Active X?

OKay I'm hoping this question falls under this thread if not I apolojize. I recently tried to view a web page and this message came up:

Your currect security settings prohibit running ACTIVE X controls on this page. As a result, the page may not display correctly.

What is active x? Do I need to disable it?

 

I had the same problem awhile back.

Just click on Tools/Internet Options/Scurity tab/& then click on Custom Level.Scroll down to Active X & simply click on enable or disable.

I visited a site that would not work without having active X enabled & I was all new at this.It took me about a month to learn how to do this,but i finally learned how somewhere,I just don't know where.

I hope this answers your question.

 

what does it do? If I disable it ,will it mess up my computer?

 

musbethamusac--First of all, did you feel you did not see what you wanted on that page after just clicking off the message? Most of the time you will see the page just fine. If the site will not display or there are obvious problems, keep reading. (For example, Windows Update is one site that will not display unless your ActiveX settings are at Enable.)
The simplistic answer about messing up your PC is that enabling ActiveX for all sites could leave you at risk for spyware. I would keep ActiveX settings at Internet Sites at Prompt (or even Disable for unsigned or unsafe controls, depending on how secure you want to be), but if you trust a paricular site that is giving you problems, put its URL into your Trusted Sites list. (By default all ActiveX settings are set at Enable for sites in the Trusted Sites list.)

 

To add to what Jim posted:

"What is active x? "

See
http://www.active-x.com/articles/whatis.htm
or
msdn.microsoft.com/archive/en-us/dnaractivex/ html/msdn_awhatis.asp

It's a technology for adding interactive content on a webpage. Disabling it won't "mess up" your computer but you might not be able to view or interract with the webpage in the way it was designed. For example, you may have already downloaded and installed Macromedia Flash and Macromedia Shockwave ActiveX controls Jim pointed out that you need to be able to run ActiveX controls on the Windows Update page.


Do I need to disable it? "

Not an easy question to answer because there are different security zones involved and you don't say which ActiveX setting you want to disable (or set to "prompt" as an alternative) instead of "enable ".

For example, in the Internet zone with a "meduim" security setting, http://www.microsoft.com/technet/tr.../prodtechnol/ie/reskit/ie6/part2/c04ie6rk.asp
says you should:

set to "Prompt ":
-Download signed ActiveX controls

set to Disable:
-Download unsigned ActiveX controls
-Initialize and script ActiveX controls not marked as safe

set to "Enable ":

- Run ActiveX controls and plug-ins
- Script ActiveX controls marked safe for scripting

More here:
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/ie/reskit/ie6/part2/c04ie6rk.asp

http://www.nwnetworks.com/iezones.htm

 

Thanks Alice for that info and the links. I have a better understanding of Active X now.
Thanks also to you Jim, to answer your question. The page displayed fine, I mean I didn't see any problems with the site. I guess the prompt kind of threw me off guard when it pop on the screen, I sort of panic But as I said after looking at the links and the info you provided I have a much better understanding. With my settings they way they currently are set, I'm still able to interact and view 99.9% of the websites I visit, so again thanks for all the help.

 

musbethamusac--Glad to have been of some help. Thanks for posting back.

 

musbethemusic,
Sorry I took so long,but I only get on my PC at night.

When the site that I visited needed Active X,it only displayed parts of the page & where some pictures were suppose to be,I had that classic "box with the Red X" in it.

After I enabled Active X,everything appeared fine.

If you are getting all of the page to appear,leave Active X disabled.

 

Thanks Drag Racer7272 for the info, no need for apology just very grateful for your time in helping me.

 

Your very welcome.

It's not often that a problem comes up that I know anything about.

This board has helped me on more problems in the past 2 weeks,than I have learned since I got my PC 3 1/2 months ago.