topic Re: Is the problem with my laptop or with google's home page? in Electronics

Is the problem with my laptop or with google's home page?

qualityshopper — Thu, 23 Jan 2014 14:33:36 GMT

I don't know if I can describe my problem adequately, but here goes. I have Google's search page as the home page on both browsers that I use--IE 11 and Google Chrome.Although the problem seems to happen on both browsers, Chrome seems to be giving the most trouble. When I open the Chrome browser, I'll see the links that Google has in the upper right corner (+You, Gmail, Images, and the Sign In button) doubled. Refreshing the page or closing it and reopening it will fix it, at least until the next time I open the browser. Also, I haven't experimented with going to a lot of different sites yet, but one site wouldn't even let me scroll down (had no problem though on IE). Other sites also had things doubled a little at the top.

As far as IE11 is concerned, the problem is there but not to the same extent. Most of the time, the Google home page opens up fine . Once in a while though, the Norton toolbar that's at the top is only halfway there (rather than being doubled).

I have really no idea what the problem is, except that maybe the laptop's getting ready to go out on me. Could anyone tell me please what the problem may be, and if there's anything I can do myself to fix it? The laptop uses Windows 7, and, yes, I have run Malwarebytes since that seemed like the obvious first thing to check out. Since I am especially careful with how I use my laptop (of course, I know that's not a guarantee that you won't get malware), I wasn't really expecting to find anything and I didn't. Would greatly appreciate any help with this. Thanks.

Re: Is the problem with my laptop or with google's home page?

lolakimono — Thu, 23 Jan 2014 14:36:21 GMT

Sounds like it's your laptop. Shut the computer down, reboot, and see if it's still having the problem.

Re: Is the problem with my laptop or with google's home page?

qualityshopper — Thu, 23 Jan 2014 14:44:31 GMT

Lolakimono--thanks for answering. I tried that, but it didn't help. I'm thinking it's my laptop as well, but I was wondering exactly what's wrong. In other words, would it be something that would be easy (and not too expensive) to repair.

Oh, an update. The one site I mentioned having particular trouble with (couldn't scroll down page even, but could on IE), turns out that whatever's going on with my laptop has nothing to do with that site. I got on another computer (XP) and had trouble with that site as well when using Chrome.

Re: Is the problem with my laptop or with google's home page?

qualityshopper — Fri, 24 Jan 2014 00:54:38 GMT

Anyone? Please!

Re: Is the problem with my laptop or with google's home page?

Iambeezer — Fri, 24 Jan 2014 01:07:20 GMT

Get rid of Norton, problem solved. Norton is blocking scripts that should be running. It's not your laptop. When people tell you its your laptop, it's people who sell them and want you to buy a new one. The ONLY time it's ever the laptop is a HARDWARE issue, not a browser issue.

Re: Is the problem with my laptop or with google's home page?

PhatCat — Fri, 24 Jan 2014 01:17:49 GMT

I had those problems for a couple days earlier this week, it's not your laptop. I noticed it the day after I had an update from Windows. It's working fine for me today.

Re: Is the problem with my laptop or with google's home page?

ThinkOutsidetheBox — Fri, 24 Jan 2014 03:05:15 GMT

It is NOT necessarily Norton. Make sure Norton is fully updated. I do not mean letting Norton do all its own updates. I mean open Norton and click update, let it do so, then when it is done, click update again. Repeat until you get the message that Norton has no more updates available (or something to that effect). If while updating at any time, you get a message that a patch needs to be applied, do so and then immediately reboot before you try to get any more updates. I do not care if it says rebooting is not necessary. Reboot after any "patch". Trust me on this one.

Also on the internet security suite theme, right click on Norton in the system tray at the bottom right corner of the PC screen and select "Check for new version". You may need to update to the new version, depending upon what operating system you have and what OS updates you have or have not installed. Do not go to a newer version of Norton if you use the Norton password manager and like it. The new password manager is BORKED!

