Can Internet Explorer 8 be speeded up with motherboard driver updates?

[Kerandran]

Ever since I have allowed Microsoft windows self updates to install RC of IE8, I have started experiencing extreme slowdown within the browser.
I am puzzled, as my system is relatively new and quick. A week ago, I was still using IE7 and it was pretty quick. I just feel sorry to have re-enabled Windows Self updates.
My Current OS is Windows XP Professional (released with SP3).

Has anyone encountered this, and if so, how was the problem resolved?

Do I need to install new motherboard drivers for my Asus PT6 Deluxe?

[handscombmp]

To be honest i don't think that updating the driver would make much differnence to the speed of IE.

Your best to get a web browser like firefox or chrome. They're much faster and safer!

[TheAnimus]

and safer!

Not true, it only takes one security hole after all, and people are now very actively targetting firefox.

For safeties sake always run as a low power user when browsing the web!
(IE has 'protected mode' on win7 which is a good concept)

[nightkhaos]

Yes, there are security holes in Firefox, but not as much as there were in Internet Explorer 6. You also have to consider that OpenSource browsers usually have a quicker turn arround time for security exploits (the same people that discover them can ofter a patch to recitify the issue).

Browser security is not solved by "installing an obbsure browser that only a few people use therefore it won't be a target". Browser security is solved by practices like sandboxing (read damage control).

Any issue you get with a browser of Windows (with the except of Vista and above, their security model is improved, but still prone to user-error, considering how many uses turn OFF UAC), has the potential to damage the system as the default user is an Adminstrator, and has complete unrestricted access to the system files.

As I said, this issue is resolved with a better security model (like the one in Vista and above, Mac OS X, or Linux). So Security for browsers is becoming a null issue, each browser is as secure as every other browser in terms of what damage it can do to your system. Things have changed in the market.

As for faster, well, Firefox, not any more, browser has gotten to "feature rich" over the years. Chrome, yes, much faster.

But you must remember Chrome is NOT extentable, which can be a headache for some users.

[Kerandran]

I have to admit that I am not very keen on Google software (other than the search engine, Google earth and perhaps Google mail which later I do not use). I never install plugins, as I consider them as noise and potentially the source of more problems. I think that too much emphasis is made on the market research and that these tools tend to monitor user browsing activity far too much.

I would tend to be more trustworthy with open source software, as the developers of open source programs are generally very keen and take pleasure in writing good products.

I know that it is not ideal, but then again nothing is perfect in an imperfect world. Therefore in terms of security I have two levels of firewalls on all my PCs. One of which is hardware based through my router modem, and the second one through dedicated software, which incidentally is not Microsoft’s own firewall, which I find terrible.

Perhaps future patches and updates from Microsoft will improve the performance of IE 8, until then, I will have to make do with it. If the problem worsens, I shall lookup reviews of open source browser alternative and select the one that is rated the best in different reviews worldwide.

In the mean time, I like to thank you all for your contribution.

[peterb]

A firewall won't necessarily protect you from vilnerabilities in a browser. If (for example) you go to a website and that website tries to redirect you to a dodgy site (because it has been compromised) or tries to download a malformed HTTP response to which the browser is susceptible (again because that website has been compromised) a firewall may not help you. Some of the traffic monitoring software in personal firewall products may warn you about unexpected outbound connections, but really the best defence is to ensure that your browser and operating system is up to date, and as the animus implied, do your routine computing in an account with as low a level of privilege as you can, and never as administrator.

If you are really concerned, do your browsing from an operating system loaded from a live CD (with no hard drive attached) - at the end of the session, everything is gone. If you need to store data, use an encrypted USB stick - but for most users that is probably taking things a bit far!

[Singh400]

Ever since I have allowed Microsoft windows self updates to install RC of IE8, I have started experiencing extreme slowdown within the browser.
I am puzzled, as my system is relatively new and quick. A week ago, I was still using IE7 and it was pretty quick. I just feel sorry to have re-enabled Windows Self updates.
My Current OS is Windows XP Professional (released with SP3).

