'Missing images' & 'Flash plugin error' & NO ONE knows why!

Hi!
I have 2 are downright baffling issues & I hope someone can help me. I'm not very technically savvy, so pardon me if I don't explain things right. Here goes:
I'm running Windows 8, I use Firefox 30.0, TrendMicro Titanium Maximum Security is my AV program, (it uses a Windows Firewall Booster), & IncrediMail is my email program. EVERYTHING mentioned is up-to-date, including Flash, Java, etc.

Problem 1-I've been watching several 'nest cams', as I follow wildlife development as a hobby. I always used the same sites for live-streaming media from the last week of March 2014 until May 09, when all of a sudden, I got this error message: "Error loading plugin: Plugin file not found "...BUT I only get this error on 4 sites! I can watch streaming media, (including live streaming of the same wildlife cams), on other sites, but I get the plugin error on ONLY 4 sites! I immediately checked my plugins, Windows Update, etc. & everything's updated. I also checked my AV program; I did a complete shutdown & restart of my PC & I got the same result...I can watch streaming media; live cams; music, etc. on all sites...EXCEPT for 4 sites that I'd been watching for months. I ran CCleaner; Malwarebytes; full AV Scan; ran DiskChk; Disk Cleanup & shutdown & restarted my PC & the issue still exists.
I posted this problem on Adobe's Support Forum...they're baffled; I posted on Firefox's Forum...they know even less & even TrendMicro ran out of suggestions. Could this, somehow, be an issue with Windows Firewall? No one can understand why this ONLY AFFECTS 4 SITES, (neither can I!), & what's even more confusing is that I can watch the feed from the 4 sites on another site with no problem! Weird, huh? That's problem 1.

Problem 2-IncrediMail is my email program, but for some unknown reason images are blocked in 'SOME' emails & newsletters. Most messages have everything there that's supposed to be there, but 'SOME' images are replaced with a tiny black box with a white "X" in it, (see attachment). Again, 99% of my emails & newsletters come through perfectly, with all their images visible. Then there's that 1% that has its images blocked. I have all the correct settings, including those in Windows; IncrediMail & TrendMicro...well I MUST, otherwise ALL images would be blocked in ALL my emails; but they're not! Is
it possible that I'm missing something in Windows Firewall for allowing images?

I looked in the settings for Windows Firewall & I saw the "Media Center Extender" listings...they're ALL 'disabled'. What are 'extenders' & should they be enabled? What is their function?

I found IncrediMail & all of its entries were disabled as well...should they be enabled, & would this solve the "missing images" problem????

As you can see, I've tried everything I knew to do & I did everything that Adobe, Firefox, TrendMicro, as well as my tech-minded friends suggested & BOTH problems still exist. Before I lose the few marbles I have left, does anyone else know what I can try to fix these 2 problems? If so, PLEASE tell me what & why so I can get back to normal!

Thank you SO MUCH for taking the time to read this entirely-too-long post, & hopefully, someone will know what I should do to fix this mess.

I've attached the thing I get for the "missing image" in IncrediMail. If you need any other info, just let me know.
Again, Thank You for your help!

Gratefully,
Nuts4Mutts

 

Hi,

Is Defender turned off? you will have conflicts if 2 AV's are running together.
Have you tried operating with all ADDONS disabled? Neil.

 

Have you tried those 4 sites on a different computer?

Have you tried IE or Chrome or PaleMoon browsers?

With Flash now integrated into Windows 8, you cannot uninstall and reinstall Flash - not sure if that is a good thing or not. But with it being integrated, it stays current with Windows Update, and that is a good thing.

I personally have a thing against large commercial security suites - for one, I think recurring renewal fees are a rip-off but that's for another discussion. But not debatable is the fact commercial "suites" typically contain all sorts of "fluff" - features and "enhancements" that most users will never need, and more importantly