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

Lars-Erik sterud · External Since: May 09, 2004 Posts: 64

PA Bear:

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

Reguallery use both Spybot S&D, AdAware, Microsoft Anti-Spyware and
XsoftSpy. No one reports anything strange. What should I look for?
--
Lars-Erik - http://home.chello.no/~larse/ - ICQ 7297605

Ottmar Freudenberger · External Since: Jun 24, 2004 Posts: 85

"Lars-Erik Østerud" <.@.> schrieb:
> Ottmar Freudenberger:
>
>> Hm. Does your AV scanner offer any "Web bugs" features/options?
>
> Nope, besides I tried disabling it.

Did you tried it with having the AV scanner uninstalled - at least
for test purposes?

> WebWasher has that feature, but I disabled that too (disabled
> everything to be sure).

The same here: try uninstalling WebWasher temporary.

>> What about group policies?
>
> What should I look for?

Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Internet Explorer\
Internet Control Panel\Security Page\Internet Zone
Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Internet Explorer\
Internet Control Panel\Security Page\Locked-Down Internet Zone
"Run ActiveX controls and plugins"

Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Internet Explorer\
Security Features\Add-on Management

Registry:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion
\Policies\Ext\CLSID

Bye,
Freudi

Lars-Erik sterud · External Since: May 09, 2004 Posts: 64

Torgeir Bakken (MVP):

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

What happends on a computer with dual-boot (Win98se on first
partition, WinXP on 2nd). Will XP mess-up the MBR so that the dual
boot will be destroyed, or will it only touch the partition with XP.
Or must I do things (disable the Win98 partation while repairing)
--
Lars-Erik - http://home.chello.no/~larse/ - ICQ 7297605

Lars-Erik sterud · External Since: May 09, 2004 Posts: 64

Ottmar Freudenberger:

> Did you tried it with having the AV scanner uninstalled - at least
> for test purposes?

Yep, and the one PC doesn't have the same AV (and the third PC that
works OK does have the same AV with same setting as the 2nd Smile

> The same here: try uninstalling WebWasher temporary.

Yep, on both PCs not working (3rd working PC also has WebWasher).

> Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Internet Explorer\
> Internet Control Panel\Security Page\Internet Zone
> Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Internet Explorer\
> Internet Control Panel\Security Page\Locked-Down Internet Zone
> "Run ActiveX controls and plugins"
>
> Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Internet Explorer\
> Security Features\Add-on Management
>
> Registry:
> HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion
> \Policies\Ext\CLSID

What values should be here (found no differences from the working PC)
Also I tried reinstalling SP2. That didn't help either.

Haven't done a "repair install" yet. Need to find out what to do with
my dual-boot first (so XP setup doesn't mess up my Win98 partition).
--
Lars-Erik - http://home.chello.no/~larse/ - ICQ 7297605

Robert Aldwinckle · External Since: Jun 28, 2004 Posts: 4408

"Lars-Erik Østerud" <.@.> wrote in message
news:7U2hf.1335$zc1.878@amstwist00
....
> 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).

Instead of "no prompting" have you tried maximal prompting?
E.g. using Security tab, Custom Level... Security Settings dialog
change all settings which are currently Enable (green dot)
to Prompt. E.g. essentially type P, look for green dot beside Enable
and press Spacebar; repeat to end of options. Do that on both
systems, the one which works properly and the one which is failing.
Open the problem page on both systems, taking note of the number
and sequence of prompts. Compare results. If necessary,
you can do exactly the same thing with the Advanced Privacy Settings
dialog to ensure you are getting prompts for accepting Cookies too.

Even better if you have a script debugger would be tracing the scripts
as they are encountered. Unfortunately I haven't found a way just
to *record* the traced execution so that analysis can get a bit tedious.

> 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).

Reminds me of trying to debug why I can't use the the Windows Update
Catalog--keep getting Administrators Only symptom and there is no
attempt as far as I can see to even check properly.

