The Earthlink Toolbar

The Earthlink toolbar is a free browser add-on that includes a number of useful features such as pop-up blockers, privacy tools, spyware scan, maps and driving directions, and even a "fast sites" tool that quickly loads slimmed down versions of websites without slow-loading graphics. The Earthlink toolbar was originally made available for various Web browsers including Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox. Today, however, the current download featured on Earthlink's support page is for Internet Explorer only.

The Earthlink Toolbar and Firefox

In the case of Mozilla Firefox, the Earthlink toolbar is known as an "add-on." Therefore, tasks related to managing the toolbar are handled in the Manage Add-ons section of Firefox.

Why Did the Firefox Update Disable the Toolbar?

According to Mozilla Support, add-ons are automatically made compatible with new versions of Firefox whenever possible. However, not all add-ons can be automatically be made to be compatible with each update. When Firefox encounters an add-on it can't automatically change during an update, it will disable it.

When this happens, you will need to manually check for new updates to the add-on in question. If an update exists, you will need to update the add-on manually.

Checking for Add-on Updates

To check for an update, go to your Mozilla start page and click Add-ons. Click the gear icon and choose "Check for updates." If Firefox finds the Earthlink update, it will automatically download and install it.

If it doesn't find an update, the next step is to go to the add-on's website. Do this directly from the Add-on manager by clicking the Earthlink toolbar description, clicking More, and clicking the link to the add-on's home page. If all goes well, you should see an updated Earthlink toolbar and instructions on how to load and enable it.

Unfortunately, it doesn't appear as though Earthlink has updated the toolbar for some time. You might want to contact Earthlink support (866-383-3080) about an update. In the meantime, you could enter the website addresses to your online banking and other important accounts the old-fashioned way by typing the URL in Firefox's address bar. Alternately, you could use Internet Explorer with the IE version of Earthlink toolbar installed.

If you prefer to rollback your Firefox to the way it used to be, you could try using Windows built-in System Restore (if enabled) to roll your computer's settings back to their pre-update settings.

When your version of AOL begins to act a bit sporadic with its performance, it probably is time for an upgrade to the latest version. Periodically, AOL updates its software to include enhancements that are designed to promote usability and better performance. Typically, Internet users can get by with older versions of AOL for a limited amount of time before they begin to experience problems. 

Latest AOL Version for Windows XP

The latest version of AOL for Windows XP is 9.6. In order to complete a successful upgrade to this version, you also need to have Internet Explorer 7, 8, or 9. Your processor should be a 166 MHz Pentium-class or higher as well. Since you have a high-speed Internet connection, you are covered in that area.

A Bit about AOL Version 9.6

AOL has enhanced its latest version of software to provide an improved toolbar that is user friendly, better content-sharing capability (single-click sharing to Twitter, Facebook, IM, Lifestream, and email sites), improved browsing features (it's faster), a rotating sign-on screen canvas, and so much more. AOL has also reduced the frequency of annoying pop-up updates. Plus, they've improved the installation and download experience attached to AOL version 9.6 so that the download is fast and the installation is seamless.

All in all, AOL has designed version 9.6 to include enhancements all the way around. This latest AOL version looks like the older versions so you shouldn't have any problems adjusting to it.

With your upgrade to AOL version 9.6, you will get the latest version of Winamp and AIM. You will also have access to the latest security software, applications for your iPhone, and other features. Plus, you still have access to parental controls, a "restore session" feature, and the invisible mode. AOL has included some enhancements for a better browser experience including faster page loads, a better experience when using Flash features, and better search results.

Use Google Chrome's Alternative Installer

It is possible that your downloading issues are a part of a fairly common problem that users are reporting with the Google Chrome download and installation tool. It seems that there is something to do with a required or missing network configuration that is interfering with the downloads, so Google has released a direct download option, which should solve the problem.

The alternate installation tool doesn't require a network connection. You can access and download the alternate Chrome installer here. There is also additional help available from Google that offer step-by-step instructions to download and install Chrome, according to your Windows, Mac or Linux operating system here.

Delete any previous Chrome downloads

You also need to remove any other installation of Chrome, so open your programs and make sure to delete any other entries with similar names. This will allow the new download the access it needs. Restart your computer before attempting the new download to let the changes take effect.

Monitor or disable your Antivirus Software

If this isn't your issue, and you continue to run into problems trying to download and install Google Chrome, you might have an interference problem with your security software. If you are running a third-party antivirus program like McAfee or AVG, your firewall might be preventing the download from accessing your system. I would still recommend trying the download with the alternate installer first, since it's never fun to disable your security settings. However, if it doesn't work the other way, you might need to temporarily disable your firewall, or make an allowance for the installer.

