First try shutting down and then boot the computer again, this can often overcome smaller issues. This is NOT a re-start, actually shut it down so anything in the ROM is wiped out.

You don't say which Windows but click Start, click Control panel and look for your mouse settings and see if they are set to how you like them.

Even Googling the mouse seeking updated drivers might well cure the issue.

What browser are you using? A pop up blocker may be rendering the links dormant.

DA

Thanks for the input.

It never occurred to me that it might be the mouse, but I can see nothing in the settings that look strange, owbist.

I thought XP was the particular Windows and IE was Microsoft's browser.

I'll check into the pop-up blocker and get back to you, damccoy. That's what I thought might be happening at first and disabled one (IE's), but it might have affected the other (Google's).

Steve

It's definitely something to do with the pop-up blocker. Time to play with it.

Thanks again,

Steve

I thought XP was the particular Windows and IE was Microsoft's browser.

You are absolutely right, my apologies for not reading the entire message.

Try disabling the pop up blocker then re-enable it, funnier things have worked at times. Even re-install if necessary to replace any corrupt file

one other suggestion is to install another browser to see if this happens with it or just with IE it is always a good idea to have more than one browser on the pc anyway in case IE failed.
Try firefox or chrome etc and see what happens.

Well, I thought I had solved the problem by doing what you suggested, owbist, but all is not well. It's time to learn to use the other browsers on this machine and is if the problem is there too.
Thanks,
Steve

Steve there is not much of a learning curve really. I have 4 browsers on this computer, IE, Firefox, Opera and Chrome and use 2 of them mostly.

You might read here that some folks personalise the program to suit there taste but for myself what ever gets installed is good enough, it is simply a means of getting from here out into the world at large. For a while I did install the Canadian dictionary on Firefox but each update wiped it off so now I ignore the corrections it shows

you might try downloading IE8 again and reinstall it over the one that you have it may fix any corrupted files.
Have you tried clearing all of the cache and cookies and history on your IE that may help also.
here is the download link for IE8
Internet Explorer 8

you really need a good working Ie since you need it to get windows updates since you are on xp still.

How do I clear my web browser's cache, cookies, and history?
that link tells how to do those things on all browsers.

Firefox is very easy to use and as mentioned you can add many add ons that help with various things. One I always use is the ad block plus with easylist to stop all the annoying ads on these pages. Feel free to ask for help with learning a new browser.

It's taken a while for me to get back and report on my, or rather your, success.

I didn't realize reloading IE 8 had solved the problem because every time I opened it after it kept asking if I wanted a tour or something, and I declined. One day, I accepted and it asked me questions like whether I wanted to make it my default browser, etc. I finished the set-up, because that's what it was, and voila!

Thanks for everyone's help,

Steve

O, and using other browers like Chrome and Firefox has been useful.

S

Nice to hear you have your problem solved Steve.