Is there any easy way to discover (and fix) why IE 11 occasionally locks up my entire PC?

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Is there any easy way to discover (and fix) why InternetExplorer 11 occasionally locks up my entire PC for around 40 seconds? Even the cursor will not move during thislockup. This is annoying, but has beenhappening for a long time and doesn’t seem to cause a long term problem. In addition, the lockup usually only happensonce after I boot up in the morning (I typically turn off my PCovernight.)

So far, I have taken the following steps to try to find/fixthe problem:

1. I turned OFF GPUrendering in Internet Explorer 11 and selected “Use software instead”(first option under “Advanced” in IE 11)

(There are over 60 additional “Advanced” options,some of which are checked and some not, but I’m not sure what most of them do. In any event, this is a plain vanillainstallation and shouldn’t have any exotic or rarely used options enabled. )

2. I disabled alladd-ons in Internet Explorer 11, including add-ons that were loaded AND add-onsthat were not loaded.

Neither of the above two changes seemed to eliminate thelock-up – it’s still happening a few minutes after startup each morning .

I’m using the current version ( I think ) of InternetExplorer 11:
Version: 11.0.9600.18230; Update Versions: 11.0.29 (KB3139929)
IE 11 is running on a Dell Inspiron 5720 with Windows 7Professional Service Pack 1

Is there any (easy) way to find out what’s going on?

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

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First try resetting IE to defaults by clicking on the Tools cog – Internet options and under the Advanced tab you will see the Reset button and this requires a reboot to effect.

On the odd occasion I reset, I check all of the boxes and then have to change my home page back to http://www.google.co.uk when it defaults to the MSN page.

IE has a Fix it to make IE safe and stable you can try, else look in Event Viewer.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/mats/ie_performance_and_safety

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There may be a long-running script running when you visit some websites.

My computer was as slow as molasses at many websites. Here’s what I did to fix it:
I uninstalled Flash — if you do this, there will sometimes be a video you can’t watch.
I installed AdBlockPlus — be sure to turn off the white list, because companies pay to get on ABP’s white list.

I also installed No Script — but it is only for Firefox, so it won’t help you with IE.

After doing these three things, my web surfing is at a normal, reasonable speed.

Group "L" (Linux Mint)
with Windows 10 running in a remote session on my file server

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There may be a long-running script running when you visit some websites.

I installed AdBlockPlus — be sure to turn off the white list, because companies pay to get on ABP’s white list.

I don’t see any option to turn off the white list ABP..

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There may be a long-running script running when you visit some websites.

I installed AdBlockPlus — be sure to turn off the white list, because companies pay to get on ABP’s white list.

I don’t see any option to turn off the white list ABP..

I read about the ABP white list, and that companies pay to get on it. Unfortunately, I can’t check it right now, because my normal computer died (the one with ABP installed on it), and I can’t install ABP on my work computer in order to check it there.

Group "L" (Linux Mint)
with Windows 10 running in a remote session on my file server

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As wild as this will sound, daily clearing my browsers’ cache files really helped speed things along in my three computers! ccenhancer kicks in ccleaner at coldpost/boot and restart. Ok, this will help the SLOWness, however, this may not help the lockups, I’ll listen in and learn right along with ya.

"Take care of thy backups and thy restores shall take care of thee." Ben Franklin, revisted

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It may be nothing to do with IE11 if its happening after boot. Have you tried an alternative browser. It does suggest, however, that some program is struggling to start up and this is causing the PC to freeze whilst it does so. (I assume you’ve checked for malware.)
Install Autoruns and disable any startups that aren’t required to run automatically, check for programs that you don’t recognize and then check the rest by a process of elimination.

https://technet.microsoft.com/en-gb/sysinternals/bb963902.aspx

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Thanks..When you can let me know.
Here’s a screen shot of what I see when I select settings on ABP.

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Thanks..When you can let me know.
Here’s a screen shot of what I see when I select settings on ABP.

Just uncheck the box. That rids you of the “whitelist” mentioned.