Google is in the middle of a firestorm of user complaints about Chrome, as it works through the first phases of product use. I think that we can expect good things from Chrome, even if we have to be a little patient while the bugs are worked out. I hope that this helps!

Internet Explorer and Add-ons

It sounds like perhaps an add-on is interfering with Internet Explorer's ability to open quickly. Add-ons are additional pieces of the program that enhance the browser's functionality. For example, Internet Explorer on its own is quite basic. It can't play videos unless a media player add-on is added allowing it to do so. Similarly, it can't display PDF files inside the browser window unless the Adobe add-on is added.

How are Add-ons Added?

Many of these add-ons are added the first time you try to use a function requiring the add-on. You may be prompted with a message to allow the add-on to be installed. You may be familiar with toolbars such as the Google Toolbar. These are often added in conjunction with software installations, sometimes by default. Other add-ons are added in conjunction with a hardware install. For example, your printer may add an add-on to make it easier to print Web pages.

Add-ons and Load Times

Because each add-on is its own little mini-program that must load each time you load Internet Explorer, add-ons can affect the load time. If your browser has dozens of add-ons, each with its own loading requirements, the load accumulates and it takes Windows Explorer a long time to fully open.

Managing Add-ons

Fortunately, Internet Explorer comes with a built-in tool specifically for managing add-ons and viewing each add-on's load time. Go to Tools> Manage Add-ons > Toolbars and Extensions. Here, you'll see a list of all add-ons. Scroll to the far right and you'll see a column detailing each add-on's load time in seconds. If you see an add-on with an excessive load time, that could be the culprit. If it's non-essential, highlight it and click the "disable" button and you should notice an immediate improvement in Internet Explorer's load time. In fact, you may want to go through the list and consider disabling add-ons that you don't need.

Adobe Flash and Windows 7 64-Bit

Adobe's Flash Player 10.1 is the current version for Windows 7. It does not matter if you are running the 32-bit or 64-bit version of the operating system. However, this version does require Internet Explorer 8.0 or above, Mozilla FireFox 3.0 or above, or Google Chrome 2.0 or above.

That said, there are two versions of Internet Explorer that come preinstalled on Windows 7 64-bit: Internet Explorer 64-bit and Internet Explorer 32-bit. In order to download and install Flash, you have to use Internet Explorer 32-bit to download Flash Player. To do this, go to Start > All Programs and look for Internet Explorer in the list. You should see two versions - Internet Explorer (64-bit) and Internet Explorer. Choose Internet Explorer and try the download once again.

Uninstalling Flash Player

If you have trouble with the new download and installation, it's possible that the old version didn't properly uninstall in which case you can download and run Adobe's "Uninstall Flash Player" program. This program is available on Adobe's website.

If you still can no longer view Flash content, check to be sure that you are using the Internet Explorer 32-bit version. If you're currently in Internet Explorer, click the blue question mark just below the red X in the upper right corner of the screen and click About Internet Explorer. In the Version field, you'll see the version number of Internet Explorer. If you're running the 64-bit version, you'll see "64-bit" next to the version number. If you're not, you won't see any mention of 64-bit or 32-bit. If neither is listed, you are running the 32-bit version.

Adobe Shockwave Player

Often confused with Adobe Flash Player is Adobe's Shockwave Player. Both players are from Adobe and capable of playing interactive content. However, Flash Player is used to play content created by Flash Professional CS5 while Shockwave Player is used to play content created by Adobe Director. The Shockwave Flash Object is typically installed as an Add-on and can be managed through Internet Explorer's Tools > Manage Add-ons menu.

Known problems exist when installing Internet Explorer 8 over IE7. For these reasons, it is often necessary to remove IE8 and reinstall it. Since the method you use to delete IE8 varies depending on your operating system, I have included two sets of directions that will tell you how to uninstall Internet Explorer 8.

Enable "Compatibility View" for Internet Explorer 8

As mentioned above, certain issues arise when Internet Explorer 8 is installed on some computers. For one, certain types of graphics, text, menus, and images are not displayed properly on some websites when accessing them through Internet Explorer 8. If this is the reason why you want to uninstall Internet Explorer 8, why not check out this option first to see if it resolves your issues?

1)   Open "Internet Explorer 8."

2)   Open one of the specific websites that you have had trouble viewing or that has not been displayed correctly for you.

3)   Select the icon for "Compatibility View." It is located near the address bar on the right-hand side.  You can also select it from the "Tools" option at the top of your screen. Since Internet Explorer 8 will remember that you have chosen a specific site for "Compatibility View," you only need to select each problematic site the first time.

How to Uninstall Internet Explorer 8 on a Windows Vista Operating System

1)   Select "Start" from the lower left-hand corner.

2)   Select "Control Panel." If you are in "Classic View," click on "Control Panel Home."

