Tech: Help. Active X controls???

Subject: Tech: Help. Active X controls???
From: wilbyhillbilly
Date: 24 Nov 04 - 05:41 PM

I now keep getting this message coming up "Your current settings prohibit running Active X controls on this page. As a result the page may not display correctly".

Could this be an aftermath of uninstalling XP2 Service Pack?, and if so , anyone know how I can get to whatever controls I need to cure it please.

whb

Subject: RE: Tech: Help. Active X controls???
From: GUEST,MCP
Date: 24 Nov 04 - 06:05 PM

One place to look is in Internet Explorer: Tools/Internet Options/Security Settings. The Security Level Control has several boxes relating to ActiveX controls, in particular Run ActiveX Controls and Plug-Ins. Have a look at that setting and see if you have it disabled (I have mine set to Prompt and I don't normally allow them to run unless I feel reasonably sure about a site).

Otherwise the firewall may be stopping them. I haven't looked at the SP2 Firewall settings - I have Norton IS and disable the system one - so without checking I wouldn't know the settings.

Mick

Subject: RE: Tech: Help. Active X controls???
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 24 Nov 04 - 07:46 PM

Most pages that display thet error message, will normally work for most things on them - some 'cute' things may not work, and any attempt to hit you with a Trojan/Virus/AdWar/MalWare package will usually be made much harder. I have got used to leaving it on 'Prompt' like MCP.

Subject: RE: Tech: Help. Active X controls???
From: Bill D
Date: 24 Nov 04 - 09:38 PM

they WANT your ActiveX working, so they warn you every time, even if the page doesn't use it.....unless you want popups and security problems---or simply like ActiveX, you can just ignore that message...or....*smile*...use a browser where ActiveX is not even an issue...Mozilla, Firefox, Opera...and several more. There are even IE clones that do not use ActiveX...Avant, I 'think'...

Subject: RE: Tech: Help. Active X controls???
From: Bill D
Date: 24 Nov 04 - 09:40 PM

(p.s. "display properly" is a red herring ..99% of pages display just fine without the nonsense that ActiveX is meant to deliver!)

Subject: RE: Tech: Help. Active X controls???
From: Bill D
Date: 24 Nov 04 - 09:45 PM

I just took a quick trip on Google, using "ActiveX problems" as search term...found this on first page of hits, in which someone is reviewing a book...

"...The only problem that I had with the book is that the author was very clearly trying to not anger anyone, which I think forced him to not be straightforward on some issues. In particular, he has a whole chapter about ActiveX malware, yet he very blatantly neglects to mention the easiest and most obvious method of avoiding ActiveX problems – STOP USING INTERNET EXPLORER AND OUTLOOK! These are the only two major tools that use ActiveX since ActiveX is a Microsoft-proprietary component. So, to defend yourself against Internet Explorer and Outlook malware, such as plug-ins that take control of IE, STOP USING THEM! Mozilla, Netscape, and Eudora are free and work beautifully! There is no shame, anger, or bias in telling the truth that the best way to avoid ActiveX problems is to use tools that do not use ActiveX. I'm sure that he knows very well that this is the truth, considering the huge amount of detail that the book entails; but I am very certain that he neglected to say it because he (or the publisher) was skittish about upsetting the All-Powerful, All-Mighty Bill, which is completely unfair to the reader. Yes, I'll admit that I'm being anally retentive on that, but there is nothing wrong with saying, "Hey, folks! There are more secure alternatives out there that (gasp!) have nothing to do with Microsoft!"

Subject: RE: Tech: Help. Active X controls???
From: wilbyhillbilly
Date: 25 Nov 04 - 01:04 AM

Thanks a lot folks, I feel very relieved. The truth is I didn't even know what Active X was or does and thought it might be something crucial to the machine.

Something else I've learnt.


whb