ActiveX's won't download in IE (no Info bar)

[Lars-Erik Østerud]

I know I have been asking about this before, but I still haven't
gotten this fixed: When accessing a site that need to download and
install an ActiveX (like ZoneAlarms spyware scanner and Microsoft
Update) I get an error that the ActiveX cannot be downloaded. I Do NOT
get the "Yellow warning line" (Info bar/Security band) in IE6 allowing
be to download the ActiveX. All security settings are OK (tried
lowering them too). In fact I NEVER see the yellow Info bar warnings.

Have talked to Microsoft in Norway as well. No solution so far.
Have one XP Pro home and on XP Pro system at work suffering from this.
Also have a system where it works OK, but can't find any differences.

One non-working system has ZoneAlarm, one have no firewall :-(
Both one working and one non-working have WebWasher (tried disabling)

Anyone got any idea at all what is wrong with IE and the Info bar?

Is there a way to reset the Info bar setting (reregister, reinstall)?

 

[Ottmar Freudenberger]

I know I have been asking about this before, but I still haven't
gotten this fixed: When accessing a site that need to download and
install an ActiveX (like ZoneAlarms spyware scanner and Microsoft
Update) I get an error that the ActiveX cannot be downloaded. I Do NOT
get the "Yellow warning line" (Info bar/Security band) in IE6 allowing
be to download the ActiveX. All security settings are OK (tried
lowering them too). In fact I NEVER see the yellow Info bar warnings.

That's happening after installing the October Patch Day updates,
especially KB896688 (MS05-052)? If true, try the following:

Download the file OLEfix.zip available here (it is a registry file
that origin from MS Support, and it has fixed the ActiveX problem
for several people, getting this problem after installing KB896688
and based on http://support.microsoft.com/kb/909889 - even before
the article has been released):

http://patch-info.de/IE/Downloads/OLEfix.zip

Extract it and double click the contained OLE_fix.reg file. Click Yes
on the dialog box that asks you if you are sure to add the information
in OLEfix.reg to the registry.

You may have to reboot your machine afterwards.

HTH,
Freudi

 

[Lars-Erik Østerud]

Ottmar Freudenberger:

That's happening after installing the October Patch Day updates,
especially KB896688 (MS05-052)? If true, try the following:

Has been like this for a long time. And I'm getting sick of it.
It doesn't help turing off all security either (no prompting).
Seems like it doesn't even try downloading any ActivX'es.
And I can't find where this setting is (have tried to compare
registry with the laptop where ActiveX still can be downloaded).

BTW: If I download the ActiveX on the laptope where it is working,
and then copy it to the PC where I can't download it it works (had
to do this to make Windows Update work). So it's not anything that
stops the ActiveX from running, only stopping it from downloading.

Download the file OLEfix.zip available here (it is a registry file
that origin from MS Support, and it has fixed the ActiveX problem
for several people, getting this problem after installing KB896688
and based on http://support.microsoft.com/kb/909889 - even before
the article has been released):

http://patch-info.de/IE/Downloads/OLEfix.zip

Check it. Those settings where allready right in my system :-(

 

[Ottmar Freudenberger]

Ottmar Freudenberger:


Has been like this for a long time.

More than six weeks?

It doesn't help turing off all security either (no prompting).
Seems like it doesn't even try downloading any ActivX'es.

Any group policies set? Does it work after *uninstalling* Zone
Alarm (don't forget to turn on Windows firewall after this and
before going online!) at least temporary?

Bye,
Freudi

 

[Lars-Erik Østerud]

Ottmar Freudenberger:

More than six weeks?

Yep, don't know exacly when. Noticed the problems when MS upgraded
their Update site and startet with the Genuine Validation Tool (until
then I hadn't had the need to download any ActiveX'es

Any group policies set? Does it work after *uninstalling* Zone
Alarm (don't forget to turn on Windows firewall after this and

I have a router with a firewall too. If I uninstall ZA. Will I loose
all the program settings if I reinstall it again later? Or...?

