Internet Explorer - Reset

**Brink**

How to Fix a Crashing Internet Explorer in Vista

INFO: This will show you how to reset Internet Explorer (IE) back to it's default settings when IE keeps crashing or is not running properly, and how to fix the problem.

WHY: This is usually caused by a bad or corrupted add-on. Make sure that you have the latest version of the add-on installed.

NOTE:
A) Sometimes the add-on will just need to be uninstalled and reinstalled to fix the problem with it.
B) If the steps below in the tutorial do not help, then:

Try having DEP turned off for IE. See: How to Enable or Disable DEP in Vista
Try these steps. See: Microsoft Help and Support: Internet Explorer stops responding, stops working, or restarts

WARNING: This will delete all temporary browser files, disable browser add-ons, and reset all the changed settings.

RELATED LINKS:
1. How to Put the Menu Bar on Top in Internet Explorer 7

2. How to Add or Remove the Internet Explorer 7 Search Box in Vista

3. How to Change the Internet Explorer 7 Search Box Settings in Vista

4. How to Delete the Internet Explorer Browsing History in Vista

5. How to Create Shortcuts to Delete Internet Explorer Browsing History in Vista

6. How to View the Internet Explorer Temporary Internet Files and Settings in Vista

7. How to Use Tabbed Browsing in Internet Explorer in Vista

8. How to Create or Remove a Custom Title Bar in Internet Explorer 7

9. How to Add a Fully Functional IE7 Shortcut Icon to the Desktop in Vista

10. How to Change or Disable the QoS Reserved Bandwidth Limit in Vista

11. How to Change the Maximum Download Sessions in Internet Explorer for Vista

12. How to Enable or Disable DEP in Vista

13. How to Allow or Block Cookies in Internet Explorer in Vista

14. How to Turn On or Off and Use IE7 Pop-up Blocker in Vista

STEP ONE:
Test to See if a Bad Add-On is the Problem :
1. Open the Start Menu.
2. Click on All Programs, Accessories, System Tools, Internet Explorer (No Add-ons).
3. If this IE with no add-ons runs without any problems, then you have a bad add-on.
A) Do STEP TWO and THREE below.

4. If this IE with no add-ons still runs with problems, then you do not have a add-on problem.
A) Try STEP TWO to see if resetting the IE back to it's default settings will help. If it helps, then just enable your add-ons again in STEP THREE.
B) If STEP TWO does not help, then try having DEP turned off for IE. See: How to Enable or Disable DEP in Vista
C) If this still does not help, then you can do a Repair install to fix IE. See: How To Perform a Repair Installation For Vista

STEP TWO:
Reset Internet Explorer :
1. Open Internet Explorer.
2. Click Tools -> Internet Options.
NOTE: If you cannot open IE, then open the Control Panel (Classic View) and click Internet Options.

3. Click the Advanced tab. (See screenshot below)
4. Click the Reset button.

Internet_Options_Reset.jpg

5. Click Reset to confirm the reset. (See screenshot below)
NOTE: You will need to do the Apply Actions in Windows Defender if it's icon pops up in the notification area. Just click on the icon. See: How to Change Windows Defender Notification Options

Confirm_Reset.jpg

6. Click Close. (See screenshot below)

Resetting.jpg

7. Click OK. (See screenshot below)
NOTE: You will not see this if you opened Internet Options from the Control Panel.

Restart_OK.jpg

8. Close and reopen Internet Explorer to apply the reset.

STEP THREE:
How to Locate the Bad Add-on in Internet Explorer :
NOTE: Sometimes the add-on will just need to be uninstalled and reinstalled to fix the problem with it.
1. Open Internet Explorer.
2. Click Tools -> Internet Options.
3. Click the Programs tab. (See screenshot below)
4. Click the Manage Add-ons button.

Internet_Options_Programs.jpg

5. Click on a add-on and dot Enable. (See screenshot below)
NOTE: You are trying to figure out which one is bad, so just enable one or couple at a time that you think may be it. Be sure to look in the other Show drop down menu areas.

A) When the Bad Add-On is Found - Dot Disable, and click Delete if it is not grayed out to remove it.
NOTE: If is is grayed out, then see if it is listed in Programs and Features in the Control Panel so you can uninstall it.

6. Click OK.

Manage_Add-ons.jpg

7. Click OK to confirm changes. (See screenshot below)
8. Close and reopen IE to apply add-on changes.

Confirm_Changes.jpg

9. Repeat steps 1 to 8 until you find the bad add-on.
NOTE: When you find the bad add-on, just disable it again. See if you can Delete it in step 5A. If you cannot Delete it, then see if you can uninstall it in Programs and Features.

10. When done, do not forget to set all of the IE settings back to the way you want them.

That's it,
Shawn

iloveth3shotgun · 05-10-2008

thanks for the help but i think something else is causing the problem

**Brink** · 05-10-2008

Hi iloveth3shotgun,

Have you checked with the DEP setting yet in IE7 from the NOTE at the top of the tutorial? It can cause problems sometimes when it is enabled.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

**brummyfan** · 05-16-2008

Thank you Brink for this fabulous Tutorial.
It certainly helped me solve my problem.

**Brink** · 05-16-2008

Your welcome Brummyfan. I'm happy to hear that your problem is fixed.

Shawn

JustLearning · 05-22-2008

Hi, I apologize if this is in the wrong place. But, I am hoping you can help. On a Vista Home Basic computer.

