# HELP!!!! On Microsoft I.E and O.E. Half links won't open, why? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 12, 2003, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-on-microsoft-i-e-and-o-e-half-links-wont-open-why/212795 "2003-11-12T12:27:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![kris](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/82dd89/32.png) [@kris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kris)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2003, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-on-microsoft-i-e-and-o-e-half-links-wont-open-why/212795/1 "2003-11-12T12:27:15Z")
Hey! Okay. Today went on the net and checked my emails and links in emails (such as SDMB emails about new posts etc) and links in Internet Explorer will not open. No matter how you try, clicking directly, open in a new window etc they just won’t work. I have tried various websites etc so the problem is not with the websites it must be with me. Any ideas what is happening and how can i fix this please? Thanks Chris. ---
**Author:** ![Dunderman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecb155/32.png) [@Dunderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dunderman)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2003, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-on-microsoft-i-e-and-o-e-half-links-wont-open-why/212795/2 "2003-11-12T12:55:03Z")
I think we need a bit more information than this. Since you’re posting this, am I to assume that you can get to a website by typing the url? When you click a link, does the browser start working? Does the blue tape start moving? Do you get an error message? If so, what did it say? If not, how long did you wait for one? ---
**Author:** ![Dunderman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecb155/32.png) [@Dunderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dunderman)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2003, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-on-microsoft-i-e-and-o-e-half-links-wont-open-why/212795/3 "2003-11-12T12:59:01Z")
And what do you mean by “half links” in the subject line? Half of the links won’t open? Does the other half work fine? ---
**Author:** ![kris](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/82dd89/32.png) [@kris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kris)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2003, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-on-microsoft-i-e-and-o-e-half-links-wont-open-why/212795/4 "2003-11-12T13:24:03Z")
Sorry for not being more precise. Half of the links and buttons work fine. E.g. I was able to post this messgae fine. However, the other half of the links or buttons I try to click NOTHING happens. The URL address will show in the bottom right of the screen as normal but when you click on it nothing happens, there is no blue tape and no error messages. I cannot see any sort of pattern to the ones that do work and don’t work, it seems pretty random. ---
**Author:** ![Dunderman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecb155/32.png) [@Dunderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dunderman)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2003, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-on-microsoft-i-e-and-o-e-half-links-wont-open-why/212795/5 "2003-11-12T14:07:31Z")
I officially have no clue. Switch browsers. I recommend Firebird. ---
**Author:** ![kris](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/82dd89/32.png) [@kris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kris)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2003, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-on-microsoft-i-e-and-o-e-half-links-wont-open-why/212795/6 "2003-11-12T14:10:48Z")
The funny thing is… I can’t open that link Thanks for trying. ---
**Author:** ![Dunderman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecb155/32.png) [@Dunderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dunderman)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2003, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-on-microsoft-i-e-and-o-e-half-links-wont-open-why/212795/7 "2003-11-12T14:13:51Z")
Can you open websites by typing the url? ---
**Author:** ![kris](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/82dd89/32.png) [@kris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kris)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2003, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-on-microsoft-i-e-and-o-e-half-links-wont-open-why/212795/8 "2003-11-12T14:15:09Z")
yeah. It’s just text and picture links that are causing me hassle. ---
**Author:** ![Dunderman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecb155/32.png) [@Dunderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dunderman)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2003, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-on-microsoft-i-e-and-o-e-half-links-wont-open-why/212795/9 "2003-11-12T14:17:37Z")
I’m still saying switch. Or reinstall. I doubt there’s a better answer. ---
**Author:** ![kris](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/82dd89/32.png) [@kris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kris)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2003, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-on-microsoft-i-e-and-o-e-half-links-wont-open-why/212795/10 "2003-11-12T14:18:22Z")
How would i go about reinstalling? Aparently it is not as easy for IE is it??? ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2003, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-on-microsoft-i-e-and-o-e-half-links-wont-open-why/212795/11 "2003-11-12T14:24:19Z")
Could be your ISP switched your DNS. Why don’t you call them & see. Better to do a traceroute cause then you can see what hubs/computers/routers on the way to the websites you want are working. Otherwise give it a day or two & see if it resolves itself. ---
**Author:** ![dylan\_73](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecccb3/32.png) [@dylan\_73](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dylan_73)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2003, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-on-microsoft-i-e-and-o-e-half-links-wont-open-why/212795/12 "2003-11-12T15:01:44Z")
Re **Priceguy** ’s link: Type ftp://ftp.mozilla.org/pub/mozilla.org/firebird/releases/0.7/MozillaFirebird-0.7-win32.zip ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2003, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-on-microsoft-i-e-and-o-e-half-links-wont-open-why/212795/13 "2003-11-12T16:12:21Z")
[tiptoes in] Don’t hit me, I’m not trying to be a smartass here… Actually, I just dealt with this problem recently–turns out it was the new mouse. It was apparently not as sensitive to my “click pressure” as the old mouse had been, so I spent a couple of days wondering why some links wouldn’t open, until I figured out that this mouse just wants me to click it harder. ---
**Author:** ![kris](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/82dd89/32.png) [@kris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kris)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2003, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-on-microsoft-i-e-and-o-e-half-links-wont-open-why/212795/14 "2003-11-12T16:18:35Z")
Thanks Duck Duck Goose, Sadly thought this does not seem to be the problem. The mouse has worked fine for ages and in a anti-technilogical feat of rage I have pressed the button harder than I thought possible. Chris ---
**Author:** ![Toddly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/22d042/32.png) [@Toddly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Toddly)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2003, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-on-microsoft-i-e-and-o-e-half-links-wont-open-why/212795/15 "2003-11-12T16:19:41Z")
Here is a MS Knowledge Base page that you might want to read and see if it helps your problem.[MS Knowledge Base](http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;q281679) ---
**Author:** ![godzillatemple](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/49beb7/32.png) [@godzillatemple](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/godzillatemple)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2003, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-on-microsoft-i-e-and-o-e-half-links-wont-open-why/212795/16 "2003-11-12T16:22:05Z")
My wife’s computer at home is having the same problem. I suspect some sort of virus or spyware is to blame, but she claims that a co-worker had the same problem and that she needs to download and install a certain DLL to fix it. She can’t remember what the exact DLL is, however, and keeps forgetting to ask her co-worker. Anyway, I suppose it is possible that a necessary DLL has become corrupt or else somehow got deleted. Barry ---
**Author:** ![hroeder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9adbd/32.png) [@hroeder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hroeder)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2003, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-on-microsoft-i-e-and-o-e-half-links-wont-open-why/212795/17 "2003-11-12T16:30:06Z")
Go to Microsoft’s IE page and download and install the most recent version of Internet Explorer. It will automatically download Outlook Express. It will also make sure you don’t lose email addresses, favorite’s lists, etc. Also, make sure that your security isn’t set to the highest or second highest level. This will disable some links. (In lowering the security level, make sure you’re running current anti-virus software in the background.) IE is as easy to reinstall as any other program. ---
**Author:** ![kris](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/82dd89/32.png) [@kris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kris)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2003, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-on-microsoft-i-e-and-o-e-half-links-wont-open-why/212795/18 "2003-11-12T16:35:33Z")
Toddly can I officially worship you as a god??? The MS Knowledge base worked and fixed the problem. To the rest of you thanks for all your help and advice. I really appreciate it. Thank you. ---
**Author:** ![Toddly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/22d042/32.png) [@Toddly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Toddly)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2003, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-on-microsoft-i-e-and-o-e-half-links-wont-open-why/212795/19 "2003-11-12T16:52:03Z")
kris ,glad that worked. I learned something new too.