ActiveX / Administrator problem

[jdemmi]

I am helping a friend with an issue that has me scratching my head. He has an older internet/security camera that works fine on his Vista/IE7 box, My Vista/IE8 box, My W7/IE8 box but not HIS W7/IE8 box. The only way we can get it to work at all on HIS W7/IE8 box is to run IE "AS ADMINISTRATOR"

Here's what we've done.

Turned UAC off
Put the camera's site in TRUSTED ZONES and set security to LOW and allowed all ActiveX settings
Insured his user account is "an administrator"
Place the addon/activex dll in the downloaded program files folder and manually registered it

Here's what happens when he logs in as himself.
Opens IE, goes to site, ActiveX says that the publisher cannot be verified, do you want to install, Clicks INSTALL and nothing happens

If he launches IE "as administrator" the the installation completed and we no loner are prompted to install, the camer opens fine.

If he logs into the desktop as ADMINISTRATOR the camera opens fine (already installed)

To me this indicates that the activex control is properly installed but not accessible by his account. Yet when we navigate to the site IE shows us that the site is in the trusted zone and that "nothing is being blocked".

We also notice that when we launch IE as admin the control is listed in manage add-ons. But, when we launch IE "regularly" it is not. It's also not in the list of disabled add-ons.


Any suggestions? Is there a way to add an add-on to the list of enabled add-ons through the registry? Or via other means?

-- Jason
"It's Just Ones and Zeros

 

[linney]

Have a look at the Access Security Permissions on the machine.

Use the Vista instructions in this to reset to default the security settings.

How do I restore security settings to the default settings?

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/313222/#appliesto

Try running ChkDsk to check your drive for errors. Right-click your Drive icon/ Properties/ Tools/ Error Checking. Try it first by not checking either box (this will run it in a Read-only mode) to see if it flags any hard drive or file problems. If it does, restart it by ticking both boxes, and rerun it to allow it to attempt to fix any found problems.






How to disable message: The publisher could not be verified. Are you sure you want to run this software?

http://www.winvistaclub.com/t152.html

How To: Fix Windows Vista Error Message “The publisher could not be verified. Are you sure you want to run this?”

http://www.tomstricks.com/how-to-fi...e-verified-are-you-sure-you-want-to-run-this/

How to Stop Windows 7 Popup – “The publisher could not be verified. Are you sure you want to run this?”

http://benosullivan.co.uk/windows/h...-verified-are-you-sure-you-want-to-run-this”/

Disable “Publisher Could Not Be Verified” Messages

http://www.technipages.com/disable-publisher-could-not-be-verified-messages.html

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&...=&oq=publisher+could+not+be+verified&gs_rfai=

 

[jdemmi]

I will have him check the access security document. But I don't think any of the articles linked will help. We've already tried many (all?) of the steps in those links.

We're way past bypassing/disabling the publisher could not .
be verified messages. It doesn't change the behavior. The security camera page loads, the page tries to initialize the plugin and senses that it isn't there. It opens a popup window stating that the publisher cannot be verified. It offers 2 options (Install and Don't Install). When Install is clicked, nothing happens. And BTW...his Trusted Site security settings are lower than any of those you linked, PLUS they match mine and it works on my PC.

FWIW -- the installation is a .CAB file....

It really does behave like he is not an administrator despite being listed as one in control panel.

Anyone else have any ideas?

-- Jason
"It's Just Ones and Zeros

 

[linney]

Do look at the Permissions side of things that sounds like an odds on favorite to me.

If they create a new user and log on with that does his program work?





This is an old article but it may give you further information and lead you in to understanding more about ActiveX.

Restoring Functionality to the Downloaded Program Files Folder

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/174925

I am not sure that Windows 7 uses the Downloaded Program Files folder at all, ActiveX are managed via the Managed Add-ons of IE. If you right-click on any Add-on and select "More Information" you will be able to see the location of the ActiveX control, it is likely to be anywhere on the system except Downloaded Program Files. Check the location of the Camera ActiveX .ocx file (anyway you can) via this method and then check that the user has the correct Permissions to access the folder.



ActiveX Installer

"Provides User Account Control validation for the installation of ActiveX controls from the Internet and enables management of ActiveX control installation based on Group Policy settings. This service is started on demand and if disabled the installation of ActiveX controls will behave according to default browser settings."

Can the user start this Service?

Administering the ActiveX Installer Service in Windows 7

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd631688(WS.10).aspx

"Ensure that Internet utilities do not block Flash Player
Ensure that your firewall or utility settings are set to allow ActiveX controls and Flash (SWF) content. Some Internet utilities, such as Norton Internet Utilities, act like firewalls and restrict viewing of ActiveX controls or block Flash content." Add Bonjour Service and some Nvidia Chipsets to the list. I use that quote but mean your particular ActiveX.

http://kb2.adobe.com/cps/191/tn_19166.html

How to use Reset Internet Explorer Settings (RIES)

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/923737#appliesto

Tips for solving problems with Internet Explorer

http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/Windows/en-US/Help/8038f9ac-9bf9-4809-8d75-fc42818d8af71033.mspx

This might get you under the hood sort of speak, it may allow you to see where and what is failing.

Process Monitor v2.8

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-au/sysinternals/bb896645.aspx

How to troubleshoot a problem by performing a clean boot in Windows Vista or in Windows 7

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/929135

 

[jdemmi]

He hasn't created a new user but we did enable the "hidden" ADMINISTRATOR user and it worked fine.

Because this is an old ActiveX control (3 years or so) it regsiters itself in C:\windows\downloaded program files. This was verified on My Vista and My W7 PCs by reviewing the add-on properties.

We've triple checked all ActiveX settings in the browser. They're all good. He has AVG running, as do I. Windows Defender is off. I am not sure about Windows FW. Could that be blocking it (I disable windows FW on my PCs)? I guess we could easily test.

We've already reset IE settings, no luck

And since he's in FL and I am in TX and I am not helping with hands on I haven't gone the process monitor direction yet.

-- Jason
"It's Just Ones and Zeros

 

[linney]

The idea of a new user is to check whether his current profile is corrupt, and perhaps whether there are any access problems for that old user.