Browser Tips: Browser Helper Objects

I must admit that I tend to install a whole bunch of junk on my computer
system. It is part of my day job as Director of Technical Services at a
major company to review new software to determine if it may be of use. I
just love to look at new ways to solve issues that people run up against all
of the time. So I am always keeping a look out for the newest shareware and
freeware and checking them out.

Over the years, I've found a few utilities that I have discovered which make
my life easier. Thus, as I've moved from computer to computer I've tended to
install these same programs without thinking, considering them to be "safe"
as I've always had them.

About a year ago I started having problems with my computer system.
Naturally, since I am an MIS professional, I don't follow the advice that I
give everyone else: install one thing at a time so you know what to
uninstall when there is a problem. Following this procedure makes it easy to
troubleshoot problems when the occur - with Windows bluescreens and
application issues are almost always the results of the last install. This
is especially true if the system was stable before any new programs were
added.

No, I'm so smart that I don't need to follow my own advice (notice the
sarcasm here). What do I do? I get a new computer and install Windows NT
with service pack 5 and Office 2000. So far so good (that's what I had
before). Now I install my usual set of programs and everything is fine, then
I have to go and add over two dozen new applications. The system appears to
be stable, so I don't think much about it.

Over the next few months, I realized that Windows Explorer was crashing
occasionally. This is very annoying, because it causes all browser windows
to close and all of the tray icons to disappear. At this point I found I
needed to log out and log back in. The system would remain stable for a
while, then the same thing would occur. There was not a pattern to the
failures that I could find.

After a while I had the bright idea of upgrading to Windows 2000 as it is a
much more stable, clean operating system. I also acquired a brand new
machine (933mhtz) with a lot more disk space. I quickly realized that
Windows 2000 definitely was worth the hype - very clean, extremely fast and
wonderfully full featured. I must admit that I fell in love with this
operating system immediately and will never go back to Windows NT, 98 or 95
(I never used ME).

Except for one thing - Windows Explorer still crashed in exactly the same
manner. Every once in a while (generally no more than once per day) all of
my Internet Explorer windows would close, the tray icons would disappear and
the desktop would be refreshed. This was getting very frustrating. At first
I thought it was Internet Explorer 5.5, so I installed the earlier 5.01
version. The problem still occurred, but not as often.

I had already tried everything that I could think of. I had removed and
re-installed as many applications as I dared. I had reinstalled the
operating system, changed operating systems and even changed hardware. I
searched Technet (Microsoft's knowledge base) and found nothing. I
questioned other experts and they all came up blank.

I was getting very frustrated up until about a week ago. I am very good at
this kind of thing, and to continue to have the same kind of issue without
coming to a resolution was really annoying me.

Yes, believe it or not, there is a point to this story. Last week I stumbled
across an article about Browser Helper Objects (also known as a BHO). This
is the first and only time that I have heard this term, although I had been
unknowingly using these little critters for years.
A BHO is a piece of code which is installed in a special place known to
Internet Explorer which adds additional features. Microsoft has kindly
provided this function to allow third party companies to extend the browser
without needing to provide access to the source code.

I'm absolutely sure that most of the readers of this article use at least
one BHO at least occasionally. Some examples include Alexa, Gator, Flyswat,
GetRight, Gozilla, RealDownload and Yahoo Companion. There are many, many
more which are often made available for free in return for a name and
demographic information. I'll bet that you have at least one of these
installed on your system right now.
All of these applications are extremely useful, and all of them extend the
functionality of Internet Explorer. Each has been produced by a different
company with different development, coding and testing standards.

Once I read the article something clicked and I went through my add/remove
programs control panel and deleted the most useful BHO of them all - Gator.
I love this application, but I had to see if this was the problem.

Well, it's been a week and my system has remained 100% stable since that
time. Not one application freeze. Not one Windows Explorer crash. Not one
problem of any kind.

I learned something - well, I relearned something that I already knew. Be
conservative on the installs of new applications onto your computer. Nothing
makes Windows more unstable than new installations. And once you're sure
you've got a stable Windows system which does what you need, then by all
means stop installing things. More than likely, it will remain stable - that
is, until you find that perfect piece of software that you've just got to
have.

When you do install something that modifies the behavior of Internet
Explorer, remember this article. Perhaps you've added a Browser Helper
Object. I would recommend that you go ahead and install it, then watch your
system carefully for a week before making any other changes. This is really
the only real way to be sure of where the new problem came from.

About the Author

Richard Lowe Jr. is the webmaster of Internet Tips And Secrets. This
website includes over 1,000 free articles to improve your internet
profits, enjoyment and knowledge.
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