error -2146697211

[Raist]

May simply need to enable TLS encryption again (since you reset to defaults they should be disabled for certain now--there was a Windows Update a while back that reset them). TLS is the new SSL (essentially SSL v3.x), which they switched to on that website a few months back.

From the Search/Run box, open inetcpl.cpl. Go to the Advanced Tab and scroll towards the end. There will be a section on Encryption--make sure the TLS options are enabled. While you are in there, may want to go to the General Tab again and clear the Internet Cache. Be mindful of the options in the checklist--if you delete cookies and form data, you will be loosing saved passwords and such. Basically you are after clearing Temporary Internet Files and may also want to Preserve Favorites Data, clear the rest to avoid that.

Close all browsers and try launching again. The old Microsoft Mantra of rebooting wouldn't hurt, but shouldn't be necessary.

If it doesn't behave after that, then we may need to run a series of updates and a few other checks to make sure some other underlying technology is up to snuff:

Make sure your Java is current by going to Java.com and going through the version check/update and such. Then open your Java Control Panel (settings/control Panel/Java) and again go to the Advanced tab. In the section on Browsers, make sure both Internet Explorer and Mozilla are enabled (in case there is an issue with agent string detection), and then scroll again down towards the bottom and make sure the TLS options are enabled there as well. Again, go back to the General tab to delete temporary files. Will have to click the Settings button first, then Delete Files (the default trace logs and cached apps should be sufficient--turning on the installed apps may break something else).

While you are at it, make sure your Flash is current also by stopping by Adobe.com as well. Just in case.

Close all browsers and Test again at this point (reboot is again optional, but wouldn't hurt). The next round of configuration/updates may take a while depending on how your system has been configured. May still want to do this next part anyway though, as it may address other potential issues with other applications and such. Just be warned...it might take a while.

Let's make sure your .Net is setup for wider compatibility. For a while now, v3.5 is not enabled by default on a fresh Windows install, and some things have been removed in 4.x--so sometimes you need to enable v3.5 for backwards compatibility. From the Search/Run box, run appwiz.cpl to bring up the Add/Remove Programs panel. Click the link on the left about turning Windows Features on/off. This will pull a panel of things to enable/disable. Make sure there is a check by .Net Framework v3.5. If it isn't listed right there with the v4.x entry, it may be listed under a Legacy heading. If the files aren't already in the compressed .cab files on your system, it will pull them via Windows Update.

Now the fun part...run Windows Update to make sure your .Net 3.5 and 4.5 Frameworks and other essential components are up to snuff.

I dread telling people to do that...sometimes the Critical Updates list is a hefty download--and always calls for a reboot. And that can take a while because of all the updating it must do before Windows reloads again. You will want to go back afterwards to check for more updates...not uncommon for follow-up patches to the patches you just installed. It isn't JUST SE that goes through that crap.

Windows Updating is often a good time to go get something to eat....or watch a movie.

**Note that you will want to double check the TLS options under inetcpl.cpl again after running the Windows Updates, in case they got reset in the process**

I know that may be the typical help-desk type of responses...but it is there for a reason. Sometimes sites move on to newer technologies and eventually there is a big enough gap in versioning that can cause weird behavior. This is done basically to rule such common culprits out. Putting you to a level that is consistent with others basically rules those things out (and may also address potential configuration issues that may have been impacting things). Then we can move on to some other things to investigate further.