Has anyone encountered this, and if so, how was the problem resolved?

Do I need to install new motherboard drivers for my Asus PT6 Deluxe?

You don't happen to use Spywareblaster and/or Spybot do you? If so, disable the protection, as that is what is causing the slowdown in IE8.

[Kerandran]

I use Norton IS 2009 (3 licences version).

Now, the strange and interesting thing here is that on my second PC, which incidentally uses Windows MCE, one of last year’s patches for IE 7 from Microsoft in January 2008, really slowed down IE 7. However installing IE 8 on the Windows MCE PC has increased the performance and speed of the browser. However on the newer PC the opposite has happened.

Perhaps this is because Vista is derived from MCE, as opposed to the older brother Win XP pro.

To answer your question, I do not use Spyblaster nor Spybot .

There is a feature in NIS 2009 that I find annoying though; perhaps this is contributing to the slowing down of the browser. Every now and then, when I access a web page, NIS prompts me with a “Norton Identity safe window”. This is so that I configure some sort of access setting for each page. I probably need to find a way of switching this off, as I never set my system to auto remember the web pages that I visited, especially those that require a password to login.

[Singh400]

To answer your question, I do not use Spyblaster nor Spybot.

Well that rules that out then. How about rogue add-ins? Check your internet options to see which add-in/plug-in is taking the longest time to load.

There is a feature in NIS 2009 that I find annoying though; perhaps this is contributing to the slowing down of the browser. Every now and then, when I access a web page, NIS prompts me with a “Norton Identity safe window”. This is so that I configure some sort of access setting for each page. I probably need to find a way of switching this off, as I never set my system to auto remember the web pages that I visited, especially those that require a password to login.

Worth going through NIS settings and disabling any unwanted junk.

[Kerandran]

The following is the list of "all add-ons" in my IE 8 (internet options)

Name Shockwave Flash Object
Publisher Adobe Systems Incorporated
Status Enabled
Version 10.0.12.36
Load time <Not Provided>

Name Adobe PDF Link Helper
Publisher Adobe Systems, Incorporated
Status Enabled
Version 9.1.0.163
Load time 0.00 s

Name Adobe PDF Reader
Publisher Adobe Systems, Incorporated
Status Enabled
Load time <Not Provided>

Name Launch Control
Publisher Control name is not available
Status Enabled
Load time <Not Provided>

Name Research
Publisher Microsoft Corporation
Status Enabled
Version 12.0.6423.0
Load time <Not Provided>

Name Windows Live Sign-in Helper
Publisher Microsoft Corporation
Status Enabled
Version 5.0.818.6
Load time 0.00 s

Name MUWebControl Class
Publisher Microsoft Corporation
Status Enabled
Version 7.2.6001.788
Load time <Not Provided>

Name Outlook Today's Data-binding control
Publisher Microsoft Corporation
Status Enabled
Version 12.0.6500.5000
Load time <Not Provided>

Name InformationCardSigninHelper Class
Publisher Microsoft Corporation
Status Enabled
Version 8.00.6001.18702
Load time <Not Provided>

Name XML DOM Document
Publisher Microsoft Corporation
Status Enabled
Version 8.100.1048.0
Load time <Not Provided>

Name Windows Media Player
Publisher Microsoft Corporation
Status Enabled
Version 11.0.5721.5260
Load time <Not Provided>

Name XML DOM Document 4.0
Publisher Microsoft Corporation
Status Enabled
Version 4.20.9870.0
Load time <Not Provided>

Name XML HTTP 4.0
Publisher Microsoft Corporation
Status Enabled
Version 4.20.9870.0
Load time <Not Provided>

Name XML DOM Document 6.0
Publisher Microsoft Corporation
Status Enabled
Version 6.20.1099.0
Load time <Not Provided>

Name Free Threaded XML DOM Document 6.0
Publisher Microsoft Corporation
Status Enabled
Version 6.20.1099.0
Load time <Not Provided>

