Windows Xp Internet Explorer

[Tubbycoates]

Hi all (again !)

My battered old laptop is running on Windows XP, and I know it isn't supported any more. It's no problem, and I'm still working perfectly well.

However, on a few internet sites I'm getting a message that my 'internet browser won't be supported for much longer'. It still works, but maybe I was a little frightened it might not shortly, so I tried downloading Google Chrome. All it does is hang, so I've uninstalled it.

Should I just carry on as I am, or should I try downloading another browser? (I forgot to mention I went on the Internet explorer page and my PC isn't up-to-date enough to get an update for internet explorer).

I hope all the above makes sense to someone!

Thanks all in advance.

[Buenchico]

This post isn't written simply based upon a bit of googling. I also use Windows XP and (like 85% of XP users) I'm in no great hurry to upgrade my operating system.

Windows XP doesn't support the latest versions of Internet Explorer, so you're forced to use an old version, which Microsoft is no longer providing security updates for, So I'd definitely advise against using Internet Explorer on your computer. (OK, let's be honest here. I'd strongly advise against using Internet Explorer on any computer. It's total c-r-a-p!!!).

I've no idea why Chrome won't run on your computer but I could never get on with it anyway. (I know that it's got lots of fans but it's simply not for me). My favourite browser (and from posting on thousands of threads here in 'Technology', what appears to be used by the vast majority of AB members) is the wonderful Firefox:
https://www.mozilla.org/en-GB/firefox/new/

So why not give it a try?

[Tubbycoates]

Thanks, I'll try it tomorrow.

[SeaJayPea]

Agree entirely with Chris. I gave up with IE a while ago after it kept hanging both on here and on facebook. Firefox is much better and if you also put Adblocker on, everything runs so much faster.

(Sorry Ed)

[Tubbycoates]

Thanks all. I've installed it and it's going to take a while to get used to!
And the obvious question is, how do I put adBlocker on?
(In words a chimpanzee can understand please!)

[beso]

The versions of IE available for XP are too old to even be considered.

Neither IE nor Chrome are good on XP because they both use the Windows security certificate chain information from Windows and that is not being updated on XP.

Firefox carries its own security certificate information.

[Buenchico]

Hi Chimp!

Using Firefox, of course, go here:
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/adblock-plus/

Click the green button.

Job done.

Banana, anyone?

;-)

[Tubbycoates]

I've tried Firefox, and it's painfully slow! I assume I'm doing something wrong. I am also getting a lot of error messages which are somthing about 'unresponsived scripts'. i also got an error message about 'a plug in'.

Any ideas?

Many thanks!

[Buenchico]

Something is hogging resources on your computer, Tubbycoates. (That's what usually causes 'unresponsive script' messages).

Go into the Task Manager (via right-clicking on the Task Bar, at the foot of your screen) and click on the 'Processes' tab. Look down the 'CPU' column to see if anything there shows a very high figure (other than 'System Idle Process', which should be high). That might show the cause of the problem. Also look down the 'Mem Usage' column. Again, a high figure could indicate a problem but so could a low number that changes every second or two. (If you've got Microsoft Security Essentials, watch out for MsMpEng.exe doing that; it's a well-known problem).

Also download, install and run the free version of Malwarebytes Anti-Malware, as malware could also be causing the problem:
https://www.malwarebytes.org/antimalware/
(When installing it, take care to deselect the option to take a free trial of the 'Premium' version).

[Tubbycoates]

Ok Thanks, I'll try it tomorrow (I'm in a pub and my battery is about to run out!)

[Tubbycoates]

The processes comes up with the most usage by Firefox, then by Avast!

And yet today it is working OK !

Must have been something rogue knocking about yesterday.

Thanks for your help.

[Buenchico]

>>>then by Avast!

If Avast is downloading the latest updates (particularly on older computers) it can temporarily slow everything else down, resulting in 'not responding' messages. It's far better than Microsoft Security Essentials though (which does it almost continuously; you just have to learn to live with a few periodic interruptions to your browsing - it's a price you have to pay for using an old computer! (Written from experience because my computer is ancient!)