Unable to change the Security Settings In Internet Explorer

[Guest]

I am having a problem with Internet Explorer in that I am not able to change
the Security Settings. When I go into tools and Internet Options and click
on the Security tab, all of my options are grayed out and I can't change any
of the settings in any of the zones. The custom and default level buttons
are grayed out in the Internet Zone. Same for the Local Intranet Zone. The
custom and default level buttons are grayed out in the Trusted Sites Zone,
and when I click on the Sites button, all of options to add websites are also
grayed out. The Restricted Sites is the same as the Trusted Sites.

For some further background. This is happening at my place of work. All of
the machines are on an Active Directory Domain running Windows XPSP2. I
checked with the Domain Administrator to make sure they were not pushing down
a policy that turned off this capability, and he told me no. I did not think
there was a policy affecting these settings because not all of the machines
on the domain have this problem. We use Ghost to make images for our
systems, and this problem only seems to be affecting the newer imaged
machines on the domain.

I have read many articles on the internet that refer to this problem being a
caused by a registry settings. I have tried all of the suggested fixes, but
nothing seems to be working.

If there is anyone in this newsgroup that could help me resolve this
situation, I would be very greatful. Thanks for listening.

 

[PA Bear]

You'd best consult with your SysAdmin or IE department at work about this,
Lawrin.

 

[Guest]

I am a SysAdmin who works in the IT department at my organization. I talked
to the Active Directory Domain Admin and they are not pushing a policy down
that disables these settings. I have tried all kinds of suggestions from web
pages and made changes to the registry, but nothing I do is bringing these
functions back.

 

[PA Bear]

...We use Ghost to make images
And you used the same image as was used on the older machines?

One or more options/settings in an ever-growing number of third-party
applications may be the culprit(s) here. These include but are not limited
to Ad-aware's Ad-Watch, Spybot Tea Timer, SpywareBlaster, SpySweeper, Norton
AntiVirus, McAfee VirusScan and/or Antispyware, and Zone Alarm (Free and
Pro).

I can give you some information about Registry keys that control this stuff
but, assuming the same image has been used on all machines, I think it'd be
best for you to figure out what's caused the change on the newer machines.

 

[Frank Saunders, MS-MVP OE/WM]

I am having a problem with Internet Explorer in that I am not able to
change
the Security Settings. When I go into tools and Internet Options and
click
on the Security tab, all of my options are grayed out and I can't change
any
of the settings in any of the zones. The custom and default level buttons
are grayed out in the Internet Zone. Same for the Local Intranet Zone.
The
custom and default level buttons are grayed out in the Trusted Sites Zone,
and when I click on the Sites button, all of options to add websites are
also
grayed out. The Restricted Sites is the same as the Trusted Sites.

For some further background. This is happening at my place of work. All
of
the machines are on an Active Directory Domain running Windows XPSP2. I
checked with the Domain Administrator to make sure they were not pushing
down
a policy that turned off this capability, and he told me no. I did not
think
there was a policy affecting these settings because not all of the
machines
on the domain have this problem. We use Ghost to make images for our
systems, and this problem only seems to be affecting the newer imaged
machines on the domain.

I have read many articles on the internet that refer to this problem being
a
caused by a registry settings. I have tried all of the suggested fixes,
but
nothing seems to be working.

If there is anyone in this newsgroup that could help me resolve this
situation, I would be very greatful. Thanks for listening.

It might be a security program blocking the Registry change it needs to
make. A few of the programs now doing this are:
Ad-aware's Ad-Watch
IBM Access Connections
McAfee VirusScan and/or Antispyware
Norton AV
Spyware Blaster
Spybot> Tools> IE Tweaks
Spybot- Teatimer
Spysweeper
Windows Defender
Zone Alarm (free) 6.5 Reported to be fixed in later versions.

In the case of Zone Alarm 6.5 or Norton 2007 it actually has to be
uninstalled. Make sure the Windows Firewall is turned on until you
reinstall Zone Alarm.

Boot into Safe Mode with Networking with Networking and try the change.

 

[Robert Aldwinckle]

I am having a problem with Internet Explorer in that I am not able to change
the Security Settings.

When I go into tools and Internet Options and click on the Security tab,
all of my options are grayed out and I can't change any of the settings
in any of the zones.

Any difference is you use Control inetcpl.cpl,,1 instead?
(E.g. eliminating any permissions issues with Iexplore.exe.)

The custom and default level buttons are grayed out in the Internet Zone.
Same for the Local Intranet Zone. The custom and default level buttons
are grayed out in the Trusted Sites Zone, and when I click on the Sites button,
all of options to add websites are also grayed out.
The Restricted Sites is the same as the Trusted Sites.

If you have two otherwise identical cases, one which works and the other which
doesn't you could try using RegMon with both and comparing their traces.
I would suspect some kind of lockdown is in effect on the problem machine
but I'm not familiar with all the details of such a circumstance. Another possibility
which this analysis would uncover is that all the "grayed out" cases could relate
to missing registry subkeys. Etc.

For some further background. This is happening at my place of work. All of
the machines are on an Active Directory Domain running Windows XPSP2. I
checked with the Domain Administrator to make sure they were not pushing down
a policy that turned off this capability, and he told me no. I did not think
there was a policy affecting these settings because not all of the machines
on the domain have this problem. We use Ghost to make images for our
systems, and this problem only seems to be affecting the newer imaged
machines on the domain.

I have read many articles on the internet that refer to this problem being a
caused by a registry settings. I have tried all of the suggested fixes, but
nothing seems to be working.

If there is anyone in this newsgroup that could help me resolve this
situation, I would be very greatful. Thanks for listening.

HTH

Robert Aldwinckle
---

 

[Guest]

Yes. We primarily use the same image, but we do periodically make updates to
the image. For example, say I imaged a machine today, then wanted to use the
same image next week, I would first update the image with any Windows Updates
or other software patches that may have come out since the last image was
done. None of the software that you list below are installed on our images.
We do have Symantec Antivirus installed on all of our images. However, I
have the same version installed on my machine that is installed on all of the
newer machines, and I am able to change the security settings in IE, but
can't on the newer machines. It continues to be a mystery.

 

[Guest]

None of the programs that you list below are installed on our machines.
However, below you list Norton AV. Our systems are running Symantec
Antivirus Corporate Edition version 10.1.5.5000. I have an older machine,
and I am running the same version of Symantec AV as the version running on
the newer machines, and I am able to make changes to my IE Security Settings,
where I am not on the newer machines.

 

[Frank Saunders, MS-MVP OE/WM]

None of the programs that you list below are installed on our machines.
However, below you list Norton AV. Our systems are running Symantec
Antivirus Corporate Edition version 10.1.5.5000. I have an older machine,
and I am running the same version of Symantec AV as the version running on
the newer machines, and I am able to make changes to my IE Security
Settings,
where I am not on the newer machines.

As I said, those are SOME of the programs. You'd have to check with
Symantec.