"IExplore.exe has generated an error." Now what?

Let me start by explaining what I mean when I said that not all crashes that look like IE are actually caused by IE. There are two basic ways this can happen:

Add-ons: IE has what's called an extensibility model, meaning that it is possible to write software that becomes a virtual part of IE. A good example that I use myself is the Google Toolbar. It adds an additional toolbar to IE's standard set and does so by integrating tightly with IE.

If an add-on causes a crash it will be reported as having happened in IE.

Not all add-ons are obvious either. Many fall into the category of spyware - software that you didn't even know you had - perhaps something that was installed as a side effect of installing another program.

The second way a problem that is not IE's can be reported as if it was, is something called ActiveX. In reality it's gone by many names, but ActiveX is a technology Microsoft implemented some years ago that allows code to be downloaded from the websites you're visiting and executed on your machine. Within IE. So once again, if an ActiveX object has a problem and causes a crash it will be reported as having been IE.

And once again ActiveX objects are another way that spyware, viruses, and other forms of malware can land on your machine.

And finally, yes, it's quite possible that IE has itself caused the problem that's being reported as being within IE. It could be a bug or it could be some other problem.

So, what to do when you encounter such a problem?

Here's the order of things I would suggest trying:

• Perform a scan for spyware. This is probably the most common cause for unexpected crashes in IE that just start happening one day. This article will get you started: Spyware: How do I remove and avoid spyware?

• Perform a virus scan. Less likely than spyware to specifically cause IE crashes (you'd probably be noticing other problems), but still a possibility. This article would cover that: Viruses: How do I keep myself safe from viruses?

• If you're running Windows XP, I'd run the system file checker. SFC will detect and repair system files that have gone missing or somehow become corrupt, including those that comprise IE. See my previous article: What is the System File Checker, and how do I run it?

• If you're not running Windows XP you can attempt a repair of Internet Explorer. And to be honest the best repair is a reinstall. Visit Microsoft's Internet Explorer Site for the latest and greatest.

• Which brings up yet another good idea: visit Windows Update. Make sure you have the latest Windows components, IE components, drivers, and other updates for your system. When they're not about critical security updates, the majority of the fixes on Windows Update are often about fixing crashes.

• And finally, after all that has been done, if the problem happens only on certain websites, it's possible that the software being exercised by that website has a problem. Perhaps it's a downloaded ActiveX object or something else. It might be worth checking with other users of that same site to see if they have a similar problem.

Debugging crashes in IE can be a tricky proposition. The list above is a start, either towards resolving the problems you're experiencing or to narrowing down the causes by eliminating the common ones.