 

[Ottmar Freudenberger]

Ottmar Freudenberger:


Yep, don't know exacly when.

Okay, then it's definitly not KB896688

I have a router with a firewall too. If I uninstall ZA. Will I loose
all the program settings if I reinstall it again later?

Sorry, since I don't use any Personal Firewall Software aside the
Windows Firewall although my machines are sitting behind a router
too, I can't answer that question. I would assume that the settings
will be kept (maybe there's a an option to while uninstalling ZA),
but I'm simply not sure. You may also try to disable *all* "Web Bugs"
options in ZA.

Bye,
Freudi

 

[Lars-Erik Østerud]

Ottmar Freudenberger:

Sorry, since I don't use any Personal Firewall Software aside the
Windows Firewall although my machines are sitting behind a router

Tried uninstalling. Didn't help (but I got a cleanup

No a surprise since the PC at work does not have any firewall.
And that doesn't download ActiveX'es either :-(

So it's got to be something else. But what?
What could prevent ActiveX'es from even trying to download.

 

[Lars-Erik Østerud]

Ottmar Freudenberger:

Found an article on the same problem on the net, but it was one of
those "pay to see the answer" sites, and I really don't want to pay
(if someone is registered here, maybe they can read the answer

http://www.experts-exchange.com/Operating_Systems/Q_21631785.html

 

[Don Varnau]

Hi,
Re: http://www.experts-exchange.com/Operating_Systems/Q_21631785.html
Scroll down the page ;-)

You should be able to disable ZoneAlarm at startup from MSCONFIG> Startup or
Services. This should not change any ZA settings.

Don
[MS MVP- IE]

 

[Ottmar Freudenberger]

Ottmar Freudenberger:


Tried uninstalling. Didn't help (but I got a cleanup

Hm. Does your AV scanner offer any "Web bugs" features/options?
What about group policies?

No a surprise since the PC at work does not have any firewall.
And that doesn't download ActiveX'es either :-(

You've tried the OLEfix on that machine too with no avail?
Or did that machine ran into the same problem at the same time
like your other machine?

Bye,
Freudi

 

[Lars-Erik Østerud]

Ottmar Freudenberger:

Hm. Does your AV scanner offer any "Web bugs" features/options?

Nope, besides I tried disabling it. WebWasher has that feature, but I
disabled that too (disabled everything to be sure). And I use
WebWasher on the PC that works with the same settings anyway (and the
Information bar DID work on the two other computers easlier as well).

What about group policies?

What should I look for?

You've tried the OLEfix on that machine too with no avail?

Not yet. I try all fixes on that one as well to be sure.

Or did that machine ran into the same problem at the same time
like your other machine?

Good question. I don't know. Only thing those machines have in common
is that they both where upgraded to XP from 98SE, and then later to XP
SP2 (so there might be a change that the ActiveX downloads have NEVER
worked after upgrading to SP2, but I remember seeing the Information
Bar, but that is shown for other thing too, right....)

Strange thing is that some thing that should show as a Information Bar
shows as dialog boxes (like before SP2). Don't ask why. Have tried
reinstalling XP SP2, but that didn't fix anything at all :-(

MS lacks a good check and repair tool for Windows and MSIE

 

[Lars-Erik Østerud]

Re: http://www.experts-exchange.com/Operating_Systems/Q_21631785.html
Scroll down the page ;-)

Hey But that didn't work on some of the other articles.
And I could swear that didn't work yesterday (or I was tired).

Does it have to do with if your are redirected from somewere.
Try to view the articles at these two URLs now w/o luck:

http://www.experts-exchange.com/Operating_Systems/WinXP/Q_21312972.html
http://www.experts-exchange.com/Web/Q_21592102.html

(maybe I clear all caches and cookies and try them after that

You should be able to disable ZoneAlarm at startup from MSCONFIG> Startup or
Services. This should not change any ZA settings.

