IE11 - starting it and then a blank page for a second or two

This is about Internet Explorer 11.
When starting IE11 I get a blank page for a second or two. It seems to be only happening when starting IE11 for the first time.

I'm wondering whether others are seeing that too. Please let us know. And please let us know why you think it is happening.

My system: Win 7 Pro 64-bit. Some TPL's in IE11. And Eset running. Home page: this site.

Although there were recently some posts by @Minimalist and @Stupendous Man in the Bork Tuesday thread (replies 4270 - 4273 there) I would like this to have its own thread. It seems to have been happening already before the August 2018 MS updates; that's why this new thread.

So, what are your experiences and thoughts?

 

Will add this appears to be a Win 7 issue. IE11 on Win 10 1803 after last cumulative update running as x(64) with no issues I can see.

 

I can only speak for myself and for my system, which is Windows 7 x64, with G Data IS, HitmanPro.Alert 3, DEP enabled for all programs and services, SEHOP enabled, UAC most secure setting, standard user account, SpywareBlaster and Adblock Plus (as mentioned in my signature).

My experience seems different from FanJ's.

I notice no difference after I installed August 14, Monthly Rollup KB4343900, Security and Quality Rollup updates for .NET Framework KB4345590, and MSRT KB890830.
IE11 on my Windows 7 x64 system does not seem to behave any different than before.

Since a long time, not related to the August updates, there is the minor issue of sometimes IE11 not opening a webpage on first try, needing a refresh to open, I see that every couple of days or even most days. As it is a very minor issue, I don't worry about it. I suppose it may be related to an earlier IE/Windows update, or a HMPA update, a G Data IS update, an ABP for IE update, or some IE11 or system setting.

As I said, my experience seems different from FanJ's.
Perhaps the difference is related to ESET, that is on FanJ's system.
Also Minimalist reported the IE issue in relation with ESET.

 

I am using Eset on Win 10 1803 and again I am having no issues with IE11.

Note that for the folks on Win 7, they have "the luxury" on reinstalling IE11. That option doesn't exist on Win 10.

 

Thanks @itman and @Stupendous Man

I doubt it has anything to do with the MS August updates.
I had put back a back-image from before the MS August updates, and then I saw it too.

 

Correct, both FanJ and Minimalist reported the issue regarding IE11 on Windows 7 with ESET.
There were no reports concerning IE11 on Windows 10.

 

I will say this. I have seen like activity before on Win 10 in regards to x(64) IE11. For example if you add URLs to the Trusted Zone, IE11 will open them outside of enhanced protected mode as virtualized running IE11 x(86) mode as I recall.

 

Based on Minimalist's report in the Bork Tuesday thread, it seems that ESET may be a factor in the IE11 issue.
Could there have been any recent ESET update that may be relevant in this matter?

 

I don't know about whether it is related to Eset.
To be honest, I doubt it, but I'm not sure.
And from what you posted: the description of what you were seeing is not the same as mine (maybe due to different setups), but at the other hand in the end it seems you too have that issue (minor or not). But of course I could misunderstanding things! And you're not running Eset.
I know that someone else had a similar issue as me with IE11 on Win 7 64-bit. I don't know whether he/she runs Eset.

 

When I get some spare time I can test it with and without ESET to rule this out. I will report back.

 

True.
But Minimalist and you notice an issue only recent, while what I see is since many months or even a year or years.
That is why I think the cause may be different, on your and Minimalist's systems and mine.

Also, I think we haven't been clear on what exactly we see when we notice that an IE11 page needs reloading to open.
You say, when starting IE11 you get a blank page for a second or two.
Minimalist and I did not mention a blank page when starting IE.
Minimalist and I mentioned IE11 not opening a webpage on first try, sometimes, and needing a refresh to open. You didn't mention that.
It seems we're talking about different things, or we are not clear in out descriptions.

Let me try to be more clear.

On my system, IE11 opens with four 'home page' tabs. Wilders Security Forums and three other pages.

Right after Windows and IE updates, opening IE and its home page tabs seems to take more time than a normal cold start. And sometimes (or even always? I cannot recall), right after Windows and IE updates, one or more (or all?) IE home page tabs seem to hang opening and keep blank. In that case, right after Windows and IE updates, I don't waste time waiting for IE to start correctly, but I close and re-open IE, and then all is fine.

