Cookies file not opening.

troof · 29th November 2006

Hello again,

I am running Win XP and use SeaMonkey browser.

I installed and ran AVG anti spyware yesterday. When I did a scan everything was ok but it did show a bunch of cookies it thought could be deleted. I did not delete anything at all and just closed the window.

Not even sure if one thing has anything to do with the other but today I noticed when opening a site that required a user name and password that was originally saved, I was required to enter the user name and password by hand. This happened at a couple of sites even at WinBBS. I decided to check the cookies file which I think can affect the logging on to some sites (do some sites store the user name and password themselves?). I double clicked cookies and nothing happened. I tried to change the, open with, from notepad to wordpad and even MSWord. Still nothing. I even had an older version of my cookies renamed “cookiesoriginal” in a separate folder. This cookies file will not open either.

I opened Tools/Cookie Manager/Manage Stored Cookies and there are still a bunch of cookies. Not sure if they are the ones before AVG scan or not.

What is keeping the file from opening?
Should I just delete the cookies file and start over?
Am I in the right forum for this problem?

Thanks - TRoof

**Steve R Jones** · 30th November 2006

Most sites like this one store user info in cookies...I would just sign in as needed..

**Ramona** · 30th November 2006

TRoof,

Close SeaMonkey, and rename your cookies.txt file to Xcookies.txt. When you open SeaMonkey, it will rebuild a pristine cookies file. I would also go into the Cookie Manager and delete all cookies. I would say that you have a corrupt cookies.txt file.

troof · 30th November 2006

Hi Ramona - Here is the low down. I did as you said. -Close SeaMonkey, and rename your cookies.txt file to Xcookies.txt. -When the new cookies file was created, it too would not open.

So the next thing that I did was to trash the cookies file I have created (the Xcookie and newly created cookie file) and started fresh. Unfortunately it means entering information for some sites that is stored in certain cookies all over again. Upon doing so a new cookie had been created which seemed to work just fine. Clicked on the text file and it opens like it should. Now however it has decided on its own to go back to not opening. I guess this if fine as long as I do not have to reenter information each time I go to certain web sites.

At this point I am a bit leery of deleting my stored cookies in the cookie manager. Does any of this make sense ? Did a Google search and found nothing similar that might shed light on this strange behavior. Thanks. TRoof

**Westside** · 1st December 2006

I can easily open cookies.txt, but the first line in it says this:
# HTTP Cookie File
# http://www.netscape.com/newsref/std/cookie_spec.html
# This is a generated file! Do not edit.
# To delete cookies, use the Cookie Manager.

I, never, once, messed with the cookies.txt file.I don't understand what happened to you, but I would look at the settings, in the program. But, if the file is deleted, the information is gone.

**Ramona** · 1st December 2006

TRoof,

Do you run ZoneAlarm, and have you enabled ZA to manage cookies? If so, then do this:

With ZA open:
Click on the "Privacy" button on the left hand part of the window
Click on the "Main" tab at the upper right
Turn off "Cookie Control"

You may need to clear the browser's cache after you change this setting.

Let us know if this helps.

**Westside** · 1st December 2006

AVG Anti-Spyware may behave like Zone Alarm, so look for that similar setting.

troof · 1st December 2006

Hi Ramona and Westside - Goodnews/badnews. I uninstalled AVG just to see if it was the problem and the good news is a cookies folder can now be created and opened. Of course the bad news is I had to start with an empty cookies folder which was inevitable anyhow.

Slowly my logon information is getting back to normal for most of my sites like Windows BBS. I still have the download of AVG that I will install later when I am feeling brave and try the things you suggested. I haven’t heard of Zone Alarm. Is it something I should consider or would AVG suffice? Thanks again - TRoof

**Ramona** · 1st December 2006

TRoof,

I'm glad that your cookie problem is fixed. It won't take much time to accumulate all your cookies again.

ZoneAlarm is a Firewall, and there is a free version. Windows XP has its own Firewall, so that decision will have to be yours. I don't run XP, so I can't advise you in that area.

**Westside** · 1st December 2006

I am not familiar with AVG Firewall, but, I think that it has been introduced recently. It should set up the same way as Zone Alarm.
I used Windows Firewall, and it is ok.

**JSS3rd** · 2nd December 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ramona

Do you run ZoneAlarm, and have you enabled ZA to manage cookies? If so, then do this:

With ZA open:
Click on the "Privacy" button on the left hand part of the window
Click on the "Main" tab at the upper right
Turn off "Cookie Control"

Ramona ...

I've used the free version of ZA for years, and know of no such option. In fact, my ZA Control Center shows no "Privacy" button at all. Are you possibly talking about a setting in ZA Pro?

**Westside** · 2nd December 2006

The important thing is that AVG with Firewall is a "Pro" version. I suggest that you look at the Firewall settings in AVG Pro , and take it from there. I have just AVG anti-virus, and I have not found anything on the web about cookie management, but I got the screen of AVG+Firewall. This is a question to pose to AVG.