Problem: IE and other browsers hang when loading secure sites, for example bank sites. Windows Update is impossible because browsers hang when starting the updating site. Browser can be closed only through Task Manager or "X" and then I get error message "This Program is not Responding". Changing of Internet Properties does not change situation. Could anyone help? System: Windows XP Professional 5.1.2600 SP1 Build 2600 IE: 6.0.2800.1106.xpsp2.021108-1929CO PC: Compaq Evo N800c, processor x86 Family 15 Model 2 Stepping 4 GenuineIntel ~1794 MHz BIOS: Comapq 68P4M Ver. F.12.30.09.2002 SMBIOS: 2.3 Physical Memory: 1025 Mb Virtual Memory: 2,65 Gb Page File: 1,65 Gb Internet Properties: Web content zone Internet, sec. level : Medium Enabled : Download signed ActiveX controls, Run ActiveX controls and plug-ins, Script ActiveX controls marked safe for scripting, etc. Internet Properties, Advanced: SSL 2.0, SSL 3.0, etc.

A guess; are you running a firewall? Try disabling the firewall to see if you can connect. If you can, there may be information on those particular sites as to what port setting to use for access. LL

Thanks LL! There is no any firewall active. All was OK and I even had special firewall program and still sites were loaded OK. All the mess started, when I tried to activate the digital signing properties in Office (MS Office XP Prof, vers. 2002), I have ID-card, card reader and certificates and travelling in Europe was in need to undersign some documents. The activation didn't worked, but some security things were changed somewhere, so that now these secure sites does not load. I uninstalled Office and installed it again, situation is same. I deleted all spyware with Adware, situation is same. Now I think, only thing, what I can do is reinstall whole Windows XP? But it is not so easy in Compaq laptops!

This may sound like a whats it have to do with it, however, try installing or reinstalling "java". I've found some information that relates to your problem and installing java is the fix. http://www.java.com/en/index.jsp