Xp + Internet explorer 6+ Active X

[reppo30]

We have noticed that we are unable to access certain web pages.

It would appear that a Secure site or page does not load, for instance when i went onto the barclays online banking page, i got the usual, Windows can not display this page, check your settings.

Thinking it may be a virus, as we recently found out that the virus software we got with the pc is out of date, and hasnt updated itself for about 9 months !!!

We went to the symantec website do do an online virus scan, however when it tried to load up the virus check page, it failed and said that Active X and scripting needed to be turned on to allow the program to work, It gave details on how to check, and we have checked about 5 times now and the settings in Internet Options DO SAY that these options are turned on.!!!

Have tried rebooting and are now at a lose what to try next.

It says it needed interenet explorer 5 or above, we have version 6.

We are also wondering if this script thing could be whats effecting us logging onto the other secure pages.(ie barclays)

Anyhelp would be appreciated.!!

[pam123]

http://support.microsoft.com/default...N-US;iepcbdfaq

This link should help with the IE problem.

About ActiveX.
You may need nothing more than a repair install, from your windows XP cd, but you don't mention any XP updates.
There is one out recently that disables ActiveX. If you installed it you may be faced with reformatting.
Also, have you installed SP1 ?

[reppo30]

Thanks for the link Pam..

Yeas We have installed all of the recent updates from m/s including sp1... stupidly thinking this is what these updates do...fix problems...looks like this one CAUSES them.!

Do m.s know about this activex option being disabled...and how do you re-enable it...as it says it IS enabled in Internet Options.!

Any help before we reformat will be appreciated...

Will try repair as well.!

[pam123]

Never let it be said that M$ let the pubic stand in the way of bashing rivals. The ActiveX trouble is a direct descendent of M$ battle with Sun MicroSystems. You just got caught in the fallout.
You need SP1 in which M$, under court order, included the Java VM which has the ActiveX controls.
I'm worrying about you trying to use your current install though.
You've had no anti-virus for most of a year and you want to access secure server pages at Barclays?
I think you may be inviting trouble.
It's a pain but in your place I'd reformat and install XP and SP1.
Please do not download any other updates.
Is this a proprietary machine - Compaq, etc.- that comes with a restore disk or a machine that comes with the XP cd seperate.
In the first instance you'd simply run the restore disk, otherwise you will need all the driver cds that came with your comp as well as the XP cd.
We can walk you through either if you let us know which one you face.

[reppo30]

thanks again pam,its a branded machine so we have a restore disk which we could use.

I was just wondering if you thought it was worth our while installing an upto date virus program like norton, downloading the latest updates, as we have broadband, so no worries there.>! and running a complete virus scan of the pc, to see if it can identifie any viruses, at least that might give us some avenue of rescue before we proceed with a complete reformat, which we know how to do anyway, just that we'd prefer not to.....do you not think that the repair disk would work either.?

Just on the part about just downloading sp1....are you saying that we should not download ANY other updates from the ms update site, i thought it was advisable to d/l such updates as security issues etc...or are you just saying to just d/l sp1 after the re-install and then any further updates released.?

Any help in clearing this confusiion up would be greater appreciated.!

[pam123]

reppo30, you're a little scarey.
I take it you don't have a firewall either?
I would consider it the height of folly to run a broadband connection without the lates up-to-date AV and a proper firewall.
Buy, install and run Norton's Anti-Virus 2003 and make sure you enable the automatic up-date ( Norton also has something called System Works 2003 that has the AV as part of the package, avoid it. It has a dicey reputation around this forum. If it's all you can find then install the AV only ) .
Then, go here : http://www.zonelabs.com/store/conten...x=18&image.y=6 and download and install the free copy of Zone Alarm.
Look on it as basic protection.

What I mean for you to do is install SP1 then check to see that you have no trouble with secure socket web pages and anything else that uses ActiveX
That done, you can go through the windows downloads carefully instead of just installing them automatically. This way you can avoid trouble, do not check," automatically download and install new updates ", you want to know what the updates are first.
If Norton gives you a clean bill of health then go ahead and do the repair install. If that doesn't work then do the reformat.
I can't blame you for wanting to avoid it but you may not be able to.

[reppo30]

Pam..don'tbe scared..!! Lol

I thought Xp had a firewall inbuilt..I enabled it it says i have..so i assume that I DO have firewall protection.>!!

Which of the updates contains the dodgy active x problem, how will i know?

[pam123]

The update is 816093: Security update ... Microsoft Virtual Machine.
By all means read through it but do not install it.
Also, the VM you need is in SP1 not in SP1a check carefully when you download the service pack if it isn't on your restore disk already.
Each update comes with it's own bio, some you will need, others, like the ones recommended for servers you don't.
XP's firewall is decent but very basic and it won't alert you if a trojan tries to "phone home" from your machine. That is where ZA shines. You have to give programs permission to access the internet. Some get permanent permission, IE for example, but anything new has to ask. It makes it very difficult for strange programs to leave with your data.
Just remember to disable the XP firewall before you install another.