@ddd73 go here to this webpage and read..
and scroll down to - just past the halfway point or so..
and ya will see this heading called - Web browsing
as ya read this - windows 10 needed an update..so prolly win 8.1 needed it too..
The update was around 11/2016
so perhaps ya did not get that update..
but sounds like ya already have it.. *just a thought..
n e ways here is what update does or not lol
(the search thingy is turned on and InPrivate browsing is turned off)..
may be a way around it.. if ya read.. *not sure tho..
the read also may help if a browser is blocked.. *just another thought..