RockE

Image or Clone often! Backup, backup, backup, backup......
- - - - -
Home Built: Windows 10 Home 64-bit, AMD Athlon II X3 435 CPU, 16GB RAM, ASUSTeK M4A89GTD-PRO/USB3 (AM3) motherboard, 512GB SanDisk SSD, 3 TB WD HDD, 1024MB ATI AMD RADEON HD 6450 video, ASUS VE278 (1920x1080) display, ATAPI iHAS224 Optical Drive, integrated Realtek HD Audio

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There’s no mention of a White List in ABP’s settings so I suspect this will be something done at code level and not available to Joe Public.

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Well Sudo, I guess that settles that..
Thanks.

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I’ve had to use the Manage to allow adverts on two websites – one, because I had to, to access it and the other was because it blocked dynamic info.

This seems to be the extent of the end user’s control.

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I have a few exceptions also like my bank and a few others..I just have very few problems with ABP..Annnnd, the price is right too!

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So, to make the point, this isn’t supposed to happen. And no, finding out why it is happening isn’t exactly easy. It’s not hard either but a lot of people kind of expect this:

44074-Fanciful-IE-Error-Message

The things to try:

1). Try using a different browser. Firefox, Chrome, Opera, whatever. Try anything different. See if the problem remains;
2). I’ve seen lots of people over the years get stuck on their initial or routine purpose. Mix it up instead. In this case make sure you are visiting more than one website. The point here is to determine if it’s one website that is the problem or if it’s all websites;
3). Try any local programs. I like Notepad because it is about as small and simple an application as you can get and still be a Windows application. Does it freeze up?

There are many other possible steps including some really obvious ones (Task Manager). However the above will get you started.

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Until the OP comes back, we won’t know if any of the suggestions have helped – but it could also be an overheating problem until the fans bring the temp back down for things to start working again.

As it only occurs first thing, the fans could be a bit sluggish in getting going, especially if it’s been a while since the inside of the machine had last seen an air duster can.

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There are often long-running scripts which hang everything up till they finish running. If you use Firefox, you can use NoScript. I suspect that will help a lot.

Group "L" (Linux Mint)
with Windows 10 running in a remote session on my file server

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That box is default unchecked on my ABP – sorry didn’t notice yours was checked.

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InternetExplorer 11 occasionally locks up my entire PC for around 40 seconds … usually only happens once after I boot up in the morning

To clarify: is IE one of your autorun programs at bootup? If yes, change that.
Run some other program after bootup, how does it go?

If your IE is 64-bit, uninstall and install the 32-bit version [don’t use 64-bit programs on a 64-bit computer unless you have a specific reason, use 32-bit as a rule of thumb].

RolandJS mentioned your browser cache, have you deleted Temp Internet Files recently?

How many days do you keep History for? More than say 20 might slow things.

Try BHarder’s suggestions.

1). Try using a different browser. Firefox, Chrome, Opera, whatever. Try anything different. See if the problem remains;
2). I’ve seen lots of people over the years get stuck on their initial or routine purpose. Mix it up instead. In this case make sure you are visiting more than one website. The point here is to determine if it’s one website that is the problem or if it’s all websites;
3). Try any local programs. I like Notepad because it is about as small and simple an application as you can get and still be a Windows application. Does it freeze up?

And please let us know how it’s going.

Lugh.
~
Alienware Aurora R6; Win10 Home x64 1803; Office 365 x32
i7-7700; GeForce GTX 1060; 16GB DDR4 2400; 1TB SSD, 256GB SSD, 4TB HD

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@ Lugh – IE is part of Windows and while can be turned off in Programs and Features/Turn Windows features on or off, its normal to have it turned on and for it not to freeze.

There aren’t actually two versions of IE where you uninstall one version for the other.

IE comes default as a 32 bit browser and you change that to the 64 bit version by going Tools – Internet options and under the Advanced tab, scroll down to Security and check the box for Enable Enhanced Protected Mode – Apply – OK which requires a reboot to effect.

I don’t think many people are using the 64 bit mode just yet as it has/had problems with some add-ons.

As for not using 64 bit programs on a 64 bit OS – some programs will auto detect you are using a 64 bit system and download that, but there are other instances where you must install the version for your OS, so I don’t understand that bit of advice you have given.