3)   Select "Uninstall a Program," which is located under "Programs."

4)   Select "View Installed Updates."

5)   In a moment or two, all of the updates should appear in a list. Search through the list for and select "Windows Internet Explorer 8."

6)   Select "Uninstall."

How to Uninstall Internet Explorer 8 on a Windows XP Operating System

1)   Select "Start" from the lower left-hand corner.

2)   Select "Control Panel."

3)   Select "Add or Remove Programs."

4)   Select the option, "Show Updates" if it hasn't already been selected.

5)   Scroll through the list and select "Windows Internet Explorer 8."

6)   Select "Remove."

How to Reinstall Internet Explorer 8

To download and reinstall Internet Explorer 8, simply visit the Microsoft Download Center website. The site automatically checks your system for you and provides the appropriate files for reinstalling IE8.

But if I do the following, the problem can be solved.

1) Select Hotel instead of Property type or 2) Before the "IE has stopped working" message appears, if I slide the mouse on the right hand slide bar, then the message will not appear. If I keep doing this, Wotif works fine, but after closing IE, the same message appears (but too late).

We asked the shop; they blame Microsoft and want to charge $300 to fix it. Any idea of solving this?

Wotif.com and IE Crashes

Before you pay a computer shop $300, you're wise to consider other options. Having tried Wotif using Internet Explorer 8, I was unable to replicate the problem. The site worked beautifully and Internet Explorer didn't crash. Since you're only having problems with Wotif, and since changing the display to Hotel only rather than All Properties, I'm guessing that your computer is having a tough time handling the large amounts of data that Wotif generated when Property is selected.

The first thing that I would do is update Internet Explorer if you haven't already. From there, I'd also try Wotif.com using a different Web browser such as FireFox or Google Chrome. If all browsers crash, then we'll know that the problem isn't necessarily with Internet Explorer and possibly a problem with your computer's ability to handle the large amount of data.

Run Internet Explorer with No Add-ons

After updating Internet Explorer and testing Wotif with a different browser, the next step would be to run Internet Explorer with No Add-ons. Add-ons are tiny programs like toolbars and buttons that perform functions within Internet Explorer. Unfortunately, some add-ons can interfere with other operations or cause crashes. By running Internet Explorer in its purest form, you can determine if add-ons are causing the problem.

To do this, go to Start > Programs > Accessories > System Tools > Internet Explorer No Add-ons. Once the browser launches, go to Wotif and see if the problem occurs. If not, then you'll need to close the browser, open your regular version of IE, and then go to Tools > Manage Add-ons. From there, you'll need to experiment by disabling and reenabling add-ons one at a time, testing each one to see if it is the culprit.

Freeing System Resources

It's also possible that your computer is running low on resources. Filetonic has many tips for improving computer performance in our PC Performance category. Browse through that section and free up some system resources.

If none of the above works, consider contacting Wotif directly. It's possible that there's a bug in the interface that occurs under certain circumstances. They may not be aware of this bug yet, and like many developers, depend on users to help them discover fixable problems.

What does Server Not Found Mean?

When your Web browser displays a "server not found" message, it is unable to find or display the desired website. When you encounter this error, you'll need to pay attention to the clues offered and do a little troubleshooting. For example, is the error website specific or are all websites blocked?

Common Causes of Server Not Found Messages

Server not found messages have numerous causes. If the message occurs only with a specific website, the cause could be as simple as a mistyped URL or the site being down for maintenance. It could also be related to a clogged Internet cache or a graphics-heavy site that doesn't sufficiently load before your connection times out.

Another possible cause for server not found messages involves the Web browser. An out-of-date Web browser might not be equipped to handle new technologies incorporated by a particular website.

Finally, malware could be to blame for the problem. For example, malware developers often program their viruses, worms, Trojans, and other malicious applications to block computer security websites such as Symantec, Microsoft, or Trend Micro. By blocking sites that can remove the malware, the malware is better able to defend itself from being removed.

Troubleshooting Server Not Found Error

With so many potential causes, you may need to try a few different troubleshooting steps. First, if possible, use a different computer to access the website. This can help you determine if the problem originates from outside your system. If so, there's likely not much you can do other than wait for external repairs. If not, you know that you'll need to tweak your system.

From there, try a different Web browser. For example, if you're using Internet Explorer, try FireFox or Chrome. Conversely, if you're using FireFox, try Internet Explorer. Different browsers have different capabilities, update schedules, features, and so on, so if one browser doesn't work with a particular website, it's possible another will. You can also try updating your Web browser to ensure that it has the latest updates installed.

Clearing the browser's cache can also solve some server not found errors. To do this in Internet Explorer, go to Tools > Internet Options > Browsing History > Delete and then choose to remove cookies, temporary Internet files, and history.

