i have been getting this red 'clear browser (IE)'s cache, it may be interfering with GM.'

So I do it.

Then it happens again. And again.

What's the story here?

Where do you see that message?

inside the Gmail page window. right under the search mail/search web buttons, between those and the webclips thing.

Strange. No greasemonkey, no nothing...?

no. off-the-shelf. I am going to run FF 105 to see if it pops up there, or it's just some stupid IE thing. If I see the msg again I will screenshot it.