Red X on some pages when downloading files on Win 2K Prof.+IE6

[Pensioner78]

Hi all,
I need help to solve this problem - its driving me mad!
The pages download OK on my old Win98SE +IE6 machine but have this Win2k Pro
macine, fully updated with IE6, Foxit reader ( same on 98se machine so no
problem there), use ASvast anti-virus,Malwarebytes,spybot etc regularly, so
believe bith clean.
It only seem that some pages wont open the image 9 picture or pdf) whereas
others will, sometimes with delayed action.
Any ideas please?

 

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

What images where?

 

[Pensioner78]

Hi PA Bear,
Thanks for your reply.
When trying to download a document in pdf format from hmrc.gov.uk for
example to complete my tax return! Also met this same problem on other sites
when pictures won't appear - get the three coloured dots in the little box
topLH corner, which change to the red X.
Occassionally some pages start like this but after a delay open properly -
so whats going on?
This problem only happens on my office Win2k Pro machine, my old office 98se
with IE6 and my XP laptop with IE7, open all these pages correctly , so I
know its due to the Win2k system with IE6. All machines have Avast
A/V,Spybot,Malawarebytes etc. and are all networked to Netgear 834G to ISP
via 8Mb ADSL line.
I'm fed up with having to switch machines for some jobs.
Please try to come up with solution before i die - I'm 81 now!
Thank you.
AnalogMan

 

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

See if running Disk Cleanup (and checking the Temporary Interet Files and
TEMP files option) corrects the problem.

 

[Pensioner78]

Hi PA Bear,
No difference after doing this! Still can't open HMgovt and some other pdfs
while other open SLOWLY ! so whats going on? It completely baffles me.

 

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

Are you running Win2000 SP4 and is the computer fully-patched at Windows
Update?

What's your default PDF Reader? If it's Adobe (Acrobat) Reader, is it
v9.1.3?

Does the behavior persist if you Save the PDF file to, e.g., your desktop
and then open the saved file?

 

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

PDF files may be displayed in FireFox but they really open in your default
PDF reader (e.g., Adobe Acrobat or Reader; FoxIt Reader). We'd need to know
what your default PDF reader (and version) is.

Downloads:

Adobe Reader v9.1.3
see links here: http://aumha.net/viewtopic.php?f=26&t=41518

Foxit Reader
http://www.foxitsoftware.com/pdf/rd_intro.php

 

[Pensioner78]

Hello again,
My default Reader is Firefox 3.0
I do not have Adobe Reader in the machine as I find Firefox is smaller and
now have it in both machines.
Incidentally, on the Windows 98SE machine I tried the new up-date from FF to
3.1
This crashed the machine, and I had to format the hard-disc as FF 3.1 would
not remove - FF now say it does not support Win98 any longer! shame as many
friends still find Win98SE more reliable then later versions, and also do not
need any more "Bells and Whistles" from XP,etc. If it aint broke don't fix it!
I inherited the Win2KPro machine and find it faster so it gets more use now,
but need to get this PDF Red X problem solved.
Hope you can come up with a solution, thanks for your support.
Regards,

 

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

Firefox may be your default BROWSER and PDF files may be displayed in a
Firefox window but Firefox is certainly not your default PDF Reader.

 

[Pensioner78]

Hello again PA Bear,
I'm baffled - I don't understand what you are saying, as I only have FireFox
Reader on my machines to read PDF files - some of which open OK but others
won't - like the UK government Tax file I needed to complete my annual
return. That file opened OK on my old 98SE machine but would not on this
2000kPro machine.
I really don't understand how they can be so different on some sites and not
on others!
This machine is fully up-to-date with Microsoft updates whereas the old 98SE
machine isn't now as you klnow because MS don't support that OS any morte -
pity as it was the most reliable I've ever met.
Any further ideas please?

 

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

In your first post, you referred to FOXIT Reader...but then in your fourth
post, you called it FIREFOX Reader. (Yes, the names are similar.) May I
assume that you're referring to (1) opening PDF files (2) in an Internet
Explorer window using (3) FOXIT Reader?

Assuming that's correct, are you running FOXIT Reader v3.1.2.1013? To find
out, open FOXIT Reader (via the shortcut on your desktop) & click on HELP |
ABOUT.