However, "compare registry" may not be the most effective way to do
such a comparison. What I would do is use RegMon and FileMon
and compare their traces on the two cases. To try to make the analysis
manageable you could start by using some fairly restrictive filtering,
e.g perhaps just checking to see which .dlls are being referenced.
Another thing to be aware of is that FileMon may only show you accesses
of the .dlls being loaded, so to be sure that you are capturing all such accesses
you probably will want to start the traces before any iexplore.exe is running.

If you have a specific scenario to trace others could try tracing it too
and see what common clues they come up with for it. E.g. if your
list of .dlls being loaded is different from their list that could be used
as a signal to see if that .dll is registerable and if so try re-registering it.
Etc.

HTH

Robert Aldwinckle
---

Ottmar Freudenberger · External Since: Jun 24, 2004 Posts: 85

"Lars-Erik Østerud" <.@.> schrieb:

>> Did you tried it with having the AV scanner uninstalled - at least
>> for test purposes?
>
> Yep, and the one PC doesn't have the same AV (and the third PC that
> works OK does have the same AV with same setting as the 2nd Smile

So you did uninstall the AV scanner?

>> The same here: try uninstalling WebWasher temporary.
>
> Yep, on both PCs not working (3rd working PC also has WebWasher).

Uninstalled?

>> Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Internet Explorer\
>> Internet Control Panel\Security Page\Internet Zone
>> Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Internet Explorer\
>> Internet Control Panel\Security Page\Locked-Down Internet Zone
>> "Run ActiveX controls and plugins"
>>
>> Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Internet Explorer\
>> Security Features\Add-on Management
>>
>> Registry:
>> HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion
>> \Policies\Ext\CLSID
>
> What values should be here

For the Group Policies "not configured" and the registry key
shouldn't even exist if you don't use Group Policies.

> Also I tried reinstalling SP2. That didn't help either.

That won't help if the applications running in the background
causing the problem nor does it help if the registry/a GRPOL
is responsible for the problems you ran into.

BTW:
You've tried resetting the values for the Internet zone already,
didn't you? Does ActiveX work if you put a site into the Trusted
Sites zone?

Bye,
Freudi

Lars-Erik sterud · External Since: May 09, 2004 Posts: 64

Ottmar Freudenberger:

> > Yep, and the one PC doesn't have the same AV (and the third PC that
> > works OK does have the same AV with same setting as the 2nd Smile

>
> So you did uninstall the AV scanner?

Removed from system. No hooks to the OS. On the computer with avast!
On the other I can't do that (job PC where AV can't be uninstalled,
but again disabled, and on the other job PC with same AV things work)

> > Yep, on both PCs not working (3rd working PC also has WebWasher).
>
> Uninstalled?

On both non-working (on the working one WW is also installed btw).

> For the Group Policies "not configured" and the registry key
> shouldn't even exist if you don't use Group Policies.

That is right for all 3 systems.

> That won't help if the applications running in the background
> causing the problem nor does it help if the registry/a GRPOL
> is responsible for the problems you ran into.

All processes I can stop is stopped. What services/programs could
affect the download of ActiveX'es (the strange thing is that it is
only the download - if I copy the ActiveX'es from the working computer
they do run and work, IE just doesn't even try to download them Smile

> You've tried resetting the values for the Internet zone already,
> didn't you? Does ActiveX work if you put a site into the Trusted
> Sites zone?

ActiveX'es run IF I copy them from another PC (that have downloaded
them). Had to do this to make Windows Update work at all :-/

The problem seems to be that IE doesn't try to download them. Not even
when the site is in the trusted zone. No Information bar, but that
might just be because IE6 doesn't try to download the ActiveX.

So what could "stop" IE6 from trying to download ActiveX'es. What
should I look for (registry and other things). Have removed AV, ZA and
WebWasher and that didn't help. Where else should I look?
--
Lars-Erik - http://home.chello.no/~larse/ - ICQ 7297605

pabearmvp · External Since: Nov 18, 2004 Posts: 9491

As posted earlier in one of your threads:

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.**
--
~PA Bear

Lars-Erik Østerud wrote:
> PA Bear:
>
> > Run a thorough check for hijackware, including posting your HijackThis
> > log to an appropriate forum for review by an expert, Lars-Erik.
>
> Reguallery use both Spybot S&D, AdAware, Microsoft Anti-Spyware and
> XsoftSpy. No one reports anything strange. What should I look for?

