I sometimes get that message when I have a loose connection, either with my cable modem or the Linksys router. It will clear after checking the connections and/or pushing the reset button. Just my 2 c's. Bejay

The setting is in IE version 10 & 11. Mine is version 10. By its default setting, the Enable Protected Mode should have already set. To check, open IE. Under "Tools" (top menu), select "Internet options". Under the "Security" tab, you will see "Enable Protected Mode". This should be checked. You can also disable the Flash Plugins. This bug won't work with Flash plugins disabled. To disable, open IE and go to "Tools" and select "Manage add-ons". Under "Toolbars and Extensions", you will see to the right "Adobe Systems Incorporated". Under this, "Shockwave Flash Object" is listed. When you select this, you will see a "disable" at the bottom. Click on it to disable; then, select "Close" to get out of the setting. Doing both, you can continue to use IE.

I finally figured it out. If others have this problem, got to Control Panel > Programs and Features > For Win7 in left hand panel click "view installed updates > scroll down to Microsoft Windows, then find whatever it is you want to install. If the install was very recent, it is easier to change the view by clicking on Installed On tab, then all will be arranged by the date it was installed, bringing the recently installed to the top. Then just hit uninstall.

Sorry about your passwords, I had no idea that you hadn't saved them somewhere safe. The missing items may have been your add ins, which are usually the source of IE shutting down. Internet Explorer should not have updated unless it has been attempting to update and could not because the browser was unhealthy. Have you seen any Windows or Internet Explorer updates fail just prior to the issues? What were the names of the add ins that you were using? It sounds as if the green circle may have been WOT (Web of Trust). You can download it from https://www.mywot.com/ . The tab settings are found by clicking the Tools button, and then click Internet Options. Click the General tab, and then, in the Tabs section, click Settings. Check the Enable Tabbed Browsing check box. Click OK twice. Did you mean that when you opened Internet Explorer, multiple tabs were opening by default? If that's what you meant, open each site that you want in their own tabs, then open Internet Options and on the General Tab under the Home Page section, click Use Current. Click Apply and OK.