See if you can access/ open IE via the start menu,

Click start, programs look for IE and double click it from that location,

Also reboot the computer and try the Icon on the desk top again.

You will probably need to look for iexplorexe rather than IE.

The default location for it is "C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe"

do a system restore to yesterday or right prior to this happening is the easiest way to go. and if it does not work it is fully reversible.
System Restore

Thank you. None of the above worked. I had a new hard drive installed to replace the 6 year old one, and can't restore to a point before that..... I've followed HP's and Microsoft's instructions, and none of them worked either. Guess I can live without IE, but I thot it had to be there!

it does have to be there you have to use it when you go to your windows update site and to get anything from microsoft generally.

Try doing another download of IE7, you did have IE7 I am assuming? reinstall it and see if that fixes it.
Internet Explorer 7 downloads
now that may be a problem in itself it may not let you download it from firefox.
You are using firefox now?
You may have to download it from another pc that has IE onto a flash drive then install it to this pc.

this is the usual path for finding it did you check there?
"C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe"

does it show up in add remove programs at all? if so you might try doing a repair there.

You should be able to get a IE 7 CD from most any
computer Repair shop. I have done this on one occasion
for someone. Try an Internet supplier in your town.
cg

Did all this start immediately after installing the new hard drive? Hopefully you burned your recovery partition to CD.

You might also see if your anti virus has been wiped out or at the least disabled along with any anti malware programs you have installed on the computer.

When I had a Trojan loaded troublesome computer here it could not access IE, Firefox always wanted to restore to the previous session and even then refused to run properly, the firewall was gone and so was AVG. The MS firewall was turned off.

Trying to load AVG, Superantispyware and Malwarebytes from a thumb drive failed, I could copy and paste but not install. Eventually I found I could load Avast and the latest definitions from the thumb drive and this took care of enough pests to allow the installing of the other safety programs.

I'm an old lady with a faulty memory! Seems to me that IE was acting the same way earlier.

Ha ha, you might be an old lady with a faulty memory. I am an old man who also suffers from Sometimers. As we are still on the top side of the grass nothing else really matters - except your computer right now.

OK so back to the problem. What anti virus program are you running? Is it up to date?

What anti malware programs are you running, are they up to date and have you ran any of them recently.

I think the only antivirus I'm running is with Att-I have DSL with sbcglobal.net. Malware programs - have no idea what that even is! I did scan with ADaware this afternoon, and nothing showed up there. I did find IE on the hard drive under Program Files, but all it opens is a page of folders.

Did your AdAware scan find and/or remove anything?

Do you have AdAwareSE or AdAware2008? The latest is AdAware2008 and you should be using that.Are you able to update the definitions alright? Do a scan after updating and select to do a full scan rather than a 'quick' scan. It may take over an hour to complete.

You really should have an anti virus program installed for your own protection. There are some excellent free anti virus programs available out there.

Owbist, she has ATT DSL with provides a free antivirus for their customers. It is called ATT Internet Security Suite by McAfee. It is antivirus, antispyware and a firewall.

Thanks Camp, so perhaps her problems are not related to any virus or Trojan. Thanks for enlightening me on the protection.

I think if you followed the path to the iexplore.exe which I posted here
this is the usual path for finding it did you check there?
"C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe"

then try double clicking on the exe and see if it will open Ie

you should also be able to go to iexplore.exe by following that path then right click on it and choose create shortcut and select desktop.
When you go to Start> right click on Start then click on Explore to open your tree> look down that list to Program Files click the plus sign to expand that, then look for Internet explorer click the plus sign to expand that, it will open in the right hand pane in there you will see one in there that is the big blue e icon and is called iexplore.exe that is the internet explorer, now right click on that big blue icon and in that list choose create shortcut and select desktop. Now that should put a new IE icon on your desktop and when you double click on it you should open Internet Explorer.
Let us know if that works.

And what browser are you using right now to come here are you using firefox browser now?

I would also suggest you get malwarebytes which is free and install it update it and run a full scan on your computer, doing that weekly will greatly help keep your pc clean.
Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware

I've tried Command Prompt, Run, Search, and these are the answers I get - System cannot find the path specified
Windows cannot find...
Not a valid folder

wait I thought you said up above you did find it in program files? that is where it should be, go back there where you found it and you said all you saw were some folders yes that is how it should be in there will be the actual iexplore.exe it has the blue e as the icon, that is what you are looking for. Just go back there where you found it with the folders and open that up to find the iexplore.exe

the only other option I would say is to go download it again and reinstall it, the link I provided for the download also offers the cd to be mailed to you.

I now have 3 icons for IE, and none of them will open the browser so I can use it! It just briefly flashes a small white window, and nothing else happens.

1. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.
2. Double-click Internet Options.
3. Click the Advanced tab.
4. Under Browsing, clear the Enable third-party browser extensions (requires restart) check box.
5. Restart Internet Explorer.

Then do this:

Please Download Malwarebytes:
Please download Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware to your desktop. Click here
* Double-click mbam-setup.exe and follow the prompts to install the program.
* At the end, be sure a checkmark is placed next to Update Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware and Launch Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware, then click Finish.
* If an update is found, it will download and install the latest version.
* Once the program has loaded, select Perform full scan, then click Scan.
* When the scan is complete, click OK, then Show Results to view the results.
* Be sure that everything is checked, and click Remove Selected.
 The log is automatically saved by MBAM and can be viewed by clicking the Logs tab in MBAM.
The log can also be found here: C:\Documents and Settings\Username\Application Data\Malwarebytes\Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware\Logs\log-date.txt

 Copy and Paste the entire report in your next reply.

Extra Note: If MBAM encounters a file that is difficult to remove, you will be presented with 1 of 2 prompts, click OK to either and let MBAM proceed with the disinfection process, if asked to restart the computer, please do so immediately.

is it (Internet Explorer) showing in add remove programs? Start>control panel> add remove programs> do you see it listed there? if so click to hilight and then try a repair there.
If no go then re download and re install

it really helps us though if you do answer the questions we ask, I know I have asked if you have firefox, and what scans you have done and if you have used malwarebytes. It is hard to know which way to go with out info.

I understand you have DSL with ATT and they provide free certain AV programs, I also get free McAfee with my ISP but I had to go in, download and install it, and personally set it all up and make sure it was all functioning it did not come pre-configured or installed, so knowing what you actually have and how it is set up and if it is updated are all things that are important.

Malware is any type of spyware, adware, or nefarious programs that can get onto your computer, there fore a malware remover would be one that removes all these types of infections. Antivirus programs do not necessarily remove them.
AdAware is not as good a program as it once was so it is not the best one to use, the malwarebytes program I provided the link to is an exceptional free program that will remove the most recent malware types. Often we do see malware that will cause problems like you are mentioning which is why we have been asking these questions.

Awaiting further answers.
Don't worry I am an old lady with faulty memory also, if only it was just my memory that was failing! it sure ain't for sissies LOL

To Raven - yes, I am using Firefox. I installed the antimalware as recommended. IE is not in my list of add and remove programs. I'll keep trying! Thanks to everyone who is helping - I really appreciate you.