Why does my IE jump like a Kangaroo?

May 22, 2005 4:16 AM

When I use IE Explorer, the page images sometimes start jumping up and down uncontrollably. How can I fix this? (MI.)

I use IE explorer - yeah, I know, Mozilla, firefox et al... tried 'em, didn't like them. I recently had a virus related crash, cleaned it up and re-installed Windows 98. Yes, I know it's a Flintstones system, but it is what I have for my old paleolithic PC. Now when I view web pages the image screen starts to jump up and down, making it impossible to use the cursor. It stops after a while, but returns. Is there a patch or fix for this? Upgrading to Windows 2000 will not work on my PC.

posted by zaelic to computers & internet (9 comments total)

Are you sure it's IE and not a problem with your vidcard or monitor? Got the latest drivers installed?

I've never heard of images jumping in IE (bar the usual dance a poorly-made website does on initial loading)
posted by slater at 4:25 AM on May 22, 2005

Don't think it is the monitor. I had this problem a few years ago, the my computer died completely for a year, and was only recently resurrected. It worked fine until I recently had to re-install Windows 98 fresh from the original CD disc.
posted by zaelic at 4:28 AM on May 22, 2005

Do you have a mouse with a scroll wheel? The wheel sometimes happens to balance between two 'transitions', making the page scroll up and down like mad.
posted by koenie at 5:31 AM on May 22, 2005

I used to get that with '98, and I don't think we had a scroll mouse at the time, although koenie's right. I know exactly what you mean, I always blamed it on some weirdness of the O.S., but I don't know really.
posted by unrepentanthippie at 5:39 AM on May 22, 2005

Are you/a book/etc leaning on the keyboard?
posted by leapingsheep at 10:16 AM on May 22, 2005

Thanks for the scroll wheel idea - I am going to try a different mouse right now.
posted by zaelic at 10:46 AM on May 22, 2005

Is there any way to disable javascript in IE? It might be that poorly written code is borking up (a possibly older version of) java.
posted by PurplePorpoise at 11:00 AM on May 22, 2005

This happens to me with an optical mouse. I pick it up and hit it firmly on the tabletop and the behavior stops.
posted by yclipse at 1:59 PM on May 22, 2005

Now when I view web pages the image screen starts to jump up and down, making it impossible to use the cursor.

Can you be more specific? By "image screen" do you mean the entire monitor, or just a particular image within IE?

If the whole screen is bouncing up and down, your monitor is nearly dead. A modern new computer (with monitor) very likely costs less than half of what you paid for your current system. Running Windows 98, even second edition is just asking for trouble.

Best luck.
posted by b1tr0t at 5:32 PM on May 22, 2005