Is my UAC messed up or my Vista?

[tforms1]

Ok, brief history of laptop: Bought a dell laptop for my father.
Arrive 2 weeks ago. Has plenty of ram (3 gigs), CPU, etc...He mainly
uses it for trading stocks and some email.

I noticed 3 problems (I numbered each problem):

#1. I went to download Firefox, went to the website, clicked on
Download, "Save/Run" window popped up, I choose Save, "Browse Folder"
window popped up, (so far all is normal)
I choose Browse, the window disappeared and nothing happened.
I try clicking Download again and this time no "Save/Run" popup,
nothing happens.

#2. I click on Tools -> Internet Options (maybe its a security
setting) and I get a popup "Internet Explorer has stopped working the
program must close now". the Internet Options window never came up.

I tried #1 and #2 multiple times, reboot, etc...same result each time.

So, based on the recommendation of a poster on here, I turned off UAC.
So now the download works.
I can also click on Tools -> Internet Options, and it comes up.
So it all works now.

#3. BUT in the lower right hand side of IE, it says "Internet
Protection Off"
Even though I DID NOT change any of the Security Options.
It is still at Custom (default with the computer)
I tried changing the security options and I cannot make it say
"Internet Protection On" - even though it is enabled in Security
options (the check box is checked - so it should be on)

So I decide to turn UAC back on.
And now in IE it says "Internet Protection On"
so that is fixed, even though I never touched the internet security
options.

#2. But if I click Tools -> Internet Options...yep, I get "Internet
Explorer has stopped working, the program must close"
#1. and I am unable to download again.

So is UAC screwing things up or is the Vista having problems?
I can understand UAC doing #1 for protection, but #2 and #3 is not
right.

I went to Bestbuy to check out the demo computers, and with UAC on, I
was able to go to Tools -> Internet Options.
I then turned UAC off, and the lower right of IE still said Internet
Protection On.
So #2 and #3 did not happen with the demo PC at Bestbuy.

Thanks

 

[Rick Rogers]

Hi,

Try accessing Internet Option via the Control Panel with IE already closed,
or run "control inetcpl.cpl" from the start/search line. I suspect you have
a plugin/addon that is interfering with IE's functionality.

As to #3, that is normal. With UAC disabled Internet Protection will
indicate "off" as it cannot prevent malicious controls from running unseen
under a user with admin privileges.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
My thoughts http://rick-mvp.blogspot.com

 

[tforms1]

Try accessing Internet Option via the Control Panel with IE already closed,
or run "control inetcpl.cpl" from the start/search line. I suspect you have
a plugin/addon that is interfering with IE's functionality.

Ive never added a plug in for IE, its all default right now.
Also, why is it that if I turn off UAC then I can access Internet
Options?

As to #3, that is normal. With UAC disabled Internet Protection will
indicate "off" as it cannot prevent malicious controls from running unseen
under a user with admin privileges.

But when I went to Bestbuy and tried it on their computers, I turned
UAC off and on the bottom right it still said the protection was on.
And when I went to Internet Options, the Enable Protection Checkbox
was still Checked.

 

[Not Me]

But when I went to Bestbuy and tried it on their computers, I turned

UAC off and on the bottom right it still said the protection was on.
And when I went to Internet Options, the Enable Protection Checkbox
was still Checked.

After turning UAC on/off, did you close and reopen IE?
If you don't restart IE, the settings don't change.

 

[Rick Rogers]

Actually, you have to reboot the system to stop/start UAC.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
My thoughts http://rick-mvp.blogspot.com

 

[Rick Rogers]

Hi,

Ive never added a plug in for IE, its all default right now.
Also, why is it that if I turn off UAC then I can access Internet
Options?

Have you tried either suggestion and what was the result?

Why? Because when it's off whatever process that is interfering has
unfettered access to the system. When it's on, it's being blocked because
it's trying to write to or alter a protected system folder. Whether or not
it's malicious remains to be seen, first we have to isolate what it is.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
My thoughts http://rick-mvp.blogspot.com

<snip>

 

[tforms1]

Actually, you have to reboot the system to stop/start UAC.

Ok, I did not restart after changing the UAC system at Bestbuy.

Next time I go back, I'll try that.

Thanks

 

[tforms1]

Have you tried either suggestion and what was the result?

Not yet.
Its on my father's laptop, and I have not been by to try it out.

Why? Because when it's off whatever process that is interfering has
unfettered access to the system. When it's on, it's being blocked because
it's trying to write to or alter a protected system folder. Whether or not
it's malicious remains to be seen, first we have to isolate what it is.

Makes sense.