ActiveX

[Dr Seven]

I visited this website and a pop up message box appeared. The message was this:

"Click here to run an ActiveX control on this website".

I clicked on it and all I got was another message pop up box saying the same thing. I clicked on that and then the message box didn't come up again, but I saw nothing change on the page.

I have Windows XP.

My question is this: Is ActiveX a program I need to install or is it already on my computer? Or do I need to do some kind of update? If so where would I get that from?

As you can tell I am completely lost here. Any info anyone can give me that will clear this up will be appreciated.

[Tuttle]

ActiveX controls on web pages are kind of like Java applets (but in Microsoft land) -- things like embedded video players, flash animations etc. The ad in the top right (assuming it's one of the flash ones) is an example.

Historically, you've been able to just interact with those. Then Microsoft lost a patent case, and so their workaround is to make you click one extra time before you can interact with an embedded ActiveX control. Before you make that click, the ActiveX control can't receive any keyboard or mouse input.



That's just the new normal behaviour for IE.

The popup message you're getting is just a control which wasn't written with this in mind, and tries to get keyboard/mouse info as soon as the page loads. This causes the popup.



The way to fix that popup is to try and work out what ActiveX stuff is on the page, then upgrade that software. The ones Microsoft list as known problems are:

• Macromedia Shockwave
• Apple Quicktime
• Virtools Web Player

If you have any of those installed, try upgrading the plugin.

[Dr Seven]

I see. The Active X stuff as you call that is on that page is macromedia shockwave.

I have contacted them and they told me that they had an upgrade. I didn't contact them because this was happening, but because of another issue.

Now that I know that macromedia shockwave is causing this problem I can contact them more aggressively.

I won't be able to post the results here, though, for a few days since I contacted them right before the holiday and they have yet to get back to me.

If after they've contacted me and if that fixes the problem then I will post and let you know that your advice worked out.

In the meantime, thanks for taking the time to reply!

[Tuttle]

If it's just the Shockwave player you need: www.macromedia.com/go/full_shockwaveplayer_win

[AnnMarie]

Hi Dr Seven. Your problem could also be caused by a Windows Update. Check in Add/Remove Programs and see if KB912812 is installed. If so, go here and download and install the compatibility patch for your version of XP.

Reboot and let us know if this helped.

[Dr Seven]

I checked Control Panel and KB912812 is listed there.

You suggested that I download and install the compatibility patch for my version of XP. There is only one problem. There are several download links listed there and I don't know which one to click on because I don't know which version of XP I am using.

Someone else had directed me to the download site you listed here, and I just took a chance. But apparently I downloaded the wrong one because I was told it was not compatible. This happened after I wasted a half hour downloading 7.32 megabytes. So you can see that I don't want to waste my time like that again.

So. Can you tell me how to find out which version of XP I am using so I can download the correct compatible version?

Also, I was wondering why I never received this reply in my email inbox? Did you not email it to me? If so, can you make sure that I get the reply to this when ever you make it?

[Dr Seven]

Sorry to be a pest, but I found out what version of XP I am using. It is XP 2002. The updates listed on the page are all for Windows XP 2003.


Does this mean that since I don't have 2003 that I am screwed out of being able to get this update and thus can't access the page that is asking for it or that if I go there anyway there is no way I can stop the pop-up asking for it??

Also, I have the shockwave player so don't need to download that. But if it is an active X question, then would updating my shockwave player fix that anyway??

[Tuttle]

ActiveX is the way that other bits of software plug in. The problem itself is with Shockwave Player in this instance, so upgrading it should help.

The particular compatibility update you need if that still doesn't help is this one. However, note that this only reverts to the old behaviour until June 13; after that the problem will come back unless you deal with the cause (Shockwave).

[SuperSparks]

Sorry to be a pest, but I found out what version of XP I am using. It is XP 2002.

You're misunderstanding which OS's that article is referring to. There is no XP 2003, it is referring to Windows Server 2003, which is a totally different OS to XP. WindowsXP 2002 indicates that you have Service Pack 2 installed, so you want the version of the patch for "Windows XP Service Pack 2".

[Dr Seven]

Tuttle,

YAY! You can mark this one resolved! I went to the website in question and no more pop-up!

I also downloded the latest version of shockwave last night so I should be set. We'll see.

In the meantime,

THANKS VERY MUCH!

[Welshjim]

Tuttle--I was expecting to get those windows you show in your Post #2 after installing update 912812. But so far I have not.
I have barred ActiveX controls from running in Internet Sites. If I find a site that needs ActiveX to run (like Windows Update or the macromedia.com site, itself) and I trust it, I put it into my Trusted Sites which permits ActiveX controls by default. Maybe that is why.

[Tuttle]

I'd expect you to get the top one on things like flash animations. The bottom one is only for a handful of things which are being rewritten to fix it.