IE8 locking-up/hanging/stuttering

[ProfessorUtopia]

When ever I open Internet Explorer 8 after a system restart I get this message...

IE was closed normally. Either selection takes me to about:blank (my homepage). This happens every time after a restart. (XP Pro 32bit SP3)

In addition, IE (6, 7 and 8) locks-up and is unresponsive for several seconds when:

Opening IE for the first time after restart
Accessing the first webpage (No issue with about:blank)
Opening a webpage in a new tab
Accessing the favorites menu*
Expanding a folder in the favorites menu*

*The lock-up only happens the first time, in each IE session.


No updates or new software were recently installed that could have prompted this. I've tried everything I can think of to fix this, short of a complete reformat:

Clearing cache/history/junk files
Installing all critical and IE-related Windows updates
Uninstalling to IE7 and reinstalling IE8
Reinstalling Windows XP (repair installation)
Reinstalling IE8 (again.)
Screaming "F*** you, Internet Exploder!" at my monitor.

I'd really appreciate some help finding a solution to this problem. (And by "solution", I don't mean "Install Firefox.")

Thank you kindly.

 

[gimp]

uninstall all add-ons, or at the very least, disable all of them.

 

[ProfessorUtopia]

Done; I don't know if it was a fluke or if that did something, but I didn't get the "Restore last session" prompt after my most recent restart. All other symptoms persist.

 

[gimp]

system just could be hosed.

I know with my old XP box, I started having major issues with IE.
Took multiple tries to get it to actually show a window (the iexplore.exe process would start, but no window would show). Tried upgrading to IE7 then to IE8, with no change.

ended up just sticking with Firefox until I built my new machine.

could always try an sfc /scannow
run standard anti-spyware apps, av scans, find a couple "portable" versions of av to run also.

 

[ProfessorUtopia]

Well, it turns out a had a deeper-rooted issue with nForce drivers, which reinstalling them did not correct. I ended up reformatting; I suppose 4 1/2 years with out a Windows reinstallation is a half decent run, though.

Thanks for the advice, j-sta.