Major Pain in the Butt

[Hazel]

This doesn't happen very often, but it's enough to make me want to crush the computer with a sledgehammer. See, I have AOL (dial-up, ugh...) so the only browser that I can use quickly on this computer is AOL itself. Well, some days I'll be browsing a site, when suddenly the site starts opening up in IE windows. TONS of them. For instance, the other day I was on Google, and suddenly about twenty Internet Explorer windows opened up, all to Google. Even as I was clicking X, more and more appeared. I eventually had to use the task manager to close AOL just to get it to stop. Does anybody have a clue what could be causing this?

[Marvo]

Use another browser, like Google Chrome. Should work for you.

[Dizko]

Its because your default browser is set to IE.

[Hazel]

Use another browser, like Google Chrome. Should work for you. Trust me, none of the other browser's run well at all on my computer. I have to be on AOL to be connected to the internet, anyway. Its because your default browser is set to IE. Maybe, but then why did this problem only start within the past few months?

[Tyler]

I used to have this problem. All of a sudden Internet Explorer would open up window after window after window and sometimes a I would have to manually shut down my computer because I couldn't even get it to stop with the task manager. All that ended when I switched to Firefox.

[Keresztanya]

Use another browser, like Google Chrome. Should work for you. Actually, for a Dial-Up connection, Opera would be a great choice, considering they have Opera Turbo made specifically to speed up dial-up connections.

[Universal Mind]

AOL SUCKS. I used to have it, and I never will again. It is impossible to post on some sites with it, it is ridiculously slow, it does crazy stuff like what you described, and it goes out at random times. I hate it.

[Replicon]

You should use a browser instead

[Man of Steel]

Get rid of AOL. It won't be easy, as that crap burrows into your system and refuses to uninstall more than half of itself at any given time, but you can do it. It may take a few hours. Then get a real ISP like Copper.net or Fry's Electronics' dialup service. They're much cheaper, more reliable, don't require ANY additional software, and won't spaz out on you. Then you can download Opera 10, Safari 4 or Google Chrome, any of which will be blazing fast after using AOL. I use all three, plus Firefox, on a daily basis (I'm using Safari 4 to post this, it's awesome). Opera 10 has Opera Turbo, which uses server-side compression to dramatically speed up load times, though it does take an extra second or two to communicate with Opera's cloud servers for said compression to take place. Nothing major. Safari 4 uses the Webkit rendering engine, along with better JavaScript speed, which really is nice and quick. I myself use NetZero currently, which requires use of their proprietary software to connect too, and it's a pain. I plan on switching to Fry's within the week.

[ninja9578]

You have spyware, AOL doesn't filter it out. I don't think AOL has been updated since the invention of spyware, it's just that old. Chrome or Safari is what you want. Then download a slew of spyware removes and run them all.

[Marvo]

Alternatively, you could simply stop using the internet, until you get a better connection and computer. As far as I know, it's only Australians that are still stuck with 52k, with absolutely no other option, except satellite.

[Hazel]

The thing is, I am not the one who pays the internet bill. I share this computer with my family, so unless my intake of money increases dramatically then I'm going to have to suffer with AOL. I'll see if I can switch the default browser to FireFox, even though I won't be using it, just to get IE to quit all this nonsense.

[Man of Steel]

Talk to your parents about switching internet service providers. Sell them on the fact that it will save them money and not give their computer spyware. Tell them the government is watching their every move if you have to. The Chinese government.