FIX: Internet Explorer 6 may stop responding, and you may receive an error message when you dynamically remove an HTML element from a Web page

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SYMPTOMS

Microsoft Internet Explorer 6 may stop responding when the following conditions are true:

You dynamically remove an HTML element that contains the current text selection from a Web page.
The Web page contains a frameset.
The mouse pointer is outside the Internet Explorer 6 window.

Additionally, you may receive an error message that is similar to the following:

Internet Explorer has encountered a problem and needs to close.

When you click the link to see the data in the error report, you may receive an error signature that is similar to the following:

AppName: iexplore.exe
ModName: mshtml.dll

You experience this problem when Internet Explorer 6 Service Pack 1 (SP1) is installed on a computer that is running one of the following operating systems:

Microsoft Windows XP
Microsoft Windows 2000
Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition
Microsoft Windows 98 Second Edition
Microsoft Windows 98

You may also experience this problem when Internet Explorer 6 is installed on a computer that is running Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2).

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CAUSE

This problem occurs because Mshtmled.dll incorrectly manages an internal reference count to a selection service object.

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A supported hotfix is available from Microsoft. However, this hotfix is intended to correct only the problem that is described in this article. Apply this hotfix only to systems that are experiencing this specific problem. This hotfix might receive additional testing. Therefore, if you are not severely affected by this problem, we recommend that you wait for the next software update that contains this hotfix.

If the hotfix is available for download, there is a "Hotfix download available" section at the top of this Knowledge Base article. If this section does not appear, contact Microsoft Customer Service and Support to obtain the hotfix.

Note If additional issues occur or if any troubleshooting is required, you might have to create a separate service request. The usual support costs will apply to additional support questions and issues that do not qualify for this specific hotfix. For a complete list of Microsoft Customer Service and Support telephone numbers or to create a separate service request, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://support.microsoft.com/contactus/?ws=support (http://support.microsoft.com/contactus/?ws=support)

Note The "Hotfix download available" form displays the languages for which the hotfix is available. If you do not see your language, it is because a hotfix is not available for that language.

File information

The English version of this hotfix has the file attributes (or later file attributes) that are listed in the following table. The dates and times for these files are listed in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). When you view the file information, it is converted to local time. To find the difference between UTC and local time, use the Time Zone tab in the Date and Time item in Control Panel.

Internet Explorer 6 SP2 for Windows XP QFE Package

   Date         Time   Version        Size     File name
   --------------------------------------------------------
   19-Mar-2005  22:08  6.0.2900.2636  448,512  Mshtmled.dll

Internet Explorer 6 SP2 for Windows XP GDR Package

   Date         Time   Version        Size     File name
   --------------------------------------------------------
   19-Mar-2005  22:08  6.0.2900.2636  448,512  Mshtmled.dll

Internet Explorer 6 SP1 for Windows XP and Windows 2000 QFE Package

   Date         Time   Version        Size     File name
   --------------------------------------------------------
   24-Mar-2005  18:28  6.0.2800.1502  434,688  Mshtmled.dll

Internet Explorer 6 SP1 for Windows XP and Windows 2000 GDR Package

   Date         Time   Version        Size     File name
   --------------------------------------------------------
   24-Mar-2005  17:32  6.0.2800.1501  434,688  Mshtmled.dll

Internet Explorer 6 SP1 for Windows Millennium Edition and Windows 98

   Date         Time   Version        Size     File name
   --------------------------------------------------------
   24-Mar-2005  17:32  6.0.2800.1501  434,688  Mshtmled.dll

Windows Server 2003

   Date         Time   Version            Size    File name
   --------------------------------------------------------------
   07-Apr-2006  03:15  6.0.3790.514      454,144  Mshtmled.dll

Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1

   Date         Time   Version            Size    File name
   --------------------------------------------------------------
   07-Apr-2006  03:28  6.0.3790.2677     465,920  Mshtmled.dll

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