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There aren’t actually two versions of IE where you uninstall one version for the other.

I didn’t know that, thanks. I had wondered why Help > About didn’t say which bittedness IE was running.

As for not using 64 bit programs on a 64 bit OS – some programs will auto detect you are using a 64 bit system and download that, but there are other instances where you must install the version for your OS, so I don’t understand that bit of advice you have given.

It’s general advice, but with exceptions as you note–especially for any software which digs deep into the OS. For example, MS themselves advise installing Office x32 on a x64 OS. Two main reasons in general iirc:
1) Very few programs will benefit from being x64, mainly the exceptions you mention plus programs which need a lot of RAM.
2) Many plug-ins and add-ons will only work with x32 versions of software.

But it’s only a ‘rule of thumb’, as I said.

Lugh.
~
Alienware Aurora R6; Win10 Home x64 1803; Office 365 x32
i7-7700; GeForce GTX 1060; 16GB DDR4 2400; 1TB SSD, 256GB SSD, 4TB HD

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I think both the 32-bit and 64-bit browser uses the same user pots [add-ons, plug-ins, cache folders, and such].

"Take care of thy backups and thy restores shall take care of thee." Ben Franklin, revisted

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I think both the 32-bit and 64-bit browser uses the same user pots [add-ons, plug-ins, cache folders, and such].

When I tried IE 10 x64 bit, it disabled one of my Norton 360 add-ons as not compatible.

Then, it wouldn’t run 32 bit add-ons and even now in Win 7 IE 11 there are two Shockwave ActiveX Controls add-ons.

They are both listed as 32 bit but by default in IE 11 x32bit, one is disabled.

http://winaero.com/blog/how-to-enable-64-bit-internet-explorer-processes/

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I seem to remember if you right clicked on the IE icon in the task bar, when running IE x32 it would just say Internet Explorer but when running it in 64 bit mode, it would say it was 64 bit.

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2016 04 30:
Thanks to everybody who responded to my original request for help with lockups after boot, apparently involving Internet Explorer. My wife recently asked me again to fix it, since her PC is doing the same thing. I have been trying some of the options suggested previously but nothing has changed so far. Here is what I have tried:

1. Reset IE to defaults and reboot

2. Other websites suggest that “igfxupdate.exe” could be the problem but I could not find this program either in C:WindowsSystem32 or C:WindowsSysWOW64.

3. I applied a Microsoft Fix-it to Internet Explorer, as described at:
https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/mats/ie_performance_and_safety
The only problem fixed was to “Enable Data Execution Prevention.”
After running this Fixit, I rebooted, and the PC quickly lockup up again, just as before.

4. One previous suggestion was to see if a local program like Notepad locks up. But this is not possible to test because the keyboard and cursor don’t work during the lockup. In particular, even ctrl-alt-delete does NOT work during the lockup to bring up the Task Manager.

I still have some previous suggestions to try out, but wanted to thank those who responded for your suggestions and also let you know that I am still working on the problem.

Finally, I don’t really know how to interpret or understand the Task Manager/Resource Monitor. I note the following: with only MS Word open (NOT Internet Explorer), and the Task Manager, CPU Usage is low (0-1%) . Opening Resource Monitor initially shows CPU, Disk, Network, and Memory Hard Faults all blank (low usage). However, with Resource Monitor open (as I am typing this note), then CPU usage, Disk usage, and Network all spike higher (but NOT Memory Hard Faults). I don’t know what this means since the only thing running is MS Word, Task Manager, and Resource Monitor. Why would any of these programs use the Network or the Disk?

So I will continue trying to sort it out, but, as I said, nothing has affected the situation so far.
Thanks for any additional suggestions or comments.

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Have you checked Event Viewer Errors or Critical ?

They will be time stamped for around when you experience these lock ups.

Do the lock ups still occur in Safe Mode with Networking ?

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Test the IE ‘automatically detect’ settings, they can cause issues: http://ask-leo.com/do_i_want_to_let_my_browser_automatically_detect_settings.html

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Test the IE ‘automatically detect’ settings, they can cause issues: http://ask-leo.com/do_i_want_to_let_my_browser_automatically_detect_settings.html

Didn’t know that.

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