Clang!!! "Internet Explorer cannot display the webpage. Operation aborted."

Photo by rcrowley

That's the nasty message that flashed on my screen and jangled my eardrums every time I tried to open my blog this morning. It felt almost as if I'd been locked out of my own home and, like a woman possessed, I trawled the internet in search of a solution. (If you recall this episode you'll already know how much I hate to admit defeat when it comes to computer technology.)

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The answer was a simple one in the end. If this ever happens to you, and you use Blogger, you can forget the advice that tells you to go into Tools and disable your computer Add-ons such as Skype etc: tried that, to no avail. Or to download the latest version of Internet Explorer: even when I had my shiny new Internet Explorer 8 installed and working, the lock-out continued.
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What worked for me was removing the Friends Connect application.

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It sounds a tad harsh, but I found this gem of advice in a user forum where an expert warned that this little widgety thing, nice as it is, can cause the doors to slam in your face. He recommended removing it, then reinstating it. However I haven't been brave enough to give it another try just yet, and I can't answer the big question as to whether you'll lose all your Friends this way.
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Could be a choice of being homeless or friendless. Boo hoo.

[If you're wondering about the asterisks, I've taken a leaf out of Lurline's book - though not as pretty as the hearts she uses for the same purpose. It's just the easiest way to trick Blogger into leaving paragraph breaks. Not a happy Blogger bunny tonight....]