Starting IE7 by clicking onto links in other programs takes longer and longer...

Since a few weeks I have the more and more annoying behavior here, that
starting IE7 from within another program (i.e. by clicking onto a link,
e.g. in an email or in a PDF or a word file) takes "forever".

Initially this opened IE7 almost instantaneous, then - a few weeks ago -
this suddenly took like 10 seconds or so until the browser showed up and
since then things seems to get worse and worse every day. It now takes
between 30-60(!) seconds until the browser finally shows up and more
than once it already happened, that by the time when the browser finally
opened I already had forgotten, why I had clicked that link and what I
wanted here...

Strange enough, starting the browser by clicking its desktop- or
quickstart-icon works as it always did and opens it immediately and so I
have more and more get used again, to when I want to open a URL from
another program to not simply click on it, but rather copy it onto the
clipboard, fire up the browser and paste it into the address bar. This
works as fast as it always did, but is of course this is most annoying
and inconvenient.
The only exception, from where IE still starts with its original speed,
is
the newsreader (i.e. Outlook Express). Clicking on a link in Outlook
(XP),
though, takes - as I mentioned - "forever".

I have already deleted all temp. internet files, and I have testwise
disabled ALL add-ons, to check whether any of these might be the
culprit, but without success/change. I also tried with disabled
firewall,
viruschecker and I also toggled the "automatically detect settings"
under
Options => Connection => LAN settings on and off, but again, no
noticable difference.

What else could cause these enourmous delays when starting IE from
within another program???

This is using WinXP (plus all available patches installed).

Michael

 

1. Does this behavior persist if you start IE7 in No Add-ons mode? To start
IE7 in No Add-ons mode:

Right-click on the blue IE desktop icon and select Start without Add-ons; or

Start > (All) Programs > Accessories > System Tools > Internet Explorer (No
add-ons).

Troubleshooting and Internet Explorer’s (No Add-ons) Mode:
http://blogs.msdn.com/ie/archive/2006/07/25/678113.aspx

2. Does the problem persist if you Reset IE7 Settings (RIES)?
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/923737 <= Read before using!

3. If you uninstall (a) IE7 (which automatically returns you to IE6), (b)
all toolbars and (c) all third-party Windows Themes (including Window
Blinds) and do NOT reinstall IE7, does this behavior persist? If it does,
do NOT reinstall IE7.

Uninstalling IE7
http://www.ie-vista.com/kbase2.html

How to uninstall Internet Explorer 7:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/927177

IE7 (Un)Installation and Anti-Malware Applications:
http://blogs.msdn.com/ie/archive/2006/10/11/IE7-Installation-and-Anti_2D00_Malware-Applications.aspx

4. Required reading IMHO before reinstalling IE7:

Sandi's Installation Tips <= FOLLOW THESE TIPS TO THE LETTER!
http://www.ie-vista.com/known_issues.html#pre-install

[And I strongly recommend using
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/downloads/ie/getitnow.mspx as the
installation source, not Automatic/Windows Update.]

Make *certain* that you check in at Windows Update immediately after
reinstalling IE7 to install any critical updates offered. If Optional
Updates category offers Root Certificates update, I recommend installing it
to take full advantage of IE7's additional security.