IE overload

My girl friend has an Acer. One of the things that has happened, is that without her doing anything, Internet Explorer has become loaded down with stuff, with a big, multi-layered bar at the top with all kinds of things in it. Is there anyway to get rid of all of that stuff? I assume it slows IE down.

BTW, I find Google Chrome much faster than IE

 

This is more of a Windows & Software issue, so I'm moving the topic to the appropriate forum.

 

Thanks for the feedback!

 

wait wait wait

did we really have an IE tech support related topic without dozens of replies from firefox nerds berating the topic creator?

is this opposite day or something

 

Yep sounds like toolbars. You can click on the 'x' on the left of the tool bar to disable. It'll ask if you want the disable it and click yes..

 

Well, actually I prefer Google Chrome. However, my email system at work is Outlook which works awkwardly in any browser other than IE.

 

Google chrome is where its at. Its what firefox use to be.

 

sounds like malware/spyware. I would run Malwarebytes and superantispyware. they are both free.

 

This seems like a classical case of too many useless tabs that got installed and as a result slow you down needlessly.
Clicking next to the tabs with the right mouse click you can deselect all of them from being turned on.
That's step no 1.
Step 2 would be to remove the tabs from the 'add/remove programs' in Control Panel (if you are XP user) or 'Programs and features' in Control Panel (if you use Vista or 7).

Google Chrome is currently the fastest browser.
It's also more secure and overall multiple times better compared to IE.
Ultimately, you decide what you want to use.
I personally utilize Chrome for now (the last build of Chromium was seriously messed up so I decided to wait a few more days before I switch back to it).

I would also recommend you download/install/update and quick scan the system with Malwarebytes or Superantyspyware (just to be sure).

 

These useless toolbars are often riders along with various other software that are automatically checked when you do the install, and you have to uncheck them during the install process by going through a "Custom" install instead of just the "Quick" or "Automatic" or whatever they call it.

They should hopefully have uninstall options in the Add/Remove programs control panel widget, or at minimum from managing the add-ins from IE as Indrek and kanehi said.