Because you have dialup, it's possible that the connection times out before the page has time to fully load. Keep an eye on your connection and let us know if that's the case and we can discuss adjusting dialup timeout settings if needed.

Quite a few people seem to have problems with Google Chrome freezing or not connecting to the Internet on them. It still appears to be a bit buggy so try the troubleshooting tips listed one-by-one until you "hopefully" find a solution.

Troubleshooting Google Chrome: Update

Make sure that you have updated to the latest version of Google Chrome as they have made a few modifications in their attempt to resolve bugs with this application.

Troubleshooting Google Chrome: --New-Safe Browsing

If you follow the steps here to run Google Chrome with the command line, new-safe browsing, it should resolve the issue of freezing before or during connection to the Internet.

1)      Right click on your Google Chrome desktop icon or the icon in your Windows Quick Launch.

2)      Click "Properties."

3)      Select the tab for "shortcut."

4)      In the Target field, add --new-safe browsing" after chrome.exe.

5)      Select ok.

6)      You must restart Google Chrome at this point using the shortcut that you just made the changes to.

7)      The option, "Enable phishing and malware protection" must be checked.

Troubleshooting Google Chrome: Incompatibility

A few applications have problems with Google Chrome and prevent it from performing properly. If you have a program that is doing that, you need to uninstall or modify it in order to use Google Chrome. One of these applications is Spyware Doctor. You can see if modifying Spyware Doctor is sufficient by completing the following:

1)      Open Spyware Doctor

2)      Select Settings

3)      Select Advanced

4)      Remove the mark in front of "Enable kernel compatibility mode"

5)      Reboot.

Troubleshooting Google Chrome: Malware

Scan your computer for malware as this could be the problem.

Troubleshooting Google Chrome: Flash

Many users of Google Chrome have noticed freezing when an outdated version of Flash is on the computer. Update to the latest version of Flash by visiting its website. If you take this strategy, make sure that you follow Adobe's instructions to the letter for uninstalling your previous version. It involves using their uninstaller prior to installing the newest version.

Troubleshooting Google Chrome: Shockwave Player

Problems with the Chrome browser also seem to stem from problems with Shockwave Player. Uninstall and reinstall Shockwave Player using the directions from their website.

Troubleshooting Google Chrome: Video Drivers

If you have outdated video drivers, you can experience problems with Google Chrome. Your choice is to either update your video drivers or turn off hardware acceleration. To turn off hardware acceleration:

1)      Right-click on the video drivers

2)      Select Settings

3)      Remove the check in front of "hardware acceleration."

Troubleshooting Google Chrome: Close G-Mail

The freezing seems to occur more frequently when G-Mail is open in the Chrome browser. Try using Google Chrome with G-Mail closed whenever you don't need to access your mail. This is not a true fix, but if it offers some relief from the problem, it is better than nothing.

Troubleshooting Web Browsing Problems

There are several possible causes that could be responsible for your web browsing issues - including Internet connectivity, malware or outdated software. We can go through some of these troubleshooting options and hopefully solve your problem.

Update your Web Browser

Since you think that your connection is ok and that you are online - especially since your browser is working a bit, at least for eBay - let's start with your web browser. The program that you use to surf the Internet is at its best when the software is up to date. The first thing to do is visit the web page for your web browser. This should be possible without a browser as long as you can enter an address directly into the URL address bar. If you are using a Windows operating system, you are most likely using Internet Explorer. The most recent release of IE is 8. To get to the IE 8 page, try this link - if you can't use it, type this into your address bar: http://www.microsoft.com/nz/windows/internet-explorer/default.aspx then click to download the latest version. This might not resolve the issue by itself, but is a step in the right direction.

Update and Run Malware and Virus Scans

Another important update is to your antivirus and malware program. Make sure that whatever scans you use are up to date with the latest definitions then run full scans until they come back clean. If there is anything interfering with your web browsing, this should take care of it.

Reset Host Files

There might have been an alteration to a host file that stops you from accessing some web sites. The exact fix for this problem varies for different operating systems so I can't outline the exact steps without knowing more about your system. Instead, here is the URL for the Microsoft support page that has the various instructions: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/972034

Delete Temporary Internet Files

You might be having a glitch with some of your frequently visited sites  - delete any cached files and temporary Internet files.

1.    Close all your open windows and quit all your open programs - Internet Explorer and Windows Explorer

2.    Click the Start button, then Control Panel

3.    Double click Internet Options

4.    Under the General tab, and under Temporary Internet Files, click Delete Files

5.    In the Delete Files box, click to check the Delete All Content box

6.    Click OK, then OK again

I hope that some combination of these tips resolves your issue - if not, please write again and we can take it from there. Good luck.