Internet options is not showing in IE or in the control panel.
Typing start > run > inetcpl.cpl with admin priviledges does not open ~ nothing happens at all.

c:\windows\system32\inetcpl.cpl -exists - but will not open.

IE opens and works but there is no commandbar, no menubar - the reg fixes to show or unhide these do not work.

gpedit.msc does not open because its vista home edition

I have read it is not possible to uninstall ie7 on Vista to reinstall it. I am at a loss right now,

How to run the RIES reset of IE7 when you cannot get internet options to open? There must be a command line code to run it - at least I hope there is.
or
how to repair install ie7 on Vista?

Please help I have spent many days researching and trying to fix this. Thank you in advance.

**Brink** · 05-22-2008

Hi Just Learning,

Welcome to Vista Forums.

It sounds like you may have more going on than a IE7 problem. I would run a thorough scan for a Virus and for any other malware with your antivirus and anti-spyware programs.

You can try doing a System Restore using a restore point dated before this problem to fix your computer. This tutorial will show you how to if needed.

System Restore - How to

Hope this helps,
Shawn

JustLearning · 05-22-2008

Thank you for your response.

System restore did not help, there are no viruses or rootkits (scanned with gmer for rootkits)

I am fairly certain its a group policy via the registry that has been placed onto this computer to prevent inetcpl.cpl from opening; however, the usual locations in the registry do not show this.

Thus, I was hoping to find a way to run RIES without using the button in internet options (because it won't open)
hmm, I haven't tried renaming the cpl file and trying to open though. I will let you know if that helps.

Otherwise I am really hoping to find a method to reinstall IE7 on Vista

Thank you again for your reply

**Brink** · 05-22-2008

Ok JustLearning, I found this.

Look in the registry at:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Restrictions

and

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Restrictions

In the right pane of each location, look for NoBrowserOptions. If it is there, then right click on it and click Modify. Type 0 (number zero) and click OK.

Now logoff and logon, or restart the computer to apply the changes.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

05-10-2008
Brink Administrator Join Date: Apr 2007 Vista x64 Ultimate SP1 Posts: 13,014 Location: Texas, USA	Re: Internet Explorer - Reset Hi iloveth3shotgun, Have you checked with the DEP setting yet in IE7 from the NOTE at the top of the tutorial? It can cause problems sometimes when it is enabled. Hope this helps, Shawn
	There are no dumb questions, just the people that do not ask them. Vista Forums Please post feedback to help others.

05-16-2008
Brink Administrator Join Date: Apr 2007 Vista x64 Ultimate SP1 Posts: 13,014 Location: Texas, USA	Re: Internet Explorer - Reset Your welcome Brummyfan. I'm happy to hear that your problem is fixed. Shawn
	There are no dumb questions, just the people that do not ask them. Vista Forums Please post feedback to help others.

05-22-2008
Brink Administrator Join Date: Apr 2007 Vista x64 Ultimate SP1 Posts: 13,014 Location: Texas, USA	Re: Internet Explorer - Reset Hi Just Learning, Welcome to Vista Forums. It sounds like you may have more going on than a IE7 problem. I would run a thorough scan for a Virus and for any other malware with your antivirus and anti-spyware programs. You can try doing a System Restore using a restore point dated before this problem to fix your computer. This tutorial will show you how to if needed. System Restore - How to Hope this helps, Shawn
	There are no dumb questions, just the people that do not ask them. Vista Forums Please post feedback to help others.

05-22-2008
Brink Administrator Join Date: Apr 2007 Vista x64 Ultimate SP1 Posts: 13,014 Location: Texas, USA	Re: Internet Explorer - Reset Ok JustLearning, I found this. Look in the registry at: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Restrictions and HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Restrictions In the right pane of each location, look for NoBrowserOptions. If it is there, then right click on it and click Modify. Type 0 (number zero) and click OK. Now logoff and logon, or restart the computer to apply the changes. Hope this helps, Shawn
	There are no dumb questions, just the people that do not ask them. Vista Forums Please post feedback to help others.

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05-10-2008
iloveth3shotgun Newbie Join Date: May 2008 32bit Posts: 2	Re: Internet Explorer - Reset thanks for the help but i think something else is causing the problem

05-16-2008
brummyfan Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Vista Home Premium 32bit Posts: 48	Re: Internet Explorer - Reset Thank you Brink for this fabulous Tutorial. It certainly helped me solve my problem.

05-22-2008
JustLearning Newbie Join Date: May 2008 Vista Home Premium 32 bit Posts: 2	Re: Internet Explorer - Reset Hi, I apologize if this is in the wrong place. But, I am hoping you can help. On a Vista Home Basic computer. Internet options is not showing in IE or in the control panel. Typing start > run > inetcpl.cpl with admin priviledges does not open ~ nothing happens at all. c:\windows\system32\inetcpl.cpl -exists - but will not open. IE opens and works but there is no commandbar, no menubar - the reg fixes to show or unhide these do not work. gpedit.msc does not open because its vista home edition I have read it is not possible to uninstall ie7 on Vista to reinstall it. I am at a loss right now, How to run the RIES reset of IE7 when you cannot get internet options to open? There must be a command line code to run it - at least I hope there is. or how to repair install ie7 on Vista? Please help I have spent many days researching and trying to fix this. Thank you in advance.