Internet Explorer Has Stopped Working | Fix

This error can be caused by hardware or hardware driver incompatibilities. Internet Explorer 9 utilizes the power of the GPU to render HTML5 multimedia elements. The benefit of building on Direct2D technologies is that the browser makes the most of the underlying PC hardware that’s optimized for rendering rich graphics.

This results in faster web applications and a higher quality browsing experience for users. When IE9 uses the GPU, there is less CPU load; this enables other browser subsystems to do more, as well as enabling higher frame rates for smooth animation and video playback.

If your hardware does not support hardware acceleration you can set an option in the Advanced Settings to Use software rendering instead of GPU rendering. You can enable or disable this setting at Tools>Internet Options>Advanced.

To bring up the menu bar, press the Alt button. Click to select or unselect the check box for the “Use software rendering instead of GPU rendering” option under Accelerated graphics.

Before setting this option you might download and install the latest drivers for your video card, updated drivers may enable support for hardware acceleration for your hardware.

Tips for solving problems when Internet Explorer crashes or stops working:

This information applies to Windows Internet Explorer 7 and Windows Internet Explorer 8.

If Internet Explorer crashes, stops working, or closes immediately after being opened, you might get an error message about Internet Explorer not working or that it encountered a problem and needs to close. First make sure that you have a good connection to the Internet. If you can't open Internet Explorer or if it opens briefly and then closes, the problem might be caused by low memory, or corrupted or missing system files. Restart your computer to clear the memory and then open Internet Explorer by itself.

If your Internet connection is good and you've restarted your computer but Internet Explorer is still having problems, try the following:

1.Disable all add-ons

While browser add-ons can enhance your online experience, they can occasionally interfere or conflict with other software on your computer. Try starting Internet Explorer without add-ons to see if the problem goes away. Here's how:

Click the Start button , click All Programs, click Accessories, click System Tools, and then click Internet Explorer (No Add-ons).

If disabling all add-ons solves the problem, you might want to disable all add-ons and then turn on add-ons only as you need them. This will allow you to figure out which add-on is causing the problem.

To automatically disable add-ons, run the Internet Explorer Add-on Fix It.

To run the Internet Explorer Add-on Fix It:

• Click this button:
  
• When asked whether you want to run or save the file, click Run, and then follow the steps in the wizard.

To manually disable add-ons:

• Open Internet Explorer by clicking the Start button , and then clicking Internet Explorer.
• Click the Tools button, and then click Manage Add-ons.

2.Reset Internet Explorer Settings

If disabling add-ons doesn't solve the problem, try resetting Internet Explorer back to its default settings. This removes all changes that have been made to Internet Explorer since it was installed, but it does not delete your favorites or feeds..

To automatically reset Internet Explorer settings, run the Reset Internet Explorer Settings Fix It.

To run the Reset Internet Explorer Settings Fix It

• Click this button:
  
• When asked whether you want to run or save the file, click Run, and then follow the steps in the wizard.

To manually reset Internet Explorer settings

• Close all Internet Explorer or Windows Explorer windows.
• Open Internet Explorer by clicking the Start button , and then clicking Internet Explorer.
• Click the Tools button, and then click Internet Options.
• Click the Advanced tab, and then click Reset.
• Click Reset.
• When you are done, click Close, and then click OK.
• Close Internet Explorer and reopen it for the changes to take effect.

3.Run the Microsoft Safety Scanner

Malicious software (malware) and viruses can often cause Internet Explorer to slow down or stop working.

If you are able to access the Internet, go to the Microsoft website to download the Microsoft Safety Scanner, which you can use to check your computer for viruses and malicious software.

4.Update Internet Explorer:

Running Windows Update can often correct problems by replacing out-of-date files and fixing vulnerabilities.

• Open Internet Explorer by clicking the Start button , and then clicking Internet Explorer.
• Do one of the following:

In Internet Explorer 8, click the Safety button, and then click Windows Update.

In Internet Explorer 7, click the Tools button, and then click Windows Update.

• Follow the instructions on the Windows Update page.

5.Update Drivers:

Outdated, incompatible, or corrupted video card drivers can cause Internet Explorer compatibility issues.

To update drivers using Windows Update

 

You can check Windows Update anytime to see if it has found new drivers for your hardware. Then, you can install them if you choose. Here's how

• Open Windows Update by clicking the Start button , clicking All Programs, and then clicking Windows Update.‌ If you are prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.

• In the left pane, click Check for updates.

• To see if updated drivers are available, click View available updates. Windows Update will list any updated drivers that are available for devices installed in your computer.

• If updates are available, click the driver that you want to install, and then click Install. If you are prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.

To set Windows to check for recommended updates

 

Even if you have Windows Update set to automatically install important updates for your computer, it still might not be set to install all the updated drivers it finds for your hardware, since not all these are classified as important. To get all the driver updates, you'll need to turn on recommended updates. Here's how to set Windows to do this:

• Open Windows Update by clicking the Start button , clicking All Programs, and then clicking Windows Update.

• In the left pane, click Change settings.

• Click Install updates automatically (recommended).

• Under Recommended updates, select the check box for Include recommended updates when downloading, installing, or notifying me about updates, and then click OK. If you are prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.

To make sure you get the latest drivers for your hardware, set Windows to automatically download recommended updates

To manually update drivers

It's best to let Windows install drivers for your hardware automatically. You should avoid manually updating a driver unless Windows is unable to find a driver for one of your devices but you were able to obtain one some other way, or if technical support personnel ask you to install drivers from a disc or from the device manufacturer's website. If you decide to manually update a driver, here's how:

You must be logged on as an administrator to perform these steps.

• Open Device Manager by clicking the Start button , clicking Control Panel, clicking System and Maintenance, and then clicking Device Manager.‌ If you are prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation. 

• In Device Manager, locate the device you want to update, and then double-click the device name.

• Click the Driver tab, and then click Update Driver and follow the instructions.

  • Printer information is not included in Device Manager. You can check if a printer is installed or manually update printer drivers by opening Printers in Control Panel. For more information, see Add or remove a printer.

  • To find out if your hardware (or hardware you plan to buy) is compatible with Windows Vista, go online to the Windows Vista Compatibility Center. This website contains a comprehensive list of hardware components and devices that work with Windows Vista.