Java applets freezing up system?

[Debbie A.]

Different computer, different problem than my previous problems.

This is a four-month-old system that I built myself. I'm running WIN98SE and IE6.

ASUS P4T-E socket-478 motherboard
Intel P4 1.8 Ghz
512 MB Samsung Rambus (2x256)
Plextor 24x10x40 CD-RW
Maxtor 40 GB hard drive 7200
Sony floppy drive
Sound Blaster Live 5.1
Abit 64 MB video card
Pine v.92 56k PCI modem
D-Link 10/100 Ethernet card
Enlight mid ATX case with 400-watt power supply


I started having problems with only one website. www.bidz.com has five-minute auctions with live streaming bidding info. For the past few weeks, Internet Explorer 6 and Outlook Express would freeze when I went to that site. The problem got worse until now I cannot run Internet Explorer at all. It freezes as soon as I open it up. I tried doing a repair on IE, which didn't do anything. I can run Netscape fine, but it also freezes when I go to live streaming auction websites or game sites. Outlook doesn't freeze when Netscape freezes.

I thought it might be a RAM problem, so I opened up Outlook Express, six different word processing and graphics applications, and ten windows of Netscape. Everything went fine until I went to the live auction site, and then all ten Netscape screens froze on a blank screen. When I did ctr/alt/del and end task, they all closed at once.

Edited to add that I have scanned for viruses and there were none. I was running McAfee firewall/Antivirus and thought that it might be causing the problems, so I took it off and put on Norton Internet Security (firewall and anti-virus). No change in the problems.

Any ideas about what could be causing this problem? Also, since I have been having many strange problems with both computers in our house lately, could they somehow all be related to power surges or DSL problems?

Thanks,
Debbie

[HackinCowboy]

Try reinstalling your Java Virtual Machine.

• 1. Select JAVA.INF found in the \Tools\MTSutil folder on the Windows 98 CD.
  2. Right-Click JAVA.INF
  3. Choose INSTALL to reinstall the Java VM

Hope this helps.

[Orcmonkey]

You could also try installing the Sun JDK or what have you, and when that installs, you can tell it to handle java for IE/NS.... Maybe that would do it better then MS's VM.

[Debbie A.]

Thanks to both of you for replying so quickly. Cowboy, it worked! I reinstalled VM and everything seems fine. Thank you!

Orc, I'll also keep your suggestion in mind if I have any more problems.

Debbie

[Debbie A.]

Well, part of the problem is solved, but IE is still freezing sometimes when I try to open it up, and taking Outlook Express down with it.

I think that IE may be goofed up too. I have been tossing around the idea of putting WIN2k on this machine, so maybe this is a good time. If it's a software problem, a clean OS install should take care of it, right?

Debbie

[Orcmonkey]

Yes, I'd think a fresh install would cure your IE problems. Also highly reccomend 2000!

[HackinCowboy]

A fresh install usually cures most problems. Unless it's hardware or a virus. In this case though putting Win2k on should do the trick. I'm surprised that the IE repair didn't fix it. It just seems like IE is corrupted. Do you have all the updates installed? You could also try to remove IE then install it again. It would be less work than a fresh install.