I found out how you can use IE as part of the Windows Explorer process. Usually when you start IE, a new process is created, meaning you are losing at least 15mb of memory with every new IE window. But if you start IE as part of WE task, only a few IE specific libraries will be loaded additionally into Windows Explorer and then you are ready to go. It's great - a IE window when started within WE only eats 300kb of memory, as opposed to other useless browsers like firefox, that eats 30 mb of memory by itself. Plus, IE, when started this way, only takes 2 seconds to start! Yes, you heard me right, only 2 sec., because in fact no IE instance is created (iexplore.exe will be unloaded from memory immediately after the launch, check the task manager), just another Windows Explorer is opened that looks exactly like your IE, so it takes just as much time to load as a common Windows explorer window, just 2 seconds. For comparison, firefox takes 15 sec. to start and Opera at least 7 sec. Not to mention their poor rendering abilities. And here's what you have to do. First, import the following key into registry: Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00 [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\BrowseNewProcess] "BrowseNewProcess"="no" Then restart Windows Explorer (important!). Crash it through the task manager and start it anew using the task manager, or restart your computer, doesn't matter. Now you have to configure Windows Explorer a little. Most settings are taken over from your IE preferences, but specific settings like the WinXP SP2 security settings have to be added specifically for the Windows Explorer process, e.g.: Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00 [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main\FeatureControl\FEATURE_LOCALMACHINE_LOCKDOWN] @="" "explorer.exe"=dword:00000000 Allow Windows Explorer access to the net in your firewall and you are ready to go. Oh, and btw, don't forget to throw Opera and Firefox into the recycling bin. hehehe. No standalone browser could ever compete with the above mentioned memory usage and launch time of IE, when started the way described above. Perfect solution for computers with a small amount of physical memory

W.A.W! Quote: Artificial intelligence is no match for natural stupidity! The anagram of computervitals is pivotal rectums...

LOL ... this 'great' option could be adjusted from within internet explorer prior to version 5.01. those were the good old day when internet explorer used to crash the whole system and ms came to the conclusion that it might not be such a great idea altogether, having this 'useless browser' destabilizing the entire OS ... hence internet explorer was forced to use a separate process. Today's subliminal thought is: 'Calm down ... it's only ones and zeros.' icq 10183575

Thanks for this, a nice tweak indeed. Now if you can only give us a tweak to make the Webpage data load faster that would be great. PhilC

<quote> those were the good old day when internet explorer used to crash the whole system and ms came to the conclusion that it might not be such a great idea altogether, having this 'useless browser' destabilizing the entire OS ... hence internet explorer was forced to use a separate process. </quote> I know, I know. And I don't blame Microsoft for taking this measure. Many people get scared when Windows Explorer crashes, so MS separated the processes (if the system has only 32mb of physical memory or less, then IE is still started as part of the WE task). But I don't quite see the problem. If WE crashes, all you have to do is to fire up task manager and to restart it by typing "explorer.exe" into the box <quote> give us a tweak to make the Webpage data load faster that would be great. </quote> I've got one for you. Call your provider and buy yourself a faster internet connection. Then webpages and everything else will load faster. lol.

Just installed IE7 and once again iexplorer.exe is up and running. any advice please. I will still monitor this post PhilC