SiteMeter Crashing Internet Explorer ***
Posted on 02 August 2008 by Jack
A number of web sites that use SiteMeter tracking code to monitor the number of visitors to their site are reporting that the code is causing Internet Explorer browsers to crash when users visit their sites.
I haven’t spent time testing a lot of sites, but the Gawker Media sites all seem to be affected. These include Gawker, Valleywag, Gizmodo and Lifehacker, among others.
The problem appears to be affecting IE 5.5, 6.0 and 7.0. Internet surfers using IE to access a site that has SiteMeter tracking it receive a message saying the site cannot be loaded and “operation aborted.” The issue seems to have begun late afternoon Friday.
Update: Sitemeter attacks!
Note: I’ve pulled the code on this site until the problem is fixed.
Update: 3:35 pm and Site Meter appears to be back online. Code reinstalled and tracking resumed.
Popularity: 12% [?]
August 2nd, 2008 at 12:09 pm
Try using the html code instead of the javascript one. Can’t see the button, but, hits will at least be recorded.
August 2nd, 2008 at 12:10 pm
Thanks Jack cause yesterday, I couldnt get onto your site for my daily fix of news causing a near panic attack. I am much better now thanks!
August 2nd, 2008 at 12:22 pm
Like UV I couldn’t access the site. The stats program you had before was easier to read and I referred to it often. Internet is slowing to a crawl. I just wonder why that is. Way behind in my reading. But I will say that you handled the bus murder with professionalism that made it easier to assimilate. MSM could have kept excitement quotient to a minimum as their type of coverage provokes copycat acts. Thanks for mentioning the rarity of such an attack. IMO, children should not know about it at all (children under 12.
Hope you go back to your other stats.
August 2nd, 2008 at 12:23 pm
Thanks for the advice Bill. I think I’m just going to wait it out. There appear to be thousands of sites affected so they shouldn’t be to long in coming up with a solution.
August 2nd, 2008 at 12:33 pm
I too couldn’t get on to Jacks, nor could I get on to the Sitemeter site either.
Glad that’s over.
Pat
August 2nd, 2008 at 2:31 pm
I was having trouble this morning too. I thought it was my own computer. Sandy alerted me to your post here, Jack.
Right now I am able to get into IE with no problem, but it sure wasn’t the case this morning.
In any case, it’s always good to have two browsers ready to go.
August 2nd, 2008 at 3:21 pm
Received a few email messages about this. SiteMeter is the gift that keeps on giving. Sure you don’t want to move to Google analytics?
August 2nd, 2008 at 3:46 pm
The reason I’m staying with sitemeter is because I’m paying a small monthly fee for the “enhanced version”. For now I’m going to hang in.
August 2nd, 2008 at 4:02 pm
I could not get on your site last night either, Jack. Like Joanne, I thought it was my computer. I am glad it is fixed now.
August 2nd, 2008 at 5:13 pm
Just a quick followup note. Maryetta alerted me to the problem this morning in an email. Everything was fine last night when I signed out.
The way I fixed it was to type the error message I received into Google and quiried it. A couple of minutes of reading and I removed the Site Meter code. That took another minute or so.
And the problem went away.
The point I wish to make is when you are working the net never assume that something is wrong with your machine because you suddenly can’t access a site. Because of the way websites are constructed these days (using hookups from “wherever”) the site itself may not be at fault. In this case it was one of the hookups and it was a good lesson.
If something goes wrong as you try to access a site (and before you do anything else) query the error message in Google. Nine times out of ten you’ll find the cause because everyone is bitching about it.
As happened today.
August 3rd, 2008 at 11:19 pm
If something goes wrong as you try to access a site (and before you do anything else) query the error message in Google.
That’s really good advice, Jack. Thanks.
August 4th, 2008 at 1:33 am
Hmmm, blaming Sitemeter code for bugs in IE is kinda like blaming Harper/Bush for the smog, sorry “fog” in Beijing isn’t it?
http://firefox.com
http://opera.com
others…
You’re welcome!