Blank Desktop or Computer Hangs When Internet Explorer Installed

ID: Q184197

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Internet Explorer versions 4.0, 4.01 for Windows NT 4.0
Microsoft Internet Explorer versions 4.0, 4.01 for Windows 95

SYMPTOMS

When Internet Explorer is installed on your computer, any of the following symptoms may occur:

Only your desktop wallpaper is displayed when you start your computer or Internet Explorer.
Only your desktop wallpaper is displayed when you open a command prompt window.
Only your desktop wallpaper is displayed when you browse the Internet.
Your computer stops responding (hangs) when you start Internet Explorer.

CAUSE

This behavior can occur if you are using a Micron Millennia XKU-300 computer that contains a Diamond Viper V330 AGP video adapter.

RESOLUTION

To work around this issue, use one or more of the following methods:

Change Video Adapter Settings

To change your video adapter settings, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.

2. Double-click Display.

3. Click the Settings tab.

4. Try each of the following steps, restarting Windows after each

   change. Repeat the steps as necessary.

   a. Reduce the number of colors your video adapter are using. To do so,
      click a lower setting in the Color Palette box.

   b. Reduce the size of your desktop area. To do so, move the Desktop
      Area slider to the left.

Disable Full-Window Drag

1. In My Computer, Windows Explorer, or Windows NT Explorer, click Folder

   Options on the View menu.

2. On the View tab, click the Show Window Contents While Dragging check

   box to clear it, and then click OK.

Start Windows Using the Standard VGA Video Adapter Driver

Windows 95:

To start Windows 95 using the standard VGA video adapter driver, restart your computer, press the F8 key when you see the "Starting Windows 95" message, and then choose Safe Mode from the Startup menu.

Windows NT:

To start Windows NT using the standard VGA video adapter driver, restart your computer, and then choose VGA Mode on the Windows NT boot menu.

If this behavior does not occur using the standard VGA video adapter driver, install the standard VGA video adapter in Windows. For information about how to do so, please see the following articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

   ARTICLE-ID: Q127139
   TITLE     : Troubleshooting Video Problems in Windows 95

   ARTICLE-ID: Q155681
   TITLE     : Troubleshooting Display Problems in Windows NT 4.0

MORE INFORMATION

For additional information, please see the following articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

   ARTICLE-ID: Q182341
   TITLE     : Computer Stops Responding When You Start Internet Explorer

   ARTICLE-ID: Q174486
   TITLE     : Only Desktop Wallpaper Appears When You Start Your Computer

The third-party product discussed in this article is manufactured by a vendor independent of Microsoft; we make no warranty, implied or otherwise, regarding this product's performance or reliability.

Keywords          : kbdisplay kbenv kbhw msiew95 msient 
Version           : WINDOWS:4.0,4.01
Platform          : WINDOWS
Issue type        : kbprb

Last Reviewed: April 18, 1998