BleepingComputer.com: Internet Explorer has disappeared.

I am using Windows XP Home with SP3 and I stupidly let my ex son-in-law use it to (he said) do something in Word. I was away for a week and when I came back I find that IE has gone! When I say gone I mean just that, no short-cut in the task-bar or anything. If I do a windows search it finds about 23 cases of IE but if I click on any of them the screen flickers and then nothing.
I tried downloading IE8 (I had IE7), it almost went through the download but stopped near the end and then....nothing. I then tried IE7 but the same thing happened.
I've tried asking him nicely if he accidentally did something untoward but he denies it. He's adamant that it's because I installed Microsoft Security Essentials but as I pointed out, that has been on for about 2 months with no problem, and anyway why would that have anything to do with IE's disappearance!!
Now I will say I am not a great user of IE but I like to know it's there just in case. I have run a scan with MSSE but nothing was found.
Any help is appreciated.

You could try a system restore back to a point just before the issue began. In your case, if you can, restore to a day or so before your ex-son-in-law used the computer.

Start menu/All Programs/Accessories/System Tools/System Restore.

While you have system restore open, click on the dates for the week you were gone and see if there is anything other than System Checkpoint is listed. If he did do something it may show up.

Try the following from microsoft

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/945402

Thanks to both of you for answering.
First Queen-Evie, I've done a system restore and the IE icon has re-appeared in the task-bar. Unfortunately when it is clicked IE tries to open but all I get is a partial/broken screen then it disappears. At least I now get something.

Baltboy, I've read the link you gave me and although it looks promising I'm not sure If I should go ahead with it as it seems to suggest it's a way to get the icon back, which as I've stated above, I now have it back. Do you think if I followed the instructions it would help,hinder or conflict with the steps I have already taken?

There is one thing you can try. It may or may not work for you.

Click on Tools at the top of this page. Choose Internet Options.

When Internet Options opens, ADVANCED tab.
At the bottom under Reset Internet Explorer settings, click RESET.

IF it works, your home page will be changed to MSN but you can easily change it back to whatever you prefer.

Problem here though is, as I cannot open IE I cannot click on tools. As the browser I use is Firefox, when I click on tools there there is no Internet Options, only 'Options' then when 'advanced is clicked there is obviously (no slight intended)Reset Internet Explorer settings to click.
Apologies if I have misunderstood.

Go to your ADD/REMOVE PROGRAMS and see if Windows Internet Explorer 7 or 8 is listed. Remove which ever one is listed or if both are listed remove both. If both are listed remove 8 first and see if you end up with 2 7's. If 2 7's are found remove the most recent. Depending on when you installed SP3 you may even go back to IE 6 see if it works. If it does try updating from it.

Dan

Q Ev would Revo help if 2 IE's are installed?

Well here's a thing. I went into Add/Remove Programs and there was no instances of Internet Explorer even though a search still reveals 23 items found!
Not really sure what you mean by,
Q Ev would Revo help if 2 IE's are installed?
So taking it upon myself (never a clever thing to do) I looked in Revo Uninstaller and found IE8. I un-installed it but it doesn't seem to have made any difference. The shortcut icon is still there and when clicked IE attempts to open but just seems to 'let go'.
I think I installed SP3 about a year ago (I'm guessing roughly). Do you think I should try installing IE6, I'm tempted but don't want to mess things up any further.

peem, on Dec 30 2009, 05:57 PM, said:

From your start menu click on Control Panel. Open up Internet Options from there.

As for IE6, it's worth a try to install it. If it works, you can at a later date reinstall IE7 or 8.

And yes, it's ok to use Revo. It gets rid of files and leftover registry items that Windows installer leaves behind.
When using it, if you are asked to reboot your system, say no, continue the process of scanning for leftovers, delete them, then reboot.

I'm going to grasp at a straw here, in your add/ remove programs in the programs access and defaults in the custom settings check and see if IE is enable. If not enabled check to enable it.

Dan

Ok I've got a bit to report so if you dont mind I'll answer danjmilos first.
I followed your suggestion and under 'custom' the button which was/is ticked is 'use my current web browser'. I changed that to Internet Explorer and it brought back my IE icon in the task-bar,(more about that in a minute). Still no joy I'm afraid. IE flashes momentarily then disappears. When I went back to change it to 'use my current web browser' it already was and I had clicked ok.

Queen-Evie, phew, where to start. First off I did what you asked and nothing happened when I clicked reset. I then tried to do an install of IE6 but got a pop-up telling me, and I quote, Setup cannot continue because a more recent version of Internet Explorer has been detected on this computer. Now this shouldn't have happened because I did as you suggested and removed IE8 with Revo. So I did a search and there was no sign of any IE. Anyway I then tried to install IE7 and the same pop-up appeared. So it must be IE8 I thought. All I could think of doing was to install (on top of maybe?) another IE8. Now this was successful because the aforementioned icon re-appeared. It had obviously gone when I used Revo. But still the problem persists, it tries to connect but falls by the wayside so to speak.

Right I have now got to go and see the new year in at work so thank you all for your time and effort and I'll look in again tomorrow.
A happy new year to all on BleepingComputer.

I'm seeing the New Year in at work also, just a few things before I lose more brain cells; try running IE with no-add ons, Start | (All) Programs | Accessories | System Tools | Internet Explorer (No add-ons), if that works good. If not we'll have to try a different approach. Scan with MBAM if you have it, if not go to malwarebytes. org and download it, install it, update it then do a quick scan. If something is found a new can of worms is opened and you'll need more help and ideas than I can supply. I did some research that said it could be a malware problem, hope it isn't.

Dan

HAPPY NEW YEAR.

Besides closing I have the great honor of opening tomorrow also.

Well I hope everyone had a nice new year.
Ok an update on how things have gone.
danjmilos I tried the IE with no add-ons but it was just the same. I have also run a MBAM but nothing was found. I did all that yesterday and today, the IE No-Add-ons icon is now in my start menu. I clicked on it and although IE still wouldn't open it did get further than usual. I got the hourglass beside the cursor, it stayed like that for a while then a window opened (blank white) with IE8 in the title bar. It hung there for about 5 seconds then disappeared. Well at least that is better than what was happening before.
Also, and I don't know if this is worse, better or nothing to do with the same problem, I got a pop-up window from 'Updates' saying, Some updates could not be installed. Cumulative Security Update for Internet Explorer 8 for Windows XP (kb976325).
I'm afraid that's as far as I have gotten.

This New Year has been much the same as the last.

Since your having a problem with IE that update may not install. Another way to reset IE is to go to control panel open the Internet Options then the Advance tab and now chose the RESET IE button and see if it resets.

Maybe before you do that uninstall any tool bars, Google, Yahoo, Ask or whatever one of them may be causing a problem. Use Revo or ADD/REMOVE it does not matter.

Dan

Queen-Evie, on Dec 30 2009, 02:59 PM, said:

peem, on Dec 31 2009, 12:12 PM, said:

danjmilos, on Jan 2 2010, 11:18 AM, said:

Already suggested and tried.

This post has been edited by Queen-Evie: 02 January 2010 - 04:41 PM