On my mother’s computer, IE will no longer open a link in a new window. It will follow any link that is clicked upon, but if you ask it to open in a new window, it will not. The new window is opened, but the link is not followed. The new window just sits there. It doesn’t even time out.
Anyone encounter this? Anyone know how to fix this?
Thanks!
Have you emptied your internet caches? From a browser window, open the Tools menu, select Internet Options, then under Temporary Internet Files, click Delete Files. Then try opening a link in a new window.
Thanks for the suggestion. It didn’t help though. 
My work computer will occasionally do that if I don’t bother rebooting after a couple of months. Rebooting clears it up every time, though, so I’m pretty sure that doesn’t help you.
Based on personal experience this is an activex problem, and may include spyware components, or it’s simply poorly written scripts accessing activex (in your case not very likely). It may also be a problem with installed (third party) toolbars. Your installed activex objects are accessable at IE menu: Tools - Internet Options → tab: Settings, tab: View Objects. Or look in the ‘Downloaded Program Files’ folder of the root system folder (Windows-foler). Most of these objects should be codecs.
I trust you hace scanned your system with adaware and spybot.
Anyway, checking out google before asking is always a good idea. The top result is this one:
I’ve been thinking along those lines too (the activeX suggestion) but didn’t know enough about IE to or one of those damn third party toolbars. My sister loads every one she can find. Now that you have shown me where to look, I’ll follow up. Thanks!
I’m thinking about wiping the disk and reinstalling XP. But of course, Mom doesn’t know where that disk is…
Just so there’s no confusion, toolbars can be found in the View-menu, but some toolbars may not be listed. Open the registry (Click Start -> Run; type: regedit) and have a look in :
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Toolbar
Anyway, you might want to update IE through Windows Update over reinstalling XP. Less work I would reckon. Good Luck.
The latter would have been my path, but Mom didn’t keep the XP disk! I very clearly remember telling her that I WILL NEED THIS DISK IF THINGS GO WRONG. KEEP THIS DISK. Apparently she thought that meant to throw it out. I’m gonna full around with it for a few more hours and then go to Staples and see if I can get a new XP install…
If you have an actual, factual, real-life XP install, but just lost the disk, call/email Microsoft. They usually can issue a replacement disk. You’ll just have to give them the CD key on the side/bottom/back of the computer. The new disk they send will either be set to only work with that CD key, or it will have its own new CD key that it will only work for, and your current CD key will be invalidated.
Something similar happened to me. I bought a copy of XP Pro, but the disc arrived very scratched and could not install. I called thme up, gave them the serial number off the old disc, and got a replacement disc with a new CD key.
OK, finally fixed (or mostly, I’m adding Java and stuff now.)
I got a new version of XP from Staples. I am very impressed with Staples right now. The version loaded up until I had to enter the key. For some reason the key was wrong (I have never ever heard of this.) I entered it several times, had someone else check it for me and started over twice. It would not take. So I took XP back to Staples. They replaced it, no questions asked.
XP could not find the driver for the video or the sound card. I must say that I am impressed with eMachines right now. I went to their site and they had a page dedicated to the model of machine that Mom has. It had an easy link to every single driver I needed. I would buy another eMachine if I had to.
Thanks for all the help. 