The 7 Biggest Windows 7 Problems (and Fixes)

The Windows 7 roll-out, while smooth overall, hit a rough patch with some users. Problems run the gamut, from minor networking issues and gaming hiccups, to more serious boot failures and BSODs. Here’s a look at the top 7 annoyances plaguing early Windows 7 adopters, and the associated fixes.
1. Installation Fails
You won’t get much [...]

Netflix Streaming Doesn’t Work in Internet Explorer 8/Windows 7: Fix

Several users have reported an issue in which Netflix online streaming does not work properly in Internet Explorer 8 under various versions of Windows, or under Windows 7 in various browsers (including Internet Explorer 8). In some cases streaming works, but screensavers are not automatically disabled, the stream incorrectly uses low bandwidth, or other functionality [...]

Adobe Reader Problems with Windows 7: Try an Alternative PDF Program

Users have reported an issue in which Adobe Reader does not function properly under Windows 7. In particular, users report problems with intra-browser viewing of PDFs, noting that they sometimes get a blank pop-up with an Adobe title and an OK or hangs in the browser when attempting to view PDFs. The problem is most [...]

Internet Explorer 8 Update Fixes “webpage is not responding” in Windows 7

Microsoft has released an update for Internet Explorer 8 that resolves an issue in which users receive the message “A webpage is not responding” under Windows 7 RC1. Microsoft describes the problem thusly:

“Windows 7 RC includes a feature in Internet Explorer 8 that helps users recover from unresponsive Web sites. This feature uses a timer [...]

Speeding Up Internet Explorer 8

Several users have reported significantly slower performance under Internet Explorer 8, particularly when the browser is first launched or when navigating to new pages. Delays of up to 30 seconds or more have been reported.

The problem, in most cases, is the presence of IE restricted sites and enhanced security configuration zones, which are generally created [...]

Eliminating Internet Explorer 8 Crashes

If you find that Internet Explorer 8 crashes persistently, especially when navigating to different pages, try the following procedures.
Disable Add-ons Some Add-ons held over from Internet Explorer 6 or 7 are incompatible with Internet Explorer 8. Try removing all Add-ons (or sets of add-ons) then re-accessing the problematic site(s). If Internet Explorer 8 no longer [...]

Using Internet Explorer 8’s Compatibility Button

Internet Explorer 8 is, by virtually all accounts, more standards compliant than its predecessor. However, if you’re browsing a site that displays improperly rendered tables, misaligned text or other formatting issues, you can easily switch back to Internet Explorer 7’s page rendering mechanism.
In the IE 8 toolbar, click on the small icon that looks [...]