I suggest you fix IE 8, you just can't ignore it. Google uninstall IE 8 .

It's kind of like ignoring that funny sound on a car.

Thanks zep and the funny sound does bug me because I know it is broken -- but the fix might be worse than the sound. IE8 cannot be removed with the Add/Remove and the best I can find is MicrosoftÂs alternate solution. That would be running a "%windir%\ie8\spuninst\spuninst.exe" in the Run/Cmd which then shows that, in my case, 130+ updates or programs might have to be redone or might not run in the proper manner. Some of them include: all security and MS updates, Foxit, Open Office, Adobe, tax programs, Java, Winpatrol, Avast, audio and video drivers, Kindle, Revo, Acronis, etc. If I had depended on IE as a browser before the IE8 debacle, I would go for a fix. But I have not used IE but for a dozen times over a few years  since I started using Opera, then Firefox.

But Microsoft updates do require the use of Internet Explorer, some version of it at least. So you must have an active version installed and ready to run. If you're not getting the updates, you are leaving yourself wide open for all sorts of malware and hackers.

grandms, thanks --- I think that I am getting all updates, including those for IE8. When I attempt to use IE8 it runs into a connection problem  "Internet Explorer cannot display the webpage." Next, when applying the Diagnose Connection Problem, it cannot detect any problem with internet connection. Following that, it gives the ordinary reasons, bad typing, site temporarily unavailable, DNS is not reachable, DNS does not a listing for the websiteÂs domain, etc.  irrespective of the site attempted, including attempting microsoft.com, the ultimate culprit. This incident is typical of my disdain for Microsoft. If I want a browser, like Firefox, I download it and it runs. If I download IE8 because it is "beautiful" versus 7, I do it and it becomes broken, but cannot return to IE7. I think (now that is dangerous) that along the way I, or some program, wiped out something that is basic to Windows and/or Explorer. Reading several forums and postings by others shows various solutions none of which has corrected my case. But I am not trying very hard because I have alternatives that work. And like zep says, you cannot ignore the noise coming from the engine.

have you tried just re-installing IE8 right over the top of it as it is now? Directly from the IE 8 site?
Internet Explorer 8

click on the appropriate version of your windows there and it will pop up the download exe for IE8, download and install it.

I am not a fan of IE either but you do need to have a working version should you need to get windows updates.

you might also try going to this MS page and scroll down to the Microsoft fix it tool and running it to see if it will fix the problem.
Internet Explorer 8

I would also suggest turning off all add ons
check out the Internet Explorer 8 plug-ins, open the Tools menu, and click on Manage Add-ons that will show most of the plug-ins in use by the browser. There you will have the option to disable them do so.

you can also try a reset
" 1. Close all open windows of Internet Explorer.

2. Open a fresh window of Internet Explorer, and click on the Tools menu.
3. In the dialog box that appears, select the last tab named Advanced (see figure).
4. The last button in the Advanced page of the Internet Options Dialog is named Reset. Click on the button.

Resetting the IE browser settings restores your Internet Explorer to the state when you installed it. This means that it removes all additional add-ons that were added to the Internet Explorer either intentionally or unintentionally. "

by the way which version of windows is on this computer?

Followed all suggestions. Another IE8 installed, disabled plug-ins, and reset settings. All updates to Windows and IE8 are in place without any problems. There are no problems getting updates from Microsoft and the computer is functioning well  only the browser is broke. Using Media Center XP3 running on Gateway Amd 64X2.

did using the fix it tool on the MS page not fix it?

I think it sounds like something is interfering with it, which firewall and antivirus program do you have running on the pc?

I have read and heard that people that had problems with IE8 who tried using the version that is optimized for Google found it worked when the regular one did not, not sure why but you may want to give it a try.
Internet Explorer 8 optimized for Google

Score another for raven: "I think it sounds like something is interfering with it, which firewall and antivirus program do you have running on the pc?" First attempt was to see whether it was Avast or Zonealarm. When I turned off ZA, IE8 worked. Avast didn't affect IE. Spent a couple of hours performing ZA's suggested fixes, concluded that there was no ZA fix that worked. Well, you should have done this first -- uninstall ZA and get a new one. That worked. I was thinking that my old version of ZA was up-to-date, but I guess it wasn't. Thanks for the help.

well good for you!! you worked it out and found the culprit.

Glad it is working now and you have the za working also.
I remember early on when IE8 first came out there were several things that had conflicts with it and za was one of them.