Can't Get Online - IE & Firefox Both Crashing Instantly On Start- UP - Please Help

I have a Dell Studio XPS16 that has run pretty smoothly since I got it 6 months ago. Firefox has been crashing periodically lately with a runtime error, though, and when this happened last week I used IE to do some research. I had a number of pages open when IE crashed too. I didn't bother opening IE back up; I just decided to go back to my IE History for that day and save those pages but forgot to do it at the time as I had to go out.

I remembered it this evening and went to the history only to find that while clearing out cookies to make sure cashback tracked for a christmas present I was buying I must have inadvertantly deleted the browsing history instead a day or two ago.

I searched online to see if there was a way to retrieve it and found a number of sites saying a system restore would bring the history back to where it was when the restore point was taken so I did a system restore for 5 days back but when I went to the History it still wasn't there. I decided it was best to just undo the restore, put it back to the way it was tonight and just chalk the history down as lost.

Anyway when the recent restore was completed a box popped up to tell me a newer version of flash was available or an update and I clicked to update this. After it was done, however, and I tried to open IE/Firefox they both crashed within a few seconds of my starting them up. I tried several more times but the same thing happened each time. I then did another system restore to a restore point saved yesterday but it was still the same so I uninstalled Flash in case that was the problem but that didn't help either. I've also run a number of virus scans but they all came back clear and, as they are the only two browsers on the laptop, I have no way to get it to go online.

I would be really grateful for any help or advice. Thanks.

 

is system restore your only back up or recovery program? If so, go back as far as you can and try that or you may have to back up your documents and reinstall windows.

 

Go to Accessories > System Tools > Internet Explorer (No Add-ons). Does it still crash? Likewise, you can try using Firefox's Safe Mode.

If they open in those limited modes, it points at a problem with an add-on, which in your case seems likely to be Flash. Completely uninstall Adobe Flash and try to reinstall it.

 

Hi Midnight Sun - Thanks for the help. I've tried IE without add-ons and Firefox in safe mode now but I still get the same instant crashes.

I've also used the Flash uninstaller to get rid of flash but that didn't make any difference either.

Strangely enough I clicked on IE 64 bit when I searched for IE without add ons and it is working to an extent so I can at least use that now. Could something be blocking 32 bit browsers from working? I had always thought the IE icon in my Dell Dock was IE 64bit but it must not be. Any more help greatly appreciated.

 

Hi Hiker - All of my documents are backed up on a memory stick and in an online storage facility but I don't have any other recovery program.

I've tried system restore again this morning but it's exactly the same no matter which restore point I use. Thanks.

 

try using portable firefox.