This could be just as easy as clearing your internet files through Tools>Internet Options>General Tab>Delete(Under browsing history) and just deleting everything. But if not then reinstalling should do the trick. If not still, then you may have to use other programs, such as CCleaner(Freeware) to assist you in cleaning your computer.

To uninstall Internet Explorer 8, follow these steps:

1. Close all programs.
2. Click Start, and then click Control Panel.
3. Click Add or Remove Programs.
4. In the list of currently installed programs, click Windows Internet Explorer 8, and then click Remove.
   
   Note If Windows Internet Explorer 8 does not appear in the list of installed updates, try the alternative steps for Windows XP or for Windows Server 2003.
5. Follow the instructions to uninstall Internet Explorer 8.
6. When the uninstall program is finished, restart your computer.

When you remove Internet Explorer 8, your earlier version of Internet Explorer is restored with your customizations (such as add-ins, Favorites, and your home page). However, Internet Explorer 8 is a part of Windows 7. Therefore, if you remove Internet Explorer 8, you will have to install a third-party browser to be able to browse the Internet.

I suggest that if possible you download and SAVE, not run, a version of internet explorer before removing it. This will allow you to simply uninstall then reinstall without hassle. This is of course just a precautionary measure, seeing as how the earlier version of internet explorer is supposed to be restored. Since you are having so much trouble now, it could be a good idea to just remove it completely.

This could be just as easy as clearing your internet files

i did that and even went into the temp internet files folder and made sure i deleted everything.

To uninstall Internet Explorer 8

ie8 doesn't offer any changes in control panel and it's not listed as an update, it's listed as the main install. but i think i'm gonna remove the last security update (kb976662) being that it was installed(2/24) ,possibly, when i started to have problems.

Note If Windows Internet Explorer 8 does not appear in the list of installed updates, try the alternative steps for Windows XP or for Windows Server 2003.

for some reason this link you've given, above, brings me to 'reply' to this original post... this is the shortcut that your link brings me to; http://en.community.dell.com/forums/AddPost.aspx?ReplyToPostID=19679559&Quote=False#ALTWin5 i don't know if you made a mistake or my pc is really messed up...

I suggest that if possible you download and SAVE, not run, a version of internet explorer before removing it.

how do i DL ie8 outside of windows update? windows update doesn't give me the choice to save.

update i removed ie8 security update... no change.

shutdown ZoneAlarm, no change.

Have you disabled and/or uninstalled any/all toolbars running on IE8?  This is a very common problem.

i have googles toolbar and ZA toolbar 'only' running and just disabled and restarted ie8 but it's still happening.

this is also happening which is weird... when page doesn't load and i click stop, i.e. loading google.com hit stop, page shows navigation cancelled, then file download pops up as if i were to download something and asks me to save google.com to my pc.

what's going on?

Have you tried running any Anti Virus programs? You mentioned that you were clicking random sites generated by google on a search, you may have gotten yourself a virus, additionally I would personally recommend using CCleaner (Freeware) to assist you in cleaning your computer, though CCleaner deals mostly with registry. A good cleaning of your computer could fix your issue, I would assume that something is corrupt. Another option would be to run your system restore, as it is an unintrusive process and fixes a lot of strange issues like the one you are having now. If all else fails back up your data and use your PC's Restore tool to restore your PC to factory defaults.

I didn't include the steps because you seem as if you are capable of doing them, however if you are fuzzy at all just let me know and I can give you step by step instructions on how to do any of the above.

yes i have avg(free). i randomly clicked sites to test to see if i corrected the problem.

i'm going to find this ccleaner and try it. i have registry mech. but had issue with it which caused me to reformat last dec. 09... plus i can't find the registration key and they don't repond to my emails on that matter.

i just went into internet options--.advanced tab and click reset which said it was gonna reset all. and when restarted.it started up as if i just installed(welcome page, tips, etc.) but still having problems.

just DLed ccleaner.

used ccleaner, still happening.

this i don't understand, i decided to do a system restore and the only available dates are march: 13, 14, 16, 17... why is that? system restore has 'max' disk space usage @4140MB. why only 4 restore points?

well that was really weird... i started to type this reply 3 seperate times and each time it went back a page when i started to type system... and the last time i started to type while in mid sentence it jumped from this form to under the select tag button below and it was actually typing in that area. and i couldn't erace it... what's going on?

well, anyway, what i was trying to type was i tried unsuccessful to do a system restore to the 13th and 14th.  i knew it wasn't gonna work when it shut down and restarted in less than a minute. system restore usually takes longer...

i was at dslreport.com to try some of their tools. i had to register. after hitting the 'sign me up + login' button the page stayed as it was, the animated icon on the tab showed busy (was spinning) yet when i checked my email a "verification message" letter was aready emailed to me. so my browser is sending the info, the browser is just not receiving comformation that the site has received it. it's 20 minute later and that page hasn't changed... the status bar says " waiting for http://www.dslreports.com/doprof..."  maybe someone can see what's happening here with this info...

tweak test from dslreport.com says my connection is good.

can't get a ping test, even doing what they recommend to do...

VOIT test keeps giving me "bad server response; please try again later"

any speed test i do tells me i'm close to my 1500kbs(DL)

line quality test; it won't perform this test