ActiveX Help!

[Hoch8789]

Lots of times when I try to do stuff online, I get this message that says: "Your security settings do not allow web sites to use ActiveX controls installed on your computer." Then it just doesn't work. That's when I use IE. When I use Netscape and Firefox, nothing comes up at all! Can someone tell me how to fix this, because it would let me do this stuff on my old computer.

Details:
Old Computer = Windows XP Home
New computer = Windows XP Home

 

[mechBgon]

Internet Explorer is the only mainstream Web browser that supports ActiveX. If your new computer has Service Pack 2 for WindowsXP, then it is probably just blocking ActiveX by default, but look and you'll see it's sticking a thin little menu bar across the top of the browser window that you can click if you really want the ActiveX control to run. For example, go to Symantec's online security scan and when you try to run the scan, it will probably show that behavior. Watch for the little bar at the top of the window.

The reason ActiveX is being controlled is that it can be used to do bad stuff. Guns don't kill people, people kill people... heard that saying? And ActiveX isn't a bad thing in its own right, but it can be used to do bad things. Bad Thing #1 is sticking spyware installers in your face. Click Yes to one of those and you're going to regret it. So Microsoft is putting a small hurdle in the way. You can go around it if you really want to. But be careful what you agree to.

 

[Hoch8789]

I know what I am agreeing to. I want to agree. Also, when I click that bar and tell it to install, I just can't. It won't let me.

 

[mechBgon]

Is your user account a Limited account? That would explain it.

 

[Hoch8789]

No, my user account is the Owner account (administrator).

 

[mechBgon]

In Internet Explorer, click Tools > Internet Options and go to the Security tab. It should be highlighting the Internet zone with the globe symbol. Click the Default Level button and confirm it, and see if that changes things. I don't have my WinXP SP2 system right here in my face, it's down at work, but if you look into those settings you will probably find the ActiveX control thingamabob and can work with it.

Hope that helps

 

[Hoch8789]

That was one of the things I tried before I made this topic. Still doesn't work...

 

[mechBgon]

Do you by any chance have anti-spyware software installed, that might be preventing ActiveX from functioning?

 

[Hoch8789]

No, all I have is Spybot: S & D, and Ad-Aware.

 

[mechBgon]

Could your antivirus software be blocking this particular ActiveX installer? Or is it universal?

 

[Hoch8789]

It's universal. Nothing ActiveX can install, my computer just won't let that happen.

 

[mechBgon]

Huh And you've gone through the settings shown in this picture? That's from my Win2000 box here at home, but ought to apply to a certain extent.

 

[Hoch8789]

Yes, I did all that. It still doesn't work!