Didn't help. Also ZA is not installed on the PC at work with same
problem.

 

[Lars-Erik Østerud]

Re: http://www.experts-exchange.com/Operating_Systems/Q_21631785.html
Scroll down the page ;-)

Hey But that didn't work on some of the other articles.
And I could swear that didn't work yesterday (or I was tired).

Added: Even the first one didn't work when I tried once more.
Seems like the solution is only showed one the first visit, or?

 

[Lars-Erik Østerud]

Re: http://www.experts-exchange.com/Operating_Systems/Q_21631785.html

Does it have to do with if your are redirected from somewere.
Try to view the articles at these two URLs now w/o luck:

http://www.experts-exchange.com/Operating_Systems/WinXP/Q_21312972.html
http://www.experts-exchange.com/Web/Q_21592102.html

(maybe I clear all caches and cookies and try them after that

That worked for all of them, BUT none of the fixes there helped
either. Even tried adding the server with the ActiveX to the Trusted
Zone (then the Information Bar should not appear at all, right) but
the message still says that "Could not install ActiveX" :-(

And no matter what I do (reregistering DLLs, checking registry
settings, changing security setting, group settings etc) I still can't
get that Information Bar to show when an ActiveX is to be downloaded
(but since it is not downloaded with zone=Trusted I guess the
Information bar is not the problem - ActiveX is blocked otherwhere)

On tip mentioned a "XP repair install" but how big a mess-up is that
(will much of my system look, setup etc by reset to standard XP)?

And how do I initiate a repair install...

Added "microsoft.public.windowsupdate" to the list, since I have
noticed that most people get into this error when using Windows Update
(because they then can't install and run MS own update ActiveX

 

[Torgeir Bakken \(MVP\)]

Hi,

See if this helps:

Download the file OLEfix.zip available here (it is a registry file
that origin from MS Support, and it has fixed ActiveX problems
for several people, getting this problem after installing KB896688):

http://patch-info.de/IE/Downloads/OLEfix.zip

Extract it and double click the contained OLEfix.reg file. Click Yes
on the dialog box that asks you if you are sure to add the information
in OLEfix.reg to the registry.

You may have to reboot your machine afterwards.

More about this issue here:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/909889

 

[Lars-Erik Østerud]

Torgeir Bakken (MVP):

See if this helps:

Didn't, tried and manually checked that allready :-(

I'm getting really pissed with MS. I have spend hours on this, trying
all fixes they have, and all fixes I have found on the net (MS support
only come up with the obvious ones that I have allreday tried, or
tells me that "you have to reinstall XP".

Why don't MS have a real tool for repairing settings like this?
Not even reinstalling XP SP2 helped. And I can't find a "standalone"
install package for IE6 (then I would try to reinstall that as well)

I tend to think this is a IE6 problem. Because ActiveX is not
downloaded even when the site is in the Trusted Zone (then the
Information Band for SP2 should be displayed at all, right).

It's something somwhere (file or setting) that prevents ActiveX'es
from downloading, but I can't find what (is there a way to debug this,
to where it stops, if it tries to get the ActiveX, or don't request it
at all, how far the process goes before it's block, and so on...)

Some say an XP repair install will help, but how do I start that,
and will that mess up many settings and installed stuff, or...?

 

[Torgeir Bakken \(MVP\)]

Didn't, tried and manually checked that allready :-(

I'm getting really pissed with MS. I have spend hours on this, trying
all fixes they have, and all fixes I have found on the net (MS support
only come up with the obvious ones that I have allreday tried, or
tells me that "you have to reinstall XP".

Why don't MS have a real tool for repairing settings like this?
Not even reinstalling XP SP2 helped. And I can't find a "standalone"
install package for IE6 (then I would try to reinstall that as well)

I tend to think this is a IE6 problem. Because ActiveX is not
downloaded even when the site is in the Trusted Zone (then the
Information Band for SP2 should be displayed at all, right).