To update FOXIT Reader, click on HELP | CHECK FOR UPDATES NOW | In the
resulting window, scroll down to the bottom of the list on the left-hand
side. If a SECURITY update is found, select (highlight) it then click on
the ADD button, then click on the INSTALL button.

If you're still seeing Red Xs instead of graphics in a PDF file you're
viewing in an IE window:

1. Give me a link (URL; address) to such a file; then...

2. Run Disk Cleanup and test again.

 

[Pensioner78]

Hi PA Bear,
Sorry for the confusion - yes I am using Foxit Reader to try to open a
document downloaded from the web, as below.
http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/forms/sa103s.pdf
My Foxit Reader on the Win2kPro machine and the 98SE machine is version 3.0
As I have said previously ,it will not work on my office Win2k machine but
opens OK on the old Win98SE machine, which is slow but reliable and used for
web searching etc.
I keep the Win2kPro machine very clean for financial work and internet
transactions.

Again my apologies for confusing the name of Foxit Reader - I don't have
FireFox.
Hope you can throw some light on my problem now.
Regards.

 

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

My Foxit Reader on the Win2kPro machine and the 98SE machine is version

3.0

See if upgrading FOXIT Reader to v3.1.2.1013 makes any difference. See the
instructions in my previous reply.

Also test by right-clicking on the http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/forms/sa103s.pdf
link and selecting SAVE FILE AS.

Save the file (SA103S.PDF) to your desktop and then open it directly in
FOXIT Reader to see if you see the same behavior.

Most such "Red X" problems are resolved by deleting Temporary Internet
Files, whether you do it using Disk Cleanup or via IE6 Tools | Internet
Options |Temporary Internet Files | Delete files.

TIP: When deleting Temporary Internet Files via IE, always accept the prompt
to delete all offline content!

 

[Pensioner78]

Hello PA Bear,
Thanks for your latest suggestion - yes downloading the file from HM Gov and
saving to a directory first and then opening it with Foxit Reader works OK.
But why the difference between windows 98SE machine which opens the image
directly from the web site with no problems
Incidentally I cannot upgrade Foxit Reader to 3.1 on all machines as it
crashes the 98SE machine - Foxit say they do not support Win98 with the
update as they regard Win98 as now obsolete and not widely used! I beg to
differ as many friends still prefer it - more reliable than later versions
when youy dont want all the bells and whistles! and I would like to keep my
machines on same version just in case.

Thanks again for your help, if you find out what the difference is with
Windows 2k I would be interested.
Thanks.

 

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

The PDF file does not "open the image directly from a web site" in Win98,
the file opens in Foxit Reader which in turn loads in the IE window.

Are you running FOXIT Reader v3.1.2.1013 on the Win2K SP4 computer now?

Any "red x's" have nothing to do with IE or FOXIT Reader; they usually occur
when the cache is too full.

 

[Pensioner78]

Hello PA Bear,
I'm running Foxit Reader 3.0 version 1817 on both the Win 2k Pro and Win
98SE machines. The Win 98SE works OK on UK Gov site but the Win 2kPro machine
won't open it unless I download the file first as you suggested.
I am puzzled - why does the OS make this difference?
Both machines are running IE6
Thanks for your help.

 

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

The fact that this thread dates from 20 August makes it very hard for both
of us, I'm sure, to keep track of things.

That being said, you keep changing your description of the problem. First
you said you were seeing "Red X's" when you opened a PDF file (in a
browser). Now you're saying that the PDF file won't open (in a browser).

There are a myriad of differences between IE6 SP1 (and any other browser)
running in Win98 versus Win2K SP4, most of them having to do with better
security in the latter. If the only way you can (1) open a given PDF file
and (2) avoid the "Red X's" on the Win2K SP4 computer is to save the PDF
file to your HDD first, do it that way.

I have nothing further to add here. Good luck!

PS: Very soon, Avast4 will no longer be supported in Win98. See
http://aumha.net/viewtopic.php?f=27&t=41520

 

[BillW50]

... If the only way you can (1) open a given PDF file and (2) avoid
the "Red X's" on the Win2K SP4 computer is to save the PDF file to
your HDD first, do it that way.

I have nothing further to add here. Good luck!

Huh? Adobe Reader or Foxit Reader (far less resources than Adobe) should
allow opening a PDF in most browsers (Firefox3 and IE6+ for sure). For
Windows 2000 and up for sure.