IE 8 multiple home page issue (Win7 64-bit)

[SamStamport]

Greetings,

I have several home pages set in IE8 running under Vista on my 64-bit machine. When I start IE8 only the first home page in the list opens. This is fine since I often have more than one instance of IE8 open at once. When I want to open all home pages I click the home icon. IE8 under Win 7 works differently. Each time I start an instance of IE8 ALL the home pages open. This is very inefficient. What can I do to get the behavior from Vista into Win 7?

While diagnosing other IE8 problems over the last year I learned that there is a 32-bit version and a 64-bit version of IE8. I wonder if that has something to do with this problem?

Thanks, in advance, for your help.

[Medico]

Most web pages are not ready for the 64 bit version of IE8. Open 32 Bit IE8 and check to make sure it is the default browser. This may solve your problem. Tools/Internet Options/Programs/Internet Programs

[SamStamport]

Where do I find the 32-bit version of IE8?

[Medico]

On your start button/All Programs you should see both 32 Bit and 64 Bit IE. Choose 32 Bit

[jscher2000]

Most web pages are not ready for the 64 bit version of IE8.

[s]This doesn't make any sense to me. Pages written in HTML and JavaScript are designed to run in any browser, and content such as Flash and Java are designed to work with the user's plug-in on any platform. Where have you read that 64 bit-ness affects web pages?[/s]

Note: Please see subsequent post #831807 where I understood that ActiveX controls are specific to 32 and 64 bit versions of IE.

[SamStamport]

The behavior is the same whether I start 32-bit IE8 or 64-bit IE8.

[jscher2000]

I have several home pages set in IE8 running under Vista on my 64-bit machine. When I start IE8 only the first home page in the list opens. This is fine since I often have more than one instance of IE8 open at once. When I want to open all home pages I click the home icon. IE8 under Win 7 works differently. Each time I start an instance of IE8 ALL the home pages open. This is very inefficient. What can I do to get the behavior from Vista into Win 7?

In IE7 and IE8 on Windows XP, I get the behavior you describe for Windows 7. So you are seeing the default behavior.

To customize this on your Win7+IE8:

Tools > Internet Options > General tab, Tabs section > Settings... > "Open only the first home page when Internet Explorer starts"

Success?

[SamStamport]

That solved my problem. Many thanks!

[Medico]

This doesn't make any sense to me. Pages written in HTML and Javascript are designed to run in any browser, and content such as Flash and Java are designed to work with the user's plug-in on any platform. Where have you read that 64 bit-ness affects web pages?

ActiveX Controls are not allowed in IE 64-bit so if you need to access a
page dependent on ActiveX (e.g., any page with Flash content), open an
instance of IE 32-bit to access the page. (No, there isn't a 64-bit version
of Flash, at least not yet.)

[jscher2000]

ActiveX Controls are not allowed in IE 64-bit so if you need to access a page dependent on ActiveX (e.g., any page with Flash content), open an instance of IE 32-bit to access the page. (No, there isn't a 64-bit version of Flash, at least not yet.)

Thanks, I see now:

The 32-bit version of Internet Explorer can host only native 32-bit ActiveX controls and other 32-bit Web page objects. The 64-bit version of Internet Explorer can host only native 64-bit ActiveX controls and other 64-bit Web page objects.

(From: Differences between the 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Internet Explorer that are included in the x64-based versions of Windows Server 2003 and in Windows XP Professional x64 Edition)

Yet another reason to avoid proprietary code on the web.

[Duchess843]

In IE7 and IE8 on Windows XP, I get the behavior you describe for Windows 7. So you are seeing the default behavior.

To customize this on your Win7+IE8:

Tools > Internet Options > General tab, Tabs section > Settings... > "Open only the first home page when Internet Explorer starts"

Success?

Jscher, Excuse me for jumping in here?

Am I to understand that the 64-bit version of IE8's only available if your're running Windows 7?

I'm asking because my new computer's in route and it will have Windows 7.

Gloria

[JoeP517]

Am I to understand that the 64-bit version of IE8's only available if your're running Windows 7?

I'm asking because my new computer's in route and it will have Windows 7.

The 64-bit version of IE8 is available on any 64-bit Windows operating system.

Both the 32-bit and 64-bit versions of IE8 should be installed on your new PC. I recommend that you use the 32-bit version for every day browsing as Flash, Silverlight, & other browser addins are currently not available for 64-bit IE8. If you want to experiment with 64-bit IE8 that is fine as long as you are aware that some web sites will not work properly right now.

Joe

[Duchess843]

The 64-bit version of IE8 is available on any 64-bit Windows operating system.

Both the 32-bit and 64-bit versions of IE8 should be installed on your new PC. I recommend that you use the 32-bit version for every day browsing as Flash, Silverlight, & other browser addins are currently not available for 64-bit IE8. If you want to experiment with 64-bit IE8 that is fine as long as you are aware that some web sites will not work properly right now.

Joe

That's good information. I'm not a great experimenter, therefore I will use the 32-bit unless the program requires the other.

Gloria

[bobprimak]

This doesn't make any sense to me. Pages written in HTML and Javascript are designed to run in any browser, and content such as Flash and Java are designed to work with the user's plug-in on any platform. Where have you read that 64 bit-ness affects web pages?

False. 64-bit browsing is way different from 32-bit browsing. Plug ins like Flash Player have to be completely recoded to work in 64-bit browsers. This is still a work in progress. Same with Javascript, due to the JRE (Java Runtime Environment) plug-in not being ready for 64-bit browsers, and web pages needing to be recoded to handle 64-bit browsers. It is an entirely different operating environment. HTML is universal, but scripting is not.

[jscher2000]

False. 64-bit browsing is way different from 32-bit browsing. Plug ins like Flash Player have to be completely recoded to work in 64-bit browsers.

Yes, I learned that in a subsequent post in this thread. Thanks for pointing out my error again. I have updated my earlier post so I won't need to be reminded any more.

Same with Javascript, due to the JRE (Java Runtime Environment) plug-in not being ready for 64-bit browsers, and web pages needing to be recoded to handle 64-bit browsers. It is an entirely different operating environment. HTML is universal, but scripting is not.

JavaScript runs in a native binary, not through the JRE, so most JavaScript, unless it invokes Java objects, should run the same.