BleepingComputer.com: Internet Explorer Gone

I am using ME on an old Gateway computer. I have a new desktop (Emachine) and a laptop (Dell). The desktop is my "home" computer and my laptop is wireless. They both work perfectly. Prior to the new desktop, I was using the older Gateway computer as the "home" computer and all was well. I decided to make the older desktop wireless and purchased a Netgear wireless adapter. I have installed it and it works with a good connection...BUT I can no longer get Internet Explorer. Each time that I click it it immediately says, "Internet Explorer has an error in <unknown> and must close."...and it does. It will never connect. I wonder if I should REinstall Internet Explorer? If so, how do I REinstall if I can't get on the internet in the first place? I've been working with techs from Netgear, but all they keep having me do is work on the adapter installation. I'm sure it's fine, I think the computer needs to be configured differently or something. Any ideas? Thanks!

Update: I downloaded Internet Explorer on my functioning computer, burned a CD and attempted to install it on the computer that won't connect. I GET AN ERROR THAT SAYS, "IE SETUP HAS ENCOUNTERED AN ERROR AND WILL NOW CLOSE" Good Grief...I can't even download it!!! HELPPP!!!

Have you tried repairing IE? Instructions here.

There's also a repair utility that you might try to download here.

And not to be boastful. but here's a repair for IE6 from our own Bleeping files.

I tried all the repairs and they didn't work. Thanks for the info. Now I'm trying to REinstall Internet Explorer from a cd that I burned on my other computer. It gives me the setup, then "install now"...then I get Ie6wzd has caused an error in <unknown> and will now close. It seems from this that I can't even REinstall IE!! Arggggggg!!! Maybe I'm going to have to trash this computer...I've been working on this for three weeks!

Sorry the repair didn't work. However, if you want to keep trying, you may still be able to get it installed. For one thing, you need to copy the installation file to your hard drive instead of installing it from a disk. I don't know why, but some things will not install from a disk.

If it still won't install, use Windows Explorer to navigate to C:/Windows/System/CatRoot and see if you can find this file:

{F750E6C3-38EE-11D1-85E5-00C04FC295EE}

If you find it, delete and try the install again.

Also, delete all the files in your temp files directory by going to Start -> Run and type %temp%. Make sure you can see hidden files and folders by going to the Tools tab and choosing Folder Options and click the View tab and check Show Hidden Files and Folders and uncheck Hide Protected Operating System Files. Then select all the files in the temp folder and delete them. If some files won't delete, uncheck those files and try again. There may be a few of the files in use and they don't need to be deleted.

Oh, THANK you for the help. I'll try this method right after lunch. Thanks for sticking around to help me!!

)(*&%&*%#@#$ That didn't work either. I feel doomed. Now I'm determined to at least get it back to the way it was prior to the installation of the Netgear Wireless adapter. Prior to that I could at least get the internet when it was hooked up to the modem, now it won't even do that. I've already UNinstalled the wireless adapter, rehooked the computer up to the modem, and still no Internet Explorer. Is it posssible to burn Mozilla onto a CD and then download it onto this computer? If I have to save it to my hard drive and then run it, how do I do that?

It's easy to install Firefox (Mozilla) by just moving the file from one computer to another. Just download it to a folder on your other computer's hard drive, copy the file onto a CD and then copy from that to a folder on your hard drive. Double-click on the file to install.

You've been very patient with me. I downloaded the Firefox on my laptop, copied to a CD, loaded the CD in the computer in question, copied it to the hard drive. I double click and get this error: "7-Zip, unspecified error" WHAT am I doing wrong? This is soooooo frustrating, but I'm learning lots!

After going to the Firefox site I found suggestions for the error that keeps coming up. I did all they said such as deleting temp files, etc. I still get the error message! It won't load.

They say it's usually due to a corrupt download. You certainly seem to be having your share of problems with this. I'd tell you to run the system file checker, but ME doesn't have one, since in their infinite wisdom, the Microsoft designers tried to make ME automatically check all its files continously.

I'm beginning to wonder if there isn't something majorly corrupted in the operating system.

I'm not sure which version of IE you had, nor which version you're trying to install. You can get IE 6 here for other versions besides XP, and it will download with Firefox. (I just tried it.)

If you absolutely cannot get this to work, it may be necessary to reinstall ME. It would take far less time than you've probably spent on this project already.

This computer was given to me a year ago by father-in-law. It worked pretty well, but since then I've gotten a new desktop and a new laptop, so this is the third computer, but I thought would be sufficient for my 10-year-old son. I'm about through fiddling with it!!!!! FIL gave me the CDs that came with it, one of which is the ME installation disk. I tried to reinstall ME several days ago, forgetting that it asks for a "key" number that I don't have. He'd taken all the disks he had and put them in a disk holder and I understand the "key" number was on the CD case. {Great, just great....}

Yahoo/Att is my ISP, so I decided to try to load the Yahoo Browser. WELL, after getting 3/4 through with the installation, I find it won't work with the Netgear Wireless Adapter (they have their own, of course). I feel like I'm getting kicked at every turn! The tech in me is persistent, and I'm not giving up yet!

Well, Yahoo browser didn't work either, sooooooo, I think I'm going to have to give it up....at least for awhile! Tired.................!!!!!!!!!!!!

Maybe I can help you with the key. As long as the system runs, you should be able to install the Magical Jellybean Keyfinder (there are others as well) and it will locate the key for you. Write it down and keep it in a safe place. (I often write it on the case) I realize you'll have to copy it to a disk but it's only 251k and will fit on a floppy. Just copy it to a file on your computer or even your desktop, double-click on it and you've got the key.

Please tell me if I have this right....download this Magical Jelly Bean Keyfinder on my "working" computer and burn it onto a CD? (This new computer has no floppy drive.) Then run the CD on the "not working" computer? OR run it on my "working" computer and it will still give me the key number for the ME installation CD for the "Not working computer"?

Thanks!!