Not related to Windows and IE updates, I mean, not right after updates, but many reboots later, normal 'stable' use, most cold starts, it takes a few seconds to open all four IE home page tabs, but they all open.
However, sometimes, one (or more?) page doesn't open correctly, IE reports the page cannot be opened. A page refresh (F5) fixes that right away.
This can be with a cold IE start, but a page not opening correctly, IE reporting the page cannot be opened, needing a page refresh, can also occur when IE is already open and in use.

Do you notice the difference in what I say regarding blank pages, or IE reporting a page cannot be opened?
It is different, and I see it in different situations, and I handle it differently:
directly after updates, IE hanging with blank pages, I restart IE;
not directly after updates, normal use, IE reporting a page cannot be opened, I refresh the page and that fixes it.

And as I said, all that is not new, but since many months or even a year or years.
What you reported may be different, and new.

 

even for about:blank? because here Win8 same for the first start. no active antivirus.

 

I can't say anything about that.
As mentioned, I use Windows 7, and I don't have a blank page for home page.

And for clarity,
where you say "the first start", do you mean after Windows and IE updates, or just any cold start?
And what do you see, IE hanging, not opening your about:blank home page?
Does F5/refresh fix that, or do you need to close and re-open the browser?
And are you talking about a recent new issue, or something that's been there for many months or even a year or years?

 

any first start after boot. i dont use IE so about:blank is set (and forced into sandboxie)
but for now it starts faster as this morning. and this is same as on windows 7 and is now for a longer period, i dont know when it started because i dont use IE
and ofc antivirus programs can cause this, like on any other program they need to scan dependencies.

 

On my Windows 10 1803 IE 11 is blank.I thought it was Open Shell causing it but even after removing it IE still does not work.

 

I do not use IE No idea when this started.Reset did not fix it. Open Shell may have caused it. I will check their site later today.

 

Using Autoruns, check under Image Hijacks tab and see if anything unusual exists there.

 

In addition to itman's reply -
Your IE address bar seems to show some redirect, which doesn't seem to work.
Are you sure the address specified for your IE home page is something that works?
Have you tried changing it for a page of which you know it exists and works?

 

Changed it to msn and now it works.

 

Great!
I've seen it before, that the default Microsoft home page in IE doesn't work.
Good to see that it works with the correct MSN page.

 

The knowledge base page for KB4343900, August 14, 2018, Monthly Rollup, now mentions under known issues:
"In Internet Explorer 11, a blank page may appear for some redirects. Additionally, if you open a site that uses Active Directory Federation Services (AD FS) or Single sign-on (SSO), the site may be unresponsive."
"This issue is resolved in KB4343894."
KB4343894 is the August 30, 2018, Preview of Monthly Rollup. It says:
"Addresses an issue in Internet Explorer 11 that may cause a blank page to appear for some redirects. Additionally, if you open a site that uses Active Directory Federation Services (AD FS) or Single sign-on (SSO), the site may be unresponsive."
This fix in the August 30, 2018, Preview of Monthly Rollup will later be included in the September 11, 2018, Monthly Rollup.

The knowledge base page for KB4343205, Cumulative security update for Internet Explorer, August 14, 2018, now mentions under known issues:
"In Internet Explorer 11, a blank page may appear for some redirects. Additionally, if you open a site that uses Active Directory Federation Services (AD FS) or Single sign-on (SSO), the site may be unresponsive."
"Refreshing the address bar URL may allow the page to finally load completely."
"To resolve this issue, apply update KB 4459022."
KB4459022 is Cumulative update for Internet Explorer, August 30, 2018. It says:
"This update includes improvements and fixes for Internet Explorer 11 that is running on Windows 8.1 or Windows 7 that resolve the following:
An issue that concerns Single sign on (SSO) and redirection in Internet Explorer 11"

 

Thnx @Stupendous Man for this info . I will wait for September regular update release to update IE.

 

You're most welcome, of course.
I checked the fixes in the Preview, and I noticed that info, which also applies to the Cumulative update for IE.

I will too. I install Rollups, never Previews.

 

I usually install final releases also. Last month was an exception for me since Preview release solved a problem with hangup of torrent clients.

 

Thanks @Stupendous Man from me too
I too will wait for the September MS updates. I use the Security Only updates and the Cum. updates for IE11.
It will be interesting to see what will happen then.