle that means turning off and unplugging your computer modem and router, if you use one. Give the system at least 30 seconds to relax, then plug everything back in and reboot your computer. Often this is all it takes to restore a troubled Internet connection.

Using Windows Network Diagnostic Tools

If this doesn’t resolve your issues, then you can use the Windows Network Diagnostic tool to troubleshoot your connection. Open your Internet Explorer browser window and navigate to a page that shows the error message. On the error message page select Diagnose Connection Problems. The utility will run a scan and then provide a report and options to resolve it.

Delete Internet Browsing History

Sometimes Internet browsing issues are caused by a buildup of web pages that are saved offline and deleting your Internet browsing history will remove any corrupt or flawed pages. Before you proceed you should realize that deleting this saved online content will remove saved user names and passwords so you should make note of this information if possible.

First, open Internet Explorer, select the Tools tab, then Delete Browsing History. Next, select Temporary Internet Files, select Delete Files, and then press OK. Under the History tab, choose Delete History, then OK. Lastly, select Form Data, then Delete Forms, then OK. Now close and quit Internet Explorer and reopen it and try your search again.

Run an Updated Antivirus Scan

If your browsing problems are more sporadic, and if the error message says that Internet Explorer can’t find the server, you might be experiencing interference from a virus or spyware program that is attempting to redirect your searches. You should first update your security software by visiting the manufacturer’s website and looking for recent releases, then run a full system scan until it comes up clean.

Contact your Internet Service Provider

If none of these solutions work, and if you are still receiving an error message that the server can’t be found, you might consider calling your Internet Service Provider and asking if there are any ongoing or recent service interruptions in your area that might explain your browsing issues.

Time Warner Roadrunner

Time Warner Cable’s high-speed Internet access is also known as “Roadrunner.” Named after the beloved Roadrunner who always managed to outwit Wile E. Coyote, this cable Internet access is indeed fast. In addition, AOL and Time Warner merged back at the beginning of the decade. It took awhile for all of the kinks to be worked out, but now the merger is old news.

Roadrunner and AOL

You’re smart to question why you’re paying for both Roadrunner and AOL. If you’re still paying for an AOL Internet access plan, doing so is redundant. In fact, according to Time Warner Cable’s Frequently Asked Questions page, AOL’s “Bring Your Own Access” is now free to everyone, including Time Warner’s high-speed online customers.

Unfortunately, it’s unlikely that Time Warner has gone through and compared Roadrunner and AOL Internet access customer lists to ensure that no duplication exists.

AOL Plans

AOL currently has several membership plans with various payment terms. First, take a look at your AOL plan and determine whether it’s worth keeping or not. For example, if you have the Broadband Essentials plan, which includes ten hours of backup dial-up access, live technical support, and McAfee Virus Scan Plus, this plan may be worth keeping if you desire these features. For example, if your Roadrunner Internet access is unreliable or you travel frequently, you might like the peace of mind of having a backup dial-up account.

The Free AOL plan provides you with all of the AOL basics which you’ll access using your Roadrunner account. Free AOL does not include live technical support or Internet access. That’s why Time Warner refers to it as “bring your own access.” Since you already have Roadrunner Internet access, it makes sense to do away your AOL bill once and for all.

If you want to keep your AOL e-mail and seven AOL screen names as well as use the familiar AOL software and features and do not need the features offered by any of the AOL Internet access plans, switch from a paid AOL account to Free AOL. You’ll have just one monthly bill from Time Warner yet be able to use AOL’s software, e-mail, and general features.    

How To Set a Home Page in Internet Explorer

About Cached Internet Files

If your Internet browser used to open directly to your home page, but now it gets stuck on a blank page, chances are that you need to clear your cached files. When you are browsing online, your computer saves data from web pages so that it doesn’t have to reload the pages unless the page has been recently updated. This feature is intended to save time and resources but can also lead to problems if the saved data is corrupt. File corruptions can occur if there is a power or Internet connection interruption while the page is being saved. Your web browser also stores user names and passwords, which will also be removed if you clear the Internet files, so make sure you record them before you proceed.

Clear Your Temporary Files

To clear the Internet files, you should first quit both Internet Explorer and Windows Explorer. Next, open your Start Menu, then Control Panel, and then double click Internet Options. Under the tab called General, you can find Temporary Internet Files, and then Delete Files. A box will open and ask if you want to delete your offline content, click the box. Click OK, then OK again and restart your browser.

Set a Home Page in Internet Explorer 7

If your web browser has never opened to your home page, or if you want to change your home page, here are the steps to follow for Internet Explorer 7:

1. Open Internet Explorer and go to the page that you want to set as your home page
2. On the top, right hand side of the page there is an icon that looks like a house, which is the home icon. Whenever you are browsing you can return to your home page by clicking this icon
3. Beside the icon there is an arrow, click it to open the drop down menu
4. Select Add or Change Home Page
5. Now a window will open and ask if you want to set this as your home page, select Yes

Set Multiple Home Page Tabs

With Internet Explorer you can also save additional web pages as multiple home pages. To do this, open another page that you want to set as a home page tab and then follow the instructions above but click the second option that offers to add the page to your home page tabs.

Internet Explorer Errors

Clear Temporary Internet Files

If you are having the same problem every time you launch Internet Explorer, the problem might be limited to your home page. You can troubleshoot issues that your browser might have regarding loading web pages by clearing your Temporary Internet Files and Cookies.

• Quit Internet Explorer and Windows Explorer

• Click the Start button, then Control Panel
• Click twice on Internet Options
• Select the General tab, find Temporary Internet Files, then Delete Files
• Check the box to Delete all Offline Content and click OK
• Click OK again and reboot your computer

Run Virus, Spyware and Adware Scans

If this doesn’t clear up your problem, you should consider running a virus check. First of all, update your antivirus security by visiting the manufacturer’s website. Updates are usually on the home page or on the customer support or help page. You should also run Spyware and Adware scans, if you aren’t already. There are malware programs that aren’t detected by some virus scans that can redirect Internet browsing that can really help to improve your online security. You should run the scans until they come back clean. It might also be a good time to run a registry scan to clear out any old bits of data that are slowing down your system.

Disable Smart Tags

If there is a chance that you originally installed a beta version of Windows XP that you later updated, then you should disable the Smart Tags. First open Internet Explorer, then select Tools, then Internet Options, then the Advanced tab and clear the listing beside Enable Smart Tags. You should also visit Windows Update and make sure that all your software is up to date.

Remove Add-ons or Use System Restore

If you have recently downloaded any add-ons or other applications that you think might be interfering with Internet Explorer, it could be that the two programs are not well integrated. You can remove the program to see if the error clears up, or you can use System Restore to revert your computer to settings that pre-date the frequent IE crashes.

• Click Start, then All Programs, then Accessories, then System Tools
• Click System Restore and then follow the wizard to choose a restore date

Install the Latest Version of Internet Explorer

If none of these options resolve your errors, you can also visit the Microsoft website and install the latest version of IE. Since Internet Explorer is such an integral part of Windows it isn’t possible to remove or uninstall it, but downloading the latest version will over-write the potentially damaged program that is failing on your computer.