It's something somwhere (file or setting) that prevents ActiveX'es
from downloading, but I can't find what (is there a way to debug this,
to where it stops, if it tries to get the ActiveX, or don't request it
at all, how far the process goes before it's block, and so on...)

Some say an XP repair install will help, but how do I start that,
and will that mess up many settings and installed stuff, or...?

Normally it should not mess up any settings and installed stuff,
more here:

How to perform an in-place upgrade (reinstallation) of Windows XP:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315341


Be sure to use an OS CD that includes SP2 (slipstreamed in).

If SP2 is not included in your OS CD, I suggest you slipstream
SP2 into your OS CD.

Use AutoStreamer or nLite to make the process pretty easy.

AutoStreamer:

Create a Slip Stream version of Windows XP
http://www.webtree.ca/windowsxp/slipstream.htm

nLite:

Universal Windows Slipstreaming and Bootable CD Guide
http://www.msfn.org/articles.php?action=show&showarticle=49

 

[PA Bear]

Run a thorough check for hijackware, including posting your HijackThis log
to an appropriate forum for review by an expert, Lars-Erik.

Checking for/Help with Hijackware
http://aumha.org/a/parasite.htm
http://aumha.org/a/quickfix.htm
http://aumha.net/viewtopic.php?t=5878
http://wiki.castlecops.com/Malware_Removal_and_Prevention:_Introduction
http://mvps.org/winhelp2002/unwanted.htm
http://inetexplorer.mvps.org/data/prevention.htm
http://inetexplorer.mvps.org/archive/tshoot.html
http://www.mvps.org/sramesh2k/Malware_Defence.htm
http://defendingyourmachine.blogspot.com/

When all else fails, HijackThis v1.99.1
(http://aumha.net/downloads/hijackthis.zip) is the preferred tool to use.
It will help you to both identify and remove any hijackware/spyware. **Post
your log to http://forums.spybot.info/forumdisplay.php?f=22,
http://castlecops.com/forum67.html, http://aumha.net/viewforum.php?f=30, or
other appropriate forums for expert analysis, not here.**

 

[Marcus]

Just an intuitive guess....but unistall KB896688 if already installed

Marcus

Does it have to do with if your are redirected from somewere.
Try to view the articles at these two URLs now w/o luck:

http://www.experts-exchange.com/Operating_Systems/WinXP/Q_21312972.html
http://www.experts-exchange.com/Web/Q_21592102.html

(maybe I clear all caches and cookies and try them after that

That worked for all of them, BUT none of the fixes there helped
either. Even tried adding the server with the ActiveX to the Trusted
Zone (then the Information Bar should not appear at all, right) but
the message still says that "Could not install ActiveX" :-(

And no matter what I do (reregistering DLLs, checking registry
settings, changing security setting, group settings etc) I still can't
get that Information Bar to show when an ActiveX is to be downloaded
(but since it is not downloaded with zone=Trusted I guess the
Information bar is not the problem - ActiveX is blocked otherwhere)

On tip mentioned a "XP repair install" but how big a mess-up is that
(will much of my system look, setup etc by reset to standard XP)?

And how do I initiate a repair install...

Added "microsoft.public.windowsupdate" to the list, since I have
noticed that most people get into this error when using Windows Update
(because they then can't install and run MS own update ActiveX

 

[Lars-Erik Østerud]

Torgeir Bakken (MVP):

If SP2 is not included in your OS CD, I suggest you slipstream
SP2 into your OS CD.

Didn't work :-/ Tried doing that at work and the installation then
crashes (isn't it possible to slip-stream with a SelectCD as source).
tried several tools for slip streaming (including your choice).

But are you saying "repair install" will remove SP2 (that's good as I
need to do that to reinstall IE6 - so MS Norway says - and I haven't
been able to do that as the SP2 uninstall information is missing)?