If you are using AVG Internet Security 8.5, for example, go to the Tools menu and choose Firewall Settings. Under the Profiles item on the left menu, you should find a user profile (by default, it is called “Standalone Computer”). Expand the list for the user profile and choose the Applications item. A list of applications will fill the window on the right. Find and select Firefox and then click Delete on the right side of the window. If you have more than one user profile, repeat these steps for each one and then click Apply and OK.

If you are using Windows Firewall, open the Security Center from the Control Panel. Click Windows Firewall. Under the General tab, uncheck the box next to Don’t Allow Exceptions. In Windows Vista, open the Security Center, click Windows Firewall, click Change Settings, and uncheck the box next to Block All Incoming Connections. In both WinXP and Vista, click the Exceptions tab and delete Mozilla Firefox from the list of programs, if it is listed. Click OK and try again to use Firefox to browse the Internet.

Error Message: Internet Explorer 8 Could Not Be Installed

Translation: The latest version of Internet Explorer will not install on your computer, and you cannot use it.

Solution: Internet Explorer 8 is compatible with Windows Vista, Windows XP SP2 (Service Pack 2), and SP3 (Service Pack 3). You may need to run Windows Update so that you’re sure to have the latest updates or service packs that IE8 needs to install. There are two ways to access Windows Update. In Vista, go to the Start menu, select All Programs, and choose Windows Update from the list. The resulting window will show which updates are available, and you can view information about each update by clicking View Available Updates. You can also install updates directly from the window by clicking Install Updates.

You can also access Windows Update by navigating to http://update.microsoft.com. Windows Update will automatically scan your computer for needed updates. To install the most important updates, simply click the Express button.

If updating your computer doesn’t allow you to install IE8, try updating your antivirus or anti-malware program. Check your protection software’s Help section if you are unsure of how to update. You can also try temporarily disabling your antivirus or anti-malware program while you install IE8. To ensure that your computer is still protected during this time, however, verify that the Windows Firewall is active. From the Control Panel, navigate to the Security Center and choose Windows Firewall. In WinXP, turn the firewall on or off by clicking the radio button next to each option. In Vista, click Turn Windows Firewall On Or Off on the left menu and then click the appropriate radio button to turn the firewall on or off.

Try installing IE8 again. If the installation is successful, be sure to reactivate your antivirus or anti-malware program so that your computer will be protected.

Problem: You are unable to download or save files in Firefox.

Translation: You want to view and save the pictures of your grandchildren that you received via email, but it’s not working.

Solution: There are many possible solutions that can help you get your downloads back on track. For starters, try clearing your download history. In Firefox, go to the Tools menu and select Downloads. In the Downloads window, click the Clear List button in the lower-left corner. To configure Firefox to never retain your download history, which may help prevent future download trouble, go to the Tools menu and choose Options. Under the Privacy section, uncheck the box next to Remember What I’ve Downloaded. Click OK to close the Options window.

If you are still unable to download or save files, try choosing a different folder in which to download files. Go to Tools and choose Options. Under the Main section, locate the Downloads area and click the radio button next to Save Files To. Click the Browse button to the right and choose where you want to save downloaded files. Try downloading a file to see if this corrects the issue.

If not, you can try resetting the download folder by typing about: config in the Address Bar and pressing ENTER. When a warranty warning appears, click the I’ll Be Careful, I Promise! box. On the next page, type browser.download in the Filter box found at the top of the page. From the list of entries, you must reset the value of specific items that have a status of “user set.” Look for browser.download.dir, browser.download.download Dir, browser.download.folderList, browser.download.lastDir, and browser.download.useDownloadDir. To reset these values, right-click their names and choose Reset.

If these solutions do not fix the problem, you may also try configuring your antivirus or anti-malware program to allow the download or temporarily disable your security program while you attempt to download a file.

Error Message: Internet Explorer Cannot Display The Webpage.

Translation: While using IE8, a particular page will not load. The site you are trying to access may be temporarily unavailable due to maintenance or other issues.

Solution: The first step is to navigate to another Web site and see whether it loads. If other Web sites load, chances are the first site is simply experiencing difficulties and will be available after a short while. If other Web sites do not load, the next step is to reset your modem or wireless router. Remove the power cord, wait 10 seconds, and then plug the power cable back into the device. If this does not correct the issue, restart your computer and reset your modem or router a second time.

Deleting your browsing history may also help correct this issue. In IE8, go to the Tools menu and select Delete Browsing History. Select the checkboxes next to Temporary Internet Files, Cookies, and History. Click the Delete button and then close the Delete Browsing History dialog box.

Like many of the problems already mentioned, it may help to disable your firewall or antivirus program or configure it to allow IE access to the Internet. Check the Help section of your security program if you are unsure of how to disable or configure your antivirus software.

If you continue to have problems connecting to Web sites, you may have to call your ISP (Internet service provider) and ask for help. Your ISP may be having difficulties that are affecting your connection, or you may be having problems with your modem.

Problem: While browsing the Internet using Firefox, you notice that the navigation buttons are missing from the toolbar.

Translation: You cannot use the Back or Forward buttons to navigate, and the Stop, Reload, and Home buttons are also missing.

Solution: If you cannot see any of the usual navigation buttons, it could be that the Navigation Toolbar is hidden. To show the Navigation Toolbar, click the View menu and select Toolbars. Make sure there is a check mark next to Navigation Toolbar. If there isn’t, simply click to select and show the toolbar.

If the Navigation Toolbar or buttons are still missing, try restoring the default toolbar. Go to View, select the Toolbars menu, and select Customize. Click Restore Default Set found on the bottom right. Click Done to save the changes and check to see if the toolbar has reappeared. If not, the next step is to reset the toolbar. Start Firefox in Safe Mode by going to the Start menu, selecting All Programs, and choosing Mozilla Firefox (Safe Mode) from the Mozilla Firefox folder. Firefox will open and show a Safe Mode dialog box. Select the box next to Reset Toolbars And Controls and then click Make Changes And Restart.

Problem: When you attempt to load a Web page, you receive one of the following error messages: “A Runtime Error has occurred. Do you wish to debug? Y/N,” or “Do you wish to debug this Web page? This Web page contains errors that might prevent it from displaying or working correctly,” or “Runtime Error! Program: C\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe. This application has requested the Runtime to terminate it in an unusual way.”

Translation: These errors are known as script errors and are usually caused by a problem with the JavaScript or VBScript coding on the Web page.

Solution: In most cases, you can simply click No if a pop-up box asks you to debug the Web page, but to prevent script errors from reappearing, you’ll have to disable script debugging. In Internet Explorer, go to Tools, click Internet Options, and select the Advanced tab. Under Settings, find the Browsing section. Put a check mark next to Disable Script Debugging (Internet Explorer) and Disable Script Debugging (Other). Then, uncheck the box next to Display A Notification About Every Script Error.

To check whether this solution solved the problem, try reloading the Web page that caused the error. If the page loads without error and the runtime script error doesn’t appear, then the issue is solved.

Next Steps

If the solutions provided don’t correct your browser issue, check the Mozilla support page (http://support.mozilla.com) or the Microsoft support page (http://support.microsoft.com) for more information about your specific problem.

by Kris Glaser