IE8

Hi,can anyone advise me on a problem I have with IE8? It only starts up intermitently.Sometimes I click on the icon & it starts,other times I click & it just says "connecting".....but doesn't. I then have to bring up the Windows task manager to clear the screen. I have tried it without addons without success & I cannot figure out how to uninstall & reinstall it.I do not use it a lot as I am a Firefox fan,but this problem is just niggling me. All my security scans are negative & I use Windows 7.  Thanks,Seabiscuit