Make sure that your browser versions are fully updated, as well as ALL Java and Adobe Flash plugins. Chrome supposedly automatically updates both itself and Flash, but I do not know about Java. Internet Explorer does not automatically update Flash unless you are using Windows 8 or higher I believe. You will need to manually update Flash yourself on Windows 7 or lower if Flash is not set to automatically update on Internet Explorer or Firefox. Even then, Flash and Java do what I call "dirty" updates when they are set to automatically do so. They leave bits of the older versions laying around. I perform these updates manually after removing the old version, deleting any related files and folders left behind and rebooting. A great quick tool to keep on top of whether there are any Flash or Java updates available is the Mozilla Plugin Check web page: http://www.mozilla.org/en-US/plugincheck/. Yes, even if you use Chrome or IE.

Another issue with newer browser versions, ESPECIALLY Firefox, is that Java is being blocked by default. This is for your safety, but some features on some websites depend on Java to work. So, for that website, you need to click up in the address bar on the website icon, choose "more information" or whatever similar message pops up in your browser, and tell the browser that you want Java and Flash to be allowed to run on that site. Explaining this well here for every browser is not really possible, so hopefully you can figure it out as you see it.

I am going to assume that you do not have plugins installed in Chrome or IE that would block the rendering of certain things on web pages? Does anyone else use the computer who could be installing plugins? If so, ask them if they have done so and what they installed. You may need to tell those plugins to allow rendering on a page for particular websites.

Newer Internet Explorer versions have a security mode that they can run in that will block rendering on web pages. Also, on Windows 8 and above, using the IE browser from the pretty tiled start screen area will not allow you to view web pages properly at all. It is a security feature,, and you will need to use the browser from the regular desktop.

Ensure that your video drivers are updated. If you are not PC savvy enough to know about this, see if you can get someone who is to check it and help you. If you cannot do that, Google your PC brand and model number, along with "Update video driver". That should get you where you need to go.

Your operating system, which version, and what updates are or are not installed can all be a culprit for internet web page rendering issues as well. For example, if one uses Firefox 24 or higher on Windows 8.1, one will enjoy the font on most web pages rendering in such a messed up manner that one will reach for their eyeglasses. This particular problem does not occur on IE or Chrome. However, many other issues with rendering do occur. Some Googling about your particular web browser and the exact issue you are having can yield lots of help.

Lastly, if you are having internet connectivity issues of some kind (anything from your provider to your modem or router causing issues), you can get the same kind of behavior that you are describing. This is not usually the problem however. Quite often, it is something that I have listed above.

Re: Is the problem with my laptop or with google's home page?

Lynnj — Fri, 24 Jan 2014 03:24:50 GMT

It's not your laptop. Probably something is updating in the background. Maybe your virus protection running a scan, or doing an update. Or maybe windows is doing a download of updates in the background. The stuff not loading completely, or funky, means the computer is doing too much at the same time. A poster above suggests checking to see that everything has current updates.. That may have something to do with it too. Check and update everything the poster suggests. I highly recommend that. It will help your computer function better.

Re: Is the problem with my laptop or with google's home page?

qualityshopper — Fri, 24 Jan 2014 11:30:52 GMT

Thanks so much everyone--especially Donejustdone--for all the advice. I really appreciate the help. (Donejustdone--I'm pasting your suggestions on my computer for future reference.)

Wouldn't you know, after checking everything I could think of and posting on here, I got on my laptop tonight and, of course, everything's just fine now. Should have known that would happen. Last week or so, I had trouble with watching YouTube videos in full screen on my old XP computer using Chrome. IE was fine on that computer for YouTube, as well as with both browsers on my Windows 7 laptop. I knew at the time that that problem would work itself out in a day or two, so I didn't worry about it, but I had never experienced the doubling up thing I wrote about above. After trying to search the Internet for an answer and not coming up with anything, I tried on here and, as usual, got the help I needed. Again, thanks everyone.