I'm running Windows XP SP3. All MS updates are current and up to date. I have Internet Explorer 8.Sometimes my taskbar just freezes. I can fix it by pressing Ctrl-Alt-Delete, then ending the process "explorer.exe", and then running the task "windows\explorer.exe" immediately thereafter. However, it is an unnecessary nuisance. The freezing seems to happen mostly when I am using Internet Explorer while my Norton Internet Security 2009 is installing an update. Any ideas?ThanksProfColin1 person needs an answerI do too

I'm running Windows XP SP3. All MS updates are current and up to date. I have Internet Explorer 8.Sometimes my taskbar just freezes . I can fix it by pressing Ctrl-Alt-Delete, then ending the process "explorer.exe", and then running the task "windows\explorer.exe" immediately thereafter. However, it is an unnecessary nuisance. The freezing seems to happen mostly when I am using Internet Explorer while my Norton Internet Security 2009 is installing an update. Any ideas?ThanksProfColinPatient: Doctor, my head hurts when I hit it against the wall.Doctor: Stop hitting your head against the wall.Moral: Stop using NIS 2009.Otherwise: How long has this situation been going on? What change to the system happened just before the issue started? What other "security" software is installed and active? Does the problem happen if you use IE 8 in "No Add-On Mode"?

Dear LemPThank you for your reply and interesting analogy.The situation has been prevalent since mid-November 2010 (i.e. about 2 months), but I only realized in the last few days that there might be a connection between the NIS2009 update and IE8 usage. My granddaugther has an almost identical setup on her computer than me, except she uses AVG Internet Security 2011. It sounds as if you know something about NIS that caused you some disconcert in the past?I had a look at my installation history just prior to the problem starting. About a month before the issue, my bank requested that I install additional security for internet banking, and I installed a package called "Rapport" that goes with the bank's site. Those are the only "security" software I am aware of. How do I set (or start) IE8 in "No Add-On Mode"? Warm regardsProfColin

Dear LemPThank you for your reply and interesting analogy.The situation has been prevalent since mid-November 2010 (i.e. about 2 months), but I only realized in the last few days that there might be a connection between the NIS2009 update and IE8 usage. My granddaugther has an almost identical setup on her computer than me, except she uses AVG Internet Security 2011. It sounds as if you know something about NIS that caused you some disconcert in the past?I had a look at my installation history just prior to the problem starting. About a month before the issue, my bank requested that I install additional security for internet banking, and I installed a package called "Rapport" that goes with the bank's site. Those are the only "security" software I am aware of. How do I set (or start) IE8 in "No Add-On Mode"? Warm regardsProfColin The following basically assumes that your problem is related in some way to IE8. On re-reading your initial post, it's not clear if you have a "freezing" problem ONLY when IE 8 is open (whatever site you may be accessing) or if you also have problems sometimes when IE 8 is not running. If you re-post in the IE forum (see last paragraph below), be sure to clarify this.Symantec (aka Norton) antivirus and other security products have been known in the last 5 years or so for being both resource intensive and the cause of some problems. To be fair, the products have supposedly been getting better than they were, but they, especially the "do-it-all" security suites, are still pretty resource intensive.A quick Google search came up with several complaints of NIS 2009 causing IE8 lockups, but that appeared to be related to the simultaneous use of another antimalware product (I can't recall now which one, perhaps it was SpySweeper, but in any case, you don't seem to be using the culprit). Whatever "Rapport" may be, I doubt it's the problem, particularly if you're experiencing difficulties with web sites other than the bank's.From what I've seen, NIS 2009 initially did not work well with IE8, but if you've kept the program up-to-date (in addition to keeping the anti-virus signatures up-to-date), I would hope (but don't know) that Symantec would have dealt with those issues by now.You should be able to start IE 8 in "No Add-on" mode by either (a) right-click the IE icon on the desktop and select "Start without add-ons" or (b) click Start > All Programs > Accessories > System Tools > Internet Explorer (no add-ons). If running without add-ons eliminates the freezing problem (which may be difficult to determine if you can't reliably reproduce the problem), you're a long way towards solving things. See the thread linked in the next sentence.Take a look at this thread: http://www.pcreview.co.uk/forums/thread-3827783.php If following the suggestions there does not help, I suggest that you ask your question in theInternet Explorer forum. Because that forum covers several versions of IE and Windows, be sure to include what version of Windows, including service pack, you have as well as your IE version.

Hi all.To clarify, 'Rapport' is a monitoring tool for your passwords used for logging into secure sites. It does not perform any other role. Also I used to have a similar problem but have never used Norton. Never managed to resolve it because I had to do a rebuild not long after.If you think my answers are helpful please vote and mark as possible answer. Thank you.

Dear LemPMany thanks once again for your clear and concise thoughts. As I basically always have (at least) MS Outlook and MS Internet Explorer open, I assumed that there was a connection between the NIS update and my IE8 usage during that time. However, I have now found (thanks to your kind advice) that it is not the case.Today, I:Rebooted Opened MS Outlook Connected to the internet (Did NOT open IE). As soon as I connect to the internet, NIS09 searches for updates. It then downloads and installs them. The downloads complete fine and the installation process starts normally. But at some stage during this installation process (I listen to my hard drive spinning), my Task bar freezes. So there is apparently no direct link to IE8 (but possibly to Outlook??).The weird thing for me remains the fact that once I've closed and reopened "explorer.exe", the problem never recurs during that session. In my opinion the process itself is good (and reinstalling Windows will therefore serve no purpose), but something goes wrong with it during the bootup process.Of course I'm just speculating, as (especially at my age!) I am no expert.Warm regardsProfColin

Dear LeeGplayerThanks for the clarification. Now I also know what it does. (I am slightly ancient, as you have probably gathered.)What worries me, is that you had a similar problem without ever using NIS (I had hoped the problem was narrowed down to it.)By "rebuilding" do you mean reinstalling Windows and all other applications thereafter? And after rebuilding, did you not experience the freeze again?Warm regardsProfColin

Dear LemPMany thanks once again for your clear and concise thoughts. As I basically always have (at least) MS Outlook and MS Internet Explorer open, I assumed that there was a connection between the NIS update and my IE8 usage during that time. However, I have now found (thanks to your kind advice) that it is not the case.Today, I:Rebooted Opened MS Outlook Connected to the internet (Did NOT open IE). As soon as I connect to the internet, NIS09 searches for updates. It then downloads and installs them. The downloads complete fine and the installation process starts normally. But at some stage during this installation process (I listen to my hard drive spinning), my Task bar freezes. So there is apparently no direct link to IE8 (but possibly to Outlook??).The weird thing for me remains the fact that once I've closed and reopened "explorer.exe", the problem never recurs during that session. In my opinion the process itself is good (and reinstalling Windows will therefore serve no purpose), but something goes wrong with it during the bootup process.Of course I'm just speculating, as (especially at my age!) I am no expert.Warm regardsProfColinIt sounds to me as if it's time for you to get in touch with Symantec support. If you can't get through to some official support, try one of the Symantec community forums.Interestingly, although you originally posted that you could free things up by killing explorer.exe (from Task Manager), you never mentioned if that is the process that was in fact consuming your CPU resources.Start Task Manager and go to the Processes tab, then double click on the heading of the CPU column to sort the entries by CPU usage. Then connect and let NIS do its thing. What task is taking 100% of the CPU?

Hi.I'm sorry but I could never find what was causing the problem. I was angling towards a activeX or another internet explorer add-on as the cause. That aside going off your reply above I would, almost certainly, say that it is your Norton that is causing the problem. I have seen a few problems solved by just removing the program and going with one of the free versions. I use AVAST free and have never had a problem with it. Older and less powerful computers always seem to struggle with Norton installed.If you think my answers are helpful please vote and mark as possible answer. Thank you.

Dear LemPI have to admit that all the terms used in conversations (and my research to try and understand it) have tired my aging head. PC's only came into being when I was already in my 30's (early 1980's).HOWEVER, I am very happy to report that today, I:Rebooted Connected to the internet (Did NOT have MS Outlook opened) (Did NOT open IE)and the taskbar hasn't frozen yet, even though I have since opened both Outlook and IE.So I am simply going to go online with no programs open, until such time as NIS has finished installing its updates (listening to the harddrive's spinning) and only thereafter open applications.This does not bring closure or enlightenment, but perhaps life is more colourful due to these little unsolved mysteries.Thank you for the time and effort you afforded my issue.Have a wonderful 2011ProfColin

Dear LeeGplayerThank you once again for the advice and your valuable input.I think I have a solution now - somewhat awkward - but it seems to do the trick.Warms regardsProfColin

Dear LeeGplayerThank you once again for the advice and your valuable input.I think I have a solution now - somewhat awkward - but it seems to do the trick.Warms regardsProfColinJust a thought but, did you have a look at event viewer to see if you could locate if and which application is hanging? The cause of which could also be listed as well.Click start > run > type eventvwr > click ok. In the event viewer window double click on Application in the left pane to expand the contents into the right pane. Locate the errors listed and simply go through them to see if you can isolate the cause.I don't vote for myself I'm not here for the points. If this post helps you, vote. Visit my forum @ http://repairbotsonline.com/

Dear LemPI have to admit that all the terms used in conversations (and my research to try and understand it) have tired my aging head. PC's only came into being when I was already in my 30's (early 1980's).HOWEVER, I am very happy to report that today, I:Rebooted Connected to the internet (Did NOT have MS Outlook opened) (Did NOT open IE)and the taskbar hasn't frozen yet, even though I have since opened both Outlook and IE.So I am simply going to go online with no programs open, until such time as NIS has finished installing its updates (listening to the harddrive's spinning) and only thereafter open applications.This does not bring closure or enlightenment, but perhaps life is more colourful due to these little unsolved mysteries.Thank you for the time and effort you afforded my issue.Have a wonderful 2011ProfColinThanks for the feedback, and best of luck.I suggest that once your NIS subscription expires that you seriously consider replacing it with less intrusive security programs.For antivirus, I like NOD32 by eset.com , although this is not a free program. Several posters in these forums whose opinions I respect have suggested Microsoft Security Essentials, which has the advantage of being free. Avast! is another free antivirus application often recommended here.The two currently best non-virus antimalware applications are MalwareBytes Anti-Malware and SUPERAntiSpyware . Both of these come in free versions. Although the free versions don't have "real-time" scanning, unless you're careless in your websurfing habits, a periodic scan using the free versions of two of these should be sufficient.In my opinion, the other parts of security suites such as NIS are not really necessary. The Windows XP firewall is sufficient, particularly if you also have a router for a home network. Anti-spam, anti-phishing, identity protection, and the like are not generally needed if you use common sense in the web sites you visit and the emails you open and respond to.

Just to add to the security information above, a good site rating system aides significantly also. I use MyWOT. When clicking on a potentially hazardous link a warning such as that in the image below appears letting you know of the danger.http://www.mywot.comI don't vote for myself I'm not here for the points. If this post helps you, vote. Visit my forum @ http://repairbotsonline.com/

My NIS subscription expires in August. I shall probably then subscribe to my granddaughter's package (AVG), as she clearly knows it all.I am not even going to "free versions", as my generation does not trust anything that we did not pay for.Thanks everyone for your kind contributions.Signing out now. Or "over and out" as we used to say on the walkie-talkies!ProfColin

My NIS subscription expires in August. I shall probably then subscribe to my granddaughter's package (AVG), as she clearly knows it all.I am not even going to "free versions", as my generation does not trust anything that we did not pay for.Thanks everyone for your kind contributions.Signing out now. Or "over and out" as we used to say on the walkie-talkies!ProfColinPersonally, I would rather not have an anti-virus as to use AVG. It's basically worthless for removal of threats, uses alot of resources and is overpriced. Of course, however, the same is true for NIS.If you want a good and solid anti-virus I recommend Avast. There is a free and paid version. Using the free version of an anti-virus in no way precludes it's ability to protect your machine. The viral data base for free and paid are the same for all anti-virus software I am aware of. An anti-virus is only as good as it's ability to detect which is predicated upon it's viral data base. Software companies who offer free versions do so to increase the use of the product thereby getting more user feedback through anonymous participation. In other words, they learn of new threats via users. The more users the more feedback. The more feedback the better the viral data base. I don't vote for myself I'm not here for the points. If this post helps you, vote. Visit my forum @ http://repairbotsonline.com/

Dear joelj1964That is indeed enlightening and it makes a lot of sense.I am happy to report that since I've been logging on to the internet with no additional applications open (except the ones that open during booting), I have not had the problem recurring.Warm RegardsProfColin