msn and hotmail not working

[treespirit]

I switched from cable to aol and everything was fine at first, then all of a sudden hotmail and msn messenger quit working. I can get the msn home page but none of the links there work. No error msg but nothing loads including the messenger. Since then we changed isps but still nothing msn. Everything else works but that, it's weird. I've checked settings, and have done everything i can think of. Has anybody ever heard of something so weird or can help? I have Windows 98SE with IE 6.

[GaryRouth]

Try this
1) Uninstall all ISP software (save any account info you still need). Also uninstall MSN Messenger. Reset IE settings to Medium Defaults for Security and Privacy.
2) In Windows Explorer, make sure that the program folders for any ISPs have been removed. If they are still there, delete them.
3) Try a run of RegClean 4.1 (it was updated to work well with Win98se) http://download.com.com/3000-2094-881470.html?tag=list ---> the instructions on how to use it are in the ReadMe.txt file
4) Reinstall your current ISP software, if necessary. If you don't need their software, don't use it. For many ISPs, you can set up a DUN connection (Dial Up Networking), and just use IE.
5) Test your connection.
6) If all is OK - reinstall Messenger. If all is not OK, try visiting Windows Update, and install the patches it recommends. If it lists the Service Pack for IE, install that.
7) Test the connection.
8) If the previous reinstall of Messenger didn't work, try it again.

See if that gets things going again.
. . . Gary

[You probably should also scan for viruses and spyware, since some recent pests alter IE, as well as some networking, settings]

[p.s. . . . noticed this is one of your first posts. Welcome to the Pc Mechanic forums]

[treespirit]

Thanks very much Gary, the problem was in the registry and it all works now Thanks for the welcome, nice to be here. Seems like a great forum.