TomChrisTighe · External Since: Nov 28, 2005 Posts: 1

Lars-Erik,
I have the same problem. I am following all the advise you have been
getting, but also cannot find a solution. Please let me know if you find
something that works.

Tom

TomChrisTighe.DeleteThis@cs.com

"Lars-Erik Xsterud" wrote:

> 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 Sad

> 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)?
> --
> Lars-Erik - http://home.chello.no/~larse/ - ICQ 7297605
> WinXP, Asus P4PE, 2.53 GHz, Asus V8420 (Ti4200), SB-Live!
>

Lars-Erik sterud · External Since: May 09, 2004 Posts: 64

Still haven't gotten anyway with this. But now I have a news laptop
with XP SP2 setup, and things work there (all setting the same
otherwise), AND I was wondering if anyone now what DLL's could affect
the ActiveX download. If you have any idea I could compare with the
new PC to see if there is any missing or wrong version DLL's...
--
Lars-Erik - http://home.chello.no/~larse/ - ICQ 7297605

pabearmvp · External Since: Nov 18, 2004 Posts: 9491

Some possibilities:

ActiveX controls may not load as expected in Internet Explorer due to
defense in depth changes introduced in cumulative security update 896688
(MS05-052): http://support.microsoft.com/Default.aspx?kbid=909889

A Web page that contains a custom ActiveX control may not load as expected
in Internet Explorer due to defense in depth changes introduced in
cumulative security update 896688 (MS05-052):
http://support.microsoft.com/Default.aspx?kbid=909738

The fix detailed in 909889 involving the Registry and OLE32.DLL is available
at http://patch-info.de/IE/Downloads/OLEfix.zip and
http://www.dougknox.com/xp/utils/kb896688_fix.zip (a small VB app that
checks the 4 values and offers a repair option if any of them are
incorrect).
--
~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
MS MVP-Windows (IE/OE, Shell/User, Security), AH-VSOP

Lars-Erik Østerud wrote:
> Still haven't gotten anyway with this. But now I have a news laptop
> with XP SP2 setup, and things work there (all setting the same
> otherwise), AND I was wondering if anyone now what DLL's could affect
> the ActiveX download. If you have any idea I could compare with the
> new PC to see if there is any missing or wrong version DLL's...

Lars-Erik sterud · External Since: May 09, 2004 Posts: 64

PA Bear:

> ActiveX controls may not load as expected in Internet Explorer due to
> defense in depth changes introduced in cumulative security update 896688
> (MS05-052): http://support.microsoft.com/Default.aspx?kbid=909889

Problem is not loading them. If I copy from a PC that downloads
ActivX'es they work (had to do this with WindowsUpdate to make it
work). Problem is when accessing a web-site where a new ActiveX should
be downloaded. It is not. I don't even think it tries. Even when the
site is in "Trusted" and all settings lowered it doesn't get it Sad

And I find no policies or registry entries (have checked all I know of
that can restrict download, and compared to the working system).

Also have tried all patches suggesten here and from Microsoft Norway.

(of, if only someone had a list of DLLs and regsitry entries that are
used in the process of downloading ActiveX, but not even Microsoft
sould get that they said - but obviously someone must know this Smile

--
Lars-Erik - http://home.chello.no/~larse/ - ICQ 7297605

Rob Parsons · External Since: Jul 21, 2005 Posts: 545

Hi Lars,

There are a number of reasons why an ActiveX control will not be installed.
There is a Group Policy that restricts certain controls (gpedit.msc).
There is also a listing that is updated from MS so one of your puters may be
missing a security update from MS.

