I would really appreciate anyone that can help me here... As of recently, when I try to open internet explorer, it opens for a brief second and then just closes. I've tried ad-aware as well as spybot, and nothing is working. I can open an alternate browser (sbc), but every few seconds it asks me if I want to close. Can anyone please help????????????

Hello Longhit, Did you try recently to make a modification on your web program ? for exemple to install a update of IE 7 ? then to uninstall it to come back to former version ? if yes, you will be unable to repair your browser, you will need to reinstall it completly, by erasing and format partition C of your computer and reinstall all your windows. Effectively, in windows system it is impossible to touch internet explorer, except to update it for a newer version. Whatever you will do will not change nothing now !!!! If your computer has 2 partitions : C and D, all contents of D will be preserved, but anyway you will need to reinstall all programs you use in order to reinstall all drivers related to them..... essential is to participe P.Coubertin

I did try to upgrade, but only after I starting having this problem. Are you saying I have to re-install Windows completely? Isn't there an easier solution?

Try using the system file checker which will repair ie files. go to start > run > type in sfc /scannow. Note space between the c and the /.

I am having the same problems. I did NOT try to install or uninstall anything with IE. Does the "system file checker" still apply to me even though I have not made any changes to IE?

It is possible that ie has become corrupted, not from anything you have done, but files do become corrupted. You could also try a system restore point to a time before you started having this problem. Either one of these methods are worth a try. I think that re-installing XP should only be done if nothing else works.

Unfortunately, I did not have system restore turned on. I know better now! I'll try the other suggestion.