I hope someone here can help me.

For the last couple of days the internet browser on my HTC Desire S hasn't been working. I just get a blank white screen with the website address showing in the address bar at the top. My Facebook and Twitter apps are still working fine, it's just the web browser that's not working.

I've cleared my history, and there's also clear cache and clear data options, but tbh I'm not sure what either of these do. There's also a Force Stop option, and I'm wondering if I should select this and then try again. I'm just a bit worried about doing major damage as I'm not technically minded at all.

If you get a reboot option on long press of the power button, then use this. Otherwise power off and power on.
Usually works for this sort of thing.

Thanks for replying tealady. I've got a restart option, but my phone was switched off overnight last night and I've still got the problem.

clear cache removes any temporary files associated with the app
clear data will remove - not sure- history I guess plus other stuff 'remembered' about apges you visited
force stop just stops the app and removes it from memory and running processes a bit like ctrl+alt+del in a pc to kill something that is not responding.

What happens if you click on a link in an email or sms text or select a page from bookmarks or favourites?

I clicked on a Youtube link from my Facebook app and it didn't work. I got a message saying "Process null is not responding" and then the options of Restart or Wait. However, my Youtube app is working. Also got the same message when clicking on an email link.

I clicked on wait and the same message reappeared a minute later.

EDIT. I took the bull by the horns (!) and pressed Restart and now it's all working. I'm guessing something kind of got stuck somewhere along the lines. Why switching the phone off and on again didn't work I'm really not sure, but all seems a-ok now.

Thanks for your help tealady!!

It is also almost mandatory to also have Opera Mini installed for when the connection is slow and/or to save mobile data

Switching the phone off doesn't really switch it off. All it does is turn off the display and lock it. Anything that was running on the phone is still running.

If it did switch off altogether then you'd never be able to receive a call when it was off.

A reset however does switch it off completely and unload any running apps from memory.

Yes, second that. You can also install other browsers from the market, just try them out and uninstall if you don't like them.

Are you trying to blind me with science????? My phone never rings when it's turned off. I know I'm not very technology-minded, but really!!

Thanks also for the tip about different browsers. That was going to be my next option if I couldn't sort the original problem, but might look for one as a backup anyway.

I was assuming you were switching the phone "off" by just pressing the button on the top momentarily. Or do you press and hold it then select "Power off"?

The momentary press does not shut the phone down completely, hence why it will still ring when the phone appears to be off. Power off does shut it down so it cannot receive calls.

Thanks heavens for that!! I was doing a proper Power Off. Don't feel quite so dim now.