Name XSL Template 6.0
Publisher Microsoft Corporation
Status Enabled
Version 6.20.1099.0
Load time <Not Provided>

Name XML HTTP 6.0
Publisher Microsoft Corporation
Status Enabled
Version 6.20.1099.0
Load time <Not Provided>

Name Microsoft Office 12 Authorization Control
Publisher Microsoft Corporation
Status Enabled
Version 12.0.6413.1000
Load time <Not Provided>

Name Windows Live Sign-in Control
Publisher Microsoft Corporation
Status Enabled
Version 5.000.818.6
Load time <Not Provided>

Name Windows Live
Publisher Microsoft Corporation
Status Enabled
Version 14.0.8050.1202
Load time <Not Provided>

Name Windows Live
Publisher Microsoft Corporation
Status Enabled
Version 14.0.8050.1202
Load time <Not Provided>

Name Discuss
Publisher Not Available
Status Enabled
Version 6.0.2900.5694
Load time <Not Provided>

Name Windows Messenger
Publisher Not Available
Status Enabled
Load time <Not Provided>

Name Diagnose Connection Problems...
Publisher Not Available
Status Enabled
Load time <Not Provided>

Name Research
Publisher Not Available
Status Enabled
Load time <Not Provided>

Name Skype add-on for Internet Explorer
Publisher Not Available
Status Enabled
Version 3.3.0.3290
Load time <Not Provided>

Name Send to OneNote
Publisher Not Available
Status Enabled
Version 12.0.6413.0
Load time <Not Provided>

Name Skype
Publisher Skype Technologies SA
Status Enabled
Version 3.3.0.3290
Load time <Not Provided>

Name Skype add-on (mastermind)
Publisher Skype Technologies SA
Status Enabled
Version 3.3.0.3290
Load time 1.47 s

Name Symantec Intrusion Prevention
Publisher Symantec Corporation
Status Enabled
Version 9.0.3.0
Load time 0.06 s

Name Symantec NCO BHO
Publisher Symantec Corporation
Status Enabled
Version 2009.5.0.0
Load time 0.18 s

Name Norton Toolbar
Publisher Symantec Corporation
Status Enabled
Version 2009.5.0.0
Load time 0.01 s

I will have a go at disabling some of the NIS 2009 unwanted features soon.
Since I installed NIS shortly before IE 8, I still have to familiarise with it. Norton tends to change their GUI so much every year that it is difficult to find options that were easier to access before!

[Singh400]

It's Skype. Disable the Skype add-in.

[Kerandran]

You solved my problem!

Thank you very much for your help.

Additional configuration done to rectify the problem of having a slow IE 8:

• I uninstalled Skype 4.1 for windows, and re-installed it without using the extras.
• Un-ticked the option of installing Chrome within Skype installer.
• I then launched the software version of Skype, connected to Skype using my login, and accessed, from the menu options:

Tools |Options | Advanced button (in left pane).
Un-ticked the following tick boxes:

• Use Skype to call to : links on the Web
• Notify me (When a new version of Skype is available…)
• Display technical info during calls

<Save>
So I am now able to use Skype online, without having the following Skype add-ons in the IE 8 internet options:

• Skype add-on for Internet Explorer
• Skype
• Skype add-on (mastermind)

[Singh400]

It's kind of freaky that you should have the exact same problem that the IE team blogged about a couple of days ago. None the less, glad to see it's fixed mate

[Dingo]

And kinda strange that IE8 doesn't want to work with anything that is FREE.

Lots of threads on the internet about slow load times for IE8 and most of them are about the add-ons that come with IE8.

Also seen several threads recently re Firefox and how "bloaty" it is becoming with the add-ons.........your best bet, if you can live without the dross, has got to be Opera at the moment.

[Singh400]

Also seen several threads recently re Firefox and how "bloaty" it is becoming with the add-ons.........your best bet, if you can live without the dross, has got to be Opera at the moment.

No way. Google Chrome is the fastest thing out there (imo).