I know this q has been asked before, but I never read an answer I could understand.
I often get e-mails with pictures/cartoons/drawings in. Sometimes they fail to appear just a box with a red star in the corner.
Sometimes people say that pics from me appear the same way.

I am a bit simple so all answers have to be the same way please.

Are you sure it is a red star and not a red X?

try clearing the cache

I actually thought they were asterix but they could be Xs
I have cleared the cache several times.

If you follow that link I provided above, you will see many cases of people with the same problem, and many solutions too. That's because the cause is just as varied. All your system knows is some "object" is supposed to go there, but that object has not been found. The white box with a red X is simply a "placeholder". Note that it is typically a security feature or setting blocking it. The white box and red X will also appear in your browser if an "object" cannot be displayed for one reason or another. And whether in email or when surfing the net, the problem could be local (on your system) or a problem/setting on the sender's or the website's end.

So, it could be your email program, the sender's email program, a Java issue, a Flash problem, ISP block, your security settings, the sender's security settings, or some other setting blocking it. Without more information (for example, what email program?), Google is your friend here. I recommend you google:

red x in emailprogram

where emailprogram is the email program you use (Outlook, OE, Thunderbird, Hotmail, etc.). Don't listen to anyone who says to dump your program and try another. That's not a solution.

What happens when you send an email to yourself with images?

right click on the box and select show images (if available);
copy and post the link here

To Digerati. When I send stuff to myself if it was clear to start with thats how I get it. If its the "boxes" that is how I get it. If I forward the "Boxes" to most other people they actually get the picture not the boxes. I use Hotmail & other people using hotmail usually get the picture, some users of other e-mail progs dont always get the pics. So it did not look to me as if it was a hotmail problem. I have changed my security from a free one to Norton & it is still occuring, I renewed my computer (it was time) & still get it. So as you say it could be almost anything causing it or a combination of things. I will try the Google way tho ta.

to Sulasno. I have tried that & it just goes back to the square. I cannot remember a link being forthcoming.

To both of you many thanks for trying tho.

have you tried another browser ?

No
1) in all other ways I am happy with IE.
2) If there is a problem with my set up I would like to try & sort it out.
3) I never really thought of that as an option.

thanks tho.

the purpose of using another browser is to test whether the problem lies with IE; or the offending site

I have given up troubleshooting IE and instead use portable browsers