Here is a link to a free-ware tool to list your ActiveX Compatibility values
for IE

http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/acm.html

"Lars-Erik Østerud" <.@.> wrote in message
news:ORXkf.1783$zc1.1608@amstwist00...
> Still haven't gotten anyway with this. But now I have a news laptop
> with XP SP2 setup, and things work there (all setting the same
> otherwise), AND I was wondering if anyone now what DLL's could affect
> the ActiveX download. If you have any idea I could compare with the
> new PC to see if there is any missing or wrong version DLL's...
> --
> Lars-Erik - http://home.chello.no/~larse/ - ICQ 7297605

Lars-Erik sterud · External Since: May 09, 2004 Posts: 64

Rob Parsons:

> There are a number of reasons why an ActiveX control will not be installed.
> There is a Group Policy that restricts certain controls (gpedit.msc).

Checked and compared with working PCs. No restrictions found.

> There is also a listing that is updated from MS so one of your puters may be
> missing a security update from MS.

All updates installed on both.

> Here is a link to a free-ware tool to list your ActiveX Compatibility values
> for IE
>
> http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/acm.html

Can I use this to compare the settings on the two systems working with
the two systems not working to look for any differences?

I still can see why this happened. The 4 system are otherwise equal
(same programs, same settings, same tweaks and other stuff as well)
--
Lars-Erik - http://home.chello.no/~larse/ - ICQ 7297605

Lars-Erik sterud · External Since: May 09, 2004 Posts: 64

Rob Parsons:

> Here is a link to a free-ware tool to list your ActiveX Compatibility values
> for IE
>
> http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/acm.html

Exacly the same ActiveX'es were enabled on both systems.
Found one file with different version (Microsoft Forms DLL, FM20.DLL)
Don't know what that does, but can copy from the working to the
non-working...

And again, all ActiveX'es work if I copy them to the machine, it's
just downloading them that does not work - doesn't even try dl'ing Sad

--
Lars-Erik - http://home.chello.no/~larse/ - ICQ 7297605

Rob Parsons · External Since: Jul 21, 2005 Posts: 545

Hi Lars,

Exactly what do you want to do? Are you a developer trying to embed your own
ActiveX in a web page?? It won't upgrade with your new version?

Here is a msdn article about packaging activeX

http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/workshop/components...tivex/p

"Lars-Erik Østerud" <.@.> wrote in message
news:L51lf.1794$zc1.692@amstwist00...
> Rob Parsons:
>
> > Here is a link to a free-ware tool to list your ActiveX Compatibility
values
> > for IE
> >
> > http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/acm.html
>
> Exacly the same ActiveX'es were enabled on both systems.
> Found one file with different version (Microsoft Forms DLL, FM20.DLL)
> Don't know what that does, but can copy from the working to the
> non-working...
>
> And again, all ActiveX'es work if I copy them to the machine, it's
> just downloading them that does not work - doesn't even try dl'ing Sad

> --
> Lars-Erik - http://home.chello.no/~larse/ - ICQ 7297605

Lars-Erik sterud · External Since: May 09, 2004 Posts: 64

Rob Parsons:

> Exactly what do you want to do? Are you a developer trying to embed your own
> ActiveX in a web page?? It won't upgrade with your new version?

No, two of my PCs (at work and home) just won't download new ActiveX
components from any web-site anymore (had to copy the WindowsUpdate
ActiveX from another system to even keep my system updated).

ActiveX'es run OK, IE6 just don't want to download new ones from
web-sites. Not even if all security settings are lowest or if the site
is in the Trusted zone. No questions, no download, no error message
(except from the web pages that complain because the isn't there).

And I think I have tried everything now (both suggestion from news,
and from Microsoft Norway), but nothing helps (and MS just wants me to
reinstall XP).

