Internet Explorer opens, flashes, and then closes immediately when you start it

When you start Internet Explorer 7, Internet Explorer 8, or Internet Explorer 9, Internet Explorer opens, flashes, and then closes immediately.

This issue occurs because the version of Internet Explorer on your computer has become corrupted.

To resolve this issue, use one of the methods that are described here. Begin with Method 1. If the steps in that method do not resolve the issue, go to the next method.

Method 1: Reset Internet Explorer to its default settings

When you reset Internet Explorer to its default settings, all changes that were made to Internet Explorer after it was installed are removed. However, this action does not delete your favorites or feeds. To reset Internet Explorer to its default settings, follow these steps:

1. Close all Internet Explorer and Windows Explorer windows.
2. Click Start
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   , and then click Control Panel.
3. In Control Panel, open Internet Options.
4. Click the Advanced tab, and then click Reset.
5. In the Reset Internet Explorer Settings dialog box, click Reset.
6. When Internet Explorer finishes restoring the default settings, click Close, and then click OK two times.
7. Close Internet Explorer, and then reopen it. The changes take effect the next time that you open Internet Explorer.

Method 2: Uninstall and then reinstall Internet Explorer

If resetting Internet Explorer to its default settings does not fix the problem, uninstall Internet Explorer 8 or Internet Explorer 9, and then reinstall it. To do this, follow these steps, depending on the operating system that you are using.

Note This method cannot be used for Internet Explorer 7 because Internet Explorer 7 it is a part of Windows Vista and cannot be uninstalled.

Windows 7 or Windows Server 2008 R2

To uninstall Internet Explorer 8 or Internet Explorer 9 from a computer that is running Windows 7 or Windows Server 2008 R2, follow these steps:

1. Close all programs.
2. Click Start, and then click Control Panel.
3. Click Programs, and then click Turn Windows features on or off.
4. In the list of Windows features, click to clear the Internet Explorer 8 or the Internet Explorer 9 box.
5. Click Yes when you are prompted.
6. Click OK. Internet Explorer 8 or Internet Explorer 9 will now be uninstalled. The system will restart after the installation.

To install Internet Explorer 8 or Internet Explorer 9 on a computer that is running Windows 7 or Windows Server 2008 R2, follow these steps:

1. Close all programs.
2. Click Start, and then click Control Panel.
3. Click Programs, and then click Turn Windows features on or off.
4. In the list of Windows features, check the Internet Explorer 8 or the Internet Explorer 9 box.
5. Click OK, and then wait for system to restart.

Windows Vista or Windows Server 2008

To uninstall Internet Explorer 8 or Internet Explorer 9 from a computer that is running Windows Vista or Windows Server 2008, follow these steps:

1. Close all programs.
2. Click Start, and then click Control Panel.
3. Click Programs, and then click Uninstall a Program.
4. In the Tasks pane, click View installed updates.
5. In the list of installed updates, double-click Windows Internet Explorer 8 or Windows Internet Explorer 9, and then click Yes when you are prompted for confirmation.

Note If Windows Internet Explorer 8 or Windows Internet Explorer 9 does not appear in the list of installed updates, follow the steps that are listed in the "Alternative steps (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/957700#altsteps) " section of the following Microsoft Knowledge Base article:To install Internet Explorer 8 on a computer that is running Windows Vista or Windows Server 2008, follow these steps:

1. Visit the following Microsoft website: 
   Windows Internet Explorer 8 for Windows Vista or Windows Server 2008 (http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=79154FB4-C610-4A1E-811D-DFE0F1DD84D1&displaylang=en)
2. Click the Download button on the page to start the download. Or, select a different language in the Change language list, and then click Go.
3. Take one of the following actions:
   • To start the installation immediately, click Run.
   • To save the download to your computer for installation later, click Save.
   • To cancel the installation, click Cancel.

To install Internet Explorer 9 on a computer that is running Windows Vista or Windows Server 2008, follow these steps, visit the following Microsoft website:

Windows XP

To uninstall Internet Explorer 7 or Internet Explorer 8 from a computer that is running Windows XP, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, and then click Control Panel.
2. Click Add or Remove Programs.
3. Make sure that the Show updates check box is selected.
4. Click Windows Internet Explorer 7 or Windows Internet Explorer 8.
5. Click Remove.

To Install Internet Explorer 7 or Internet Explorer 8 on a computer that is running Windows XP, follow these steps:

1. Visit either of the following Microsoft websites, depending on the version of Internet Explorer that you want to install: 
   Windows Internet Explorer 8 for Windows XP (http://www.microsoft.com/Downloads/details.aspx?familyid=341C2AD5-8C3D-4347-8C03-08CDECD8852B)
   
   Windows Internet Explorer 7 for Windows XP (http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=9AE91EBE-3385-447C-8A30-081805B2F90B)
2. Click the Download button on the page to start the download. Or, select a different language in the Change language list, and then click Go.
3. Take one of the following actions:
   • To start the installation immediately, click Run.
   • To save the download to your computer for installation later, click Save.
   • To cancel the installation, click Cancel.

Method 3: Run the Internet Explorer troubleshooters in Windows 7

By default, a new installation of Windows 7 has two Internet Explorer troubleshooters:

• Internet Explorer Performance
• Internet Explorer Safety

How to run Internet Explorer troubleshooters

1. Close all programs.
2. Click Start, and then click Control Panel.
3. Under System and Security, click Find and Fix Problems.
4. In the task pane on the left, click View All.
5. Click Internet Explorer Performance.
6. Click Next. The troubleshooter will run and fix all identified issues automatically.
7. Click Close.

After you run the Internet Explorer Performance troubleshooter, you should start Internet Explorer to see whether the issue is fixed.

If the issue still occurs, run the Internet Explorer Safety troubleshooter. To do this, follow the steps that were mentioned earlier, but in step 5, click Internet Explorer Safety.