problem is with relatives pc-OS>XP>SP3>DSL>DLINK ROUTER. many months ago it worked fine, then one day this problem started. when she tries to compose an email using her windstream.net acct, a large black box appears in the message body & an error msg. comes up saying java didn't load properly or something. before this started she used to get a "white" msg. body box & after clicking on subject line, all the symbols for cut,copy,paste,etc. would show up above the message body. it has the latest version(java 6 update 23) on the pc with no problems whenever it updates. it happens on firefox & IE. i've disabled java plugins & extensions one by one, but this didn't help. could it be a corrupt/missing registry file or an xp update thats causing this? windstream says its her pc & not their software. THANX for your time/help anyone.1 person needs an answerI do too

HiIf it is web based email using a browser (i.e., not an application like outlook), given you evaluation of the Java and that it is Not working with Firefox, and I.E.I think that the email support of windstream.net is tired and slacking on their job.However if windstream.net have pop3/smpt capacity ( http://www.realifewebdesigns.com/web-resources/pop3-smtp-news-servers/windstream.asp )You are much better off configuring Outlook express to use it. No matter what it is better and more reliable than web browser email. Jack - Microsoft MVP, Windows Networking. WWW.EZLAN.NET

thanx for the reply, jack. she has a laptop with win7x64 & java works fine in her windstream acct. i meant to ask earlier if i could boot the pc from the xp cd & run a scan or something to see if there is any corrupt/missing file(s) that could cause this. its driving her crazy and it is strange how it all of the sudden stopped working correctly. the java error report was like reading hebrew. she had outlook express but someone told her it was outdated & she wanted it gone. so i read how to delete it from the registry & she wanted to try thunderbird which still uses windstream. she has "live mail" on her laptop. i told her to open a gmail, hotmail, or yahoo acct. which obviously don't use windstream. i've run an all in one utility every so often which has a reg cleaner in it(which i know does more harm than good) if you delete everything it finds. if it shows a file i don't know about i leave it alone & delete the ones i know are ok to delete. i've installed an older version of java once & it didn't help. it makes me think there might be a missing file somewhere that java needs to work correctly that got deleted. there has to be a reason why it stopped working. i don't want to have to backup everything & reformat.

HiSudden happened, and I did not do anything, is a human self-defense psychological reaction that many times is Not in accord with objective reality.When the computer interact with the Internet, files go in and out, and script is running things can happened without the user doing anything intentionally to harm.In many cases once something happens and the user starts to try fixing it, the Installing Uninstalling running wizards, indiscriminate cleaning etc., tend to further complicate the issue rather than providing relief.Using the windstream account through POP3 with Live mail (The live mail application is essentially the current replacement to Outlook express), you can have an account with Microsoft Live mail and use the application for other providers pop3 (like windstream) too.POP3 should work because it does not need all the support system of the Browser. If it does not work too, or the user does not like using pop3 application, it could be that fresh start through Re-install is your only functional remedy. Jack - Microsoft MVP, Windows Networking. WWW.EZLAN.NET

thanx again for the reply. i don't know too much about setting the correct ports for email accts., but i think she's gonna have to live with it on her pc. she'll have to use her windstream acct on her laptop if she wants to compose an email in that acct. it is strange how the error comes up saying the application didn't load correctly when the black box shows up. she opened up a hotmail acct. also. thats the end of this.