But I still this must be a case of one or more DLLs or registry
settings missing or beeing corrupt, but NO ONE seems to know what DLLs
or registry entries that could cause this malfunction in IE6 Sad

> > Exacly the same ActiveX'es were enabled on both systems.
> > Found one file with different version (Microsoft Forms DLL, FM20.DLL)
> > Don't know what that does, but can copy from the working to the
> > non-working...
> >
> > And again, all ActiveX'es work if I copy them to the machine, it's
> > just downloading them that does not work - doesn't even try dl'ing Sad

> > --
> > Lars-Erik - http://home.chello.no/~larse/ - ICQ 7297605
>
--
Lars-Erik - http://home.chello.no/~larse/ - ICQ 7297605

Robert Aldwinckle · External Since: Jun 28, 2004 Posts: 4408

"Lars-Erik Østerud" <.@.> wrote in message
news:fQglf.1820$zc1.1298@amstwist00
....
> And I think I have tried everything now (both suggestion from news,
> and from Microsoft Norway), but nothing helps (and MS just wants me to
> reinstall XP).

I haven't seen a response to my suggestions to you for how you could
diagnose this.

http://www.microsoft.com/communities/newsgroups/en-us/default.aspx?pg=...=1&tid=

>
> But I still this must be a case of one or more DLLs or registry
> settings missing or beeing corrupt, but NO ONE seems to know what DLLs
> or registry entries that could cause this malfunction in IE6 Sad

Perhaps not but I told you how I would try to find out and I requested
minimally that you give us a specific example to work on.

Robert
---

Lars-Erik sterud · External Since: May 09, 2004 Posts: 64

Robert Aldwinckle:

> I haven't seen a response to my suggestions to you for how you could
> diagnose this.
> http://www.microsoft.com/communities/newsgroups/en-us/default.aspx?pg=...=1&tid=

Strange, maybe my newsserver missed that. I try and see.

> Perhaps not but I told you how I would try to find out and I requested
> minimally that you give us a specific example to work on.

I use the Free spyware scanner in the ZoneAlarm (free version)
download page. It gives (or should give) a "Info bar alert" Could use
Windows Update as well, but since I needed that I copied that ActiveX
from a working system, and then I doesn't try do download it again Smile

--
Lars-Erik - http://home.chello.no/~larse/ - ICQ 7297605

Lars-Erik sterud · External Since: May 09, 2004 Posts: 64

Robert Aldwinckle:

> I haven't seen a response to my suggestions to you for how you could
> diagnose this.

Working PC: All Security setting set to "Prompt", execpt "Automatic
prompting for ActiveX" which is set to "Disable".

URL:
http://www.zonelabs.com/store/content/promotions/spywarescanner/scanne...sp?dc=1

Dialog box: Scripts are usually safe. Do you want to allow scripts to
run? Answer: Yes

Dialog box: Do you want to allow software such as ActiveX controls and
plug-ins to run? Answer: Yes

Info Bar: This site might require the following ActiveX control:
'Integrity security scanner' from 'Check Point Software Technologies
Inc'. Click here to install... Answer: Close Info Bar (else it will
download, and I can't test anymore on that working PC Smile

Web page message: Error: You cannot access this page..... (this
obviously since I refused ActiveX download Smile

Non-working-PC: All Security setting set to "Prompt", execpt
"Automatic prompting for ActiveX" which is set to "Disable".

URL:
http://www.zonelabs.com/store/content/promotions/spywarescanner/scanne...sp?dc=1

Dialog box: Scripts are usually safe. Do you want to allow scripts to
run? Answer: Yes

Dialog box: Do you want to allow software such as ActiveX controls and
plug-ins to run? Answer: Yes

Web page message: Error: You cannot access this page..... (this
obviously since I refused ActiveX download Smile

So again, doesn't seem like it tries to download the ActiveX even if I
answer yes. There is no Info Bar, just the error messge from the page
that the ActiveX was not downloaded. Also I tried with "Trusted" and
with "Automatic prompting" as well. Still no Info bar (but the info
bar works, it appears if I open a web-page with a script or similar
from my local disk, so that doesn't seem to be the problem).

So question remains: Why doesn't IE download ActiveX'es one these to
system, and what causes this (DLL, registry entry, or whatever?)
--
Lars-Erik - http://home.chello.no/~larse/ - ICQ 7297605