I've been using Internet Explorer 6 for about a year.  I use to be
able to start multiple instances by clicking on the icon, but can't do
that anymore.  I don't know what changed.   SO, I downgraded to IE
5.5.  That didn't help.  Any suggestions?

Hi Edward,

By "multiple instances" I assume you mean having many different IE
browsers open at the same time. What you can do to get this is the
following:

1. Open the first IE browser window
2. Hold down "Ctrl" and then press "N"

Alternatively you could go to the file menu in any browser instance
and select:
New --> Window

Let me know if you still have problems with this issue...

Cheers!
answerguru-ga

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Request for Answer Clarification by edwardj51-ga on 12 May 2002 15:07 PDT

If my IE6 installation was functioning normally, I would be able to
click the Internet Explorer icon, say, 3 times to bring up 3 windows.
My question is 1) why did this capability go away?  and 2) How do I
get it back?

A second "symptom" of the problem is that I cannot bring up a site by
clicking on a link in any e-mail message I receive (using Outlook
Express).

---

Clarification of Answer by answerguru-ga on 12 May 2002 16:29 PDT

Hi,

Yes I apologize for misinterpreting your question..

There are a few key differences between clicking the IE icon multiple
times and doing what I suggested in my original answer. In clicking
the icon multiple times you are creating MULTIPLE PROCESSES, meaning
that IE is running several times. Opening a new window will just spawn
another session within the same process. There are several things you
need to check in order to attempt to bring back this option:
1. Create a list of software installs/uninstalls that you have done 
2. Sometimes a virus protection software causes these issues to arise
3. If you are running Windows XP try running the system restore and
setting the date back to when it was definitely working (this is a
last resort)
4. Also keep in mind that creating several new processes take up a
significant amount of memory (RAM) so if you are running other things
at the same time the Windows Memory Manager may prevent this action.

The comment by seizer is wrong...that setting will not change anything
in this matter.

I hope this points you in the right track...the best people to contact
if you are still having problems would be microsoft tech support.

Good luck!
answerguru-ga

This is not the answer.  Like the comment below explains, he does not
understand the question.

I don't believe this answer addresses the issue that edwardj51-ga
raised. If his IE6 installation were functioning normally, he should
be able to click the Internet Explorer icon, say, 3 times to bring up
3 windows. His question addresses his inability to do that.

It's just possible it could be to do with the "Re-use windows for
launching shortcuts" option, in the IE menu Tools --> Advanced.
Perhaps fiddling with that might yield some result?

edwardj51-ga:

I ran a search against Google Groups and found someone with exactly
the problem you are experiencing. The link (and piece of software
mentioned in it) should fix your problem. I've used the program myself
and it works.

http://groups.google.com/groups?q=unable+to+start+multiple+windows++ie6&hl=en&selm=7dfb01c1bc8f%24b018b900%2419ef2ecf%40tkmsftngxa01&rnum=5

Good luck!

Axe

This is the most unlikely situation. If you're using Windows XP, and
new to it, you may not be aware that IE6 shows only one button on the
taskbar. When you click on that, it will open all the instances of IE6
as a pop-up. It applies to all multiple instance applications.

You really rated the answerer way too low.  He did address your
question after you clarified it.  He also gave you additional VERY
VALUABLE information, and I am sorry if you don't appreciate it. 
Basically, you should NOT be clicking on the IE icon to open multiple
instances - it's a waste of RAM.  Each time you click on the icon open
a new instance, you are going to be using at least 15MB additional
RAM, whereas if you use the Ctrl-N option (or File -> New -> Window),
you will only be using a negligible amount of extra RAM for each new
window you open.  If you want to bog your system down unnecessarily,
so be it.

I appreciate your vote of confidence evie-ga :)

answerguru-ga

I ASKED THE ORIGINAL QUESTION.  The problem is now solved.  What I did
was eliminate a program called "POP_UP_STOPPER" from the startup list.
 Thanks for all the help.

I can't imagine just using one IE session.  I'd get bored and not much
work done.