Rog is probably right. I can tell you from my own personal experience that multiple IE uninstalls, reinstalls, upgrades and downgrades take their toll. You may well have some mix and match files.
I have used IEradicator in the past to totally wipe out IE and then start fresh with a new copy.
It also will delete Favorites, so make a backup copy. And it removes the Java Virtual Machine. Be prepared to Download reinstall that too.
But in the end, after you clean things completely and then reinstall Internet Explorer , you'll find your computer is running much better. There is a slight risk of damage, but a Windows overinstall can solve that. I have never had to overinstall. But you will need to get a working copy of IE or some other Browser after you IEradicate.
To get a working Browser(IE) installed, either do a Win ME overinstall to go back to the original MEversion or first download IE 6 or 5.5 before you IERadicate and save it on the hard drive for a complete IE install .
Here are the directions for Downloading IE to disk and saving it.
Download Setup. Click on Setup
Choose install Minimal or customize your Browser. Click next. Choose the components you want to install.
Hit the Advanced Button Check the Download only box. Press OK Click next
There is another box here too. Associate file types. Check that if you want IE to be associated with its usual file types.
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If you try to download the same version or a lower version than the IE you already have installed, you will not be allowed to do that. There's a workaround for that.
Go to Start>Run and Type regedit
Press enter
Navigate to:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer
Highlight Internet Explorer in the left pane. Look in the right pane for this String Value:
Version
Double click on Version. Type 4.0 in the box. Click OK
Now when Update looks at that key, it will see a lower version of IE and you wil be able to download the complete install and save it.
Here's the link to Ieradicator. Read the help file carefully. It only takes a minute to remove IE and start fresh.
http://www.litepc.com/ieradicator.html
You'll then need to go to windows Update and reinstll all the Security Updates too.