Why Your IE Is Slow to Launch on XP

Many extra items can slow IE.

Problems with Internet Explorer are specifically concerned with IE8. IE8 offers new features that can cause the browser to freeze, especially with the older Windows XP operating system. A series of steps are necessary to discover why your IE is slow to launch on XP.

Check Plug-Ins and Add-Ons

Toolbars, file-sharing programs, online shopping "companions," free email enhancers and download manager online shopping "companions" are among the extra add-ons installed while downloading web materials. These really slow your start-up time, causing web pages to load slowly, and otherwise slow down the computer. Open the Control Panel, then click "Add/Remove Software" to see these installed packages. Remove items that aren't needed or haven't been used in a long while. Search the web for information on those you're not sure about before deleting them..

Check Antivirus and Antispyware

Spybot or SpywareBlaster, for instance, have been known to quarantine 10,000 sites in the restricted sites list. Access this list by clicking on "Tools/Internet Options/Security/Restricted Sites". IE 8 can't deal with so many restricted sites, so it dramatically slows. Removing the restricted sites solves the problem. Reinstall IE8 after removing the restricted sites, and it's back up to speed.

Clean the Registry

The Windows Registry database enables the the Windows operating system to track the relationships between hardware and software. Problems with the registry can result in Windows running slower. An errant "orphaned" registry entry can result in a start-up delay. Trimming the Windows Registry in general is good advice to make Windows run faster. Several utility programs will clean the system registry of unnecessary and erroneous entries. See Resources.

Reinstall IE8

Internet Explorer 7 or Internet Explorer 8 issues can be repaired by reinstalling the programs with their default settings. Microsoft can perform this reset for you. Click the "How to fix it automatically" icon from the Microsoft page. Follow the "How to fix it manually" instructions on the Microsoft site if you wish to do the resetting on your own.

Find an Alternative Browser

New is not always better, especially with older operating systems. No one suffers by running Internet Explorer 7 instead of IE8. There's also open-source Firefox from Mozilla, and the newest wide-use browser, Google Chrome. They both can provide a boost in browser speed and performance for Window XP users, especially compared to Internet Explorer 8.

References

• Microsoft: Optimizing Internet Explorer
• Brighthub: Windows Internet Explorer 8 Repairs
• Microsoft: Auto Resetting Internet Explorer

Resources

• Ed Bott: Fix for Slow IE8
• PCworld: Clean Windows Registry to Speed Up PC