**FIXED** Can anyone replicate this IE7/MSN Messenger 8 problem?

[Slikkster]

Ok, I've got IE 7 installed. Fine.

Just upgraded to MSN Messenger 8 (and Messenger Plus) from the regular XP Messenger. I have a Hotmail account.

So, I get the notifications that I have incoming messages in Hotmail from Messenger.
When I click to open those messages from the notification popup, it starts to load Hotmail, and then stalls. Everything coming through Port 80 at that point is locked up solid. The only way to get back to business is to restart the router.

This only happens to the router with the scenario above. Otherwise, it's rock solid. Weirdness.

 

[tk11]

If restarting the router is the only thing that fixes it then it's a router problem. Look for newer firmware.

 

[Slikkster]

Originally posted by: tk11
If restarting the router is the only thing that fixes it then it's a router problem. Look for newer firmware.

Not sure I buy that argument. This is the only thing that's ever affected the router that way. I wouldn't be so quick to assign cause and effect to the router itself. There's no new firmware for it.

Since both IE 7 and MSN 8 are relatively new products, I'm waiting to see if anyone else can either replicate the problem or can confirm they have the exact setup and NO problems given the scenario above.

To clarify on this:

I can retrieve email via Hotmail and IE7 alone without going through the notification popup from Messenger.

I can retrieve Hotmail email from Outlook Express just fine.

It's only the hand-off between Messenger 8 and IE7 that causes the lockup. So, my router is perfectly fine for any/all other ways of getting to Hotmail. That would tend to point to the software, vs. a hardware issue. Obviously, that's not necessarily the case, but that's what the symptoms point to as far as I can see.

 

[tk11]

That does make sense but it should be impossible to lock the router up by software. Even malicious software should be unable to unable to do so despite it's best efforts.

If the problem is resolved by rebooting the computer or if the router continues to function for other connected devices that would indicate a software problem.

 

[Slikkster]

Wanted to bring this full circle, as it has now been *fixed*. I used the "Reset Internet Explorer Settings" button in Internet Options (IE 7). One of the things this process does is disable (not delete) all of your IE "Add-Ons", like the Acrobat Reader, Roboform, Google Toolbar, etc. I had about 20 things in there. I then selectively enabled the ones I actually use daily.

I no longer have the problem with calling my hotmail from Messenger and having to reboot the router. I'm thinking something wasn't playing nicely with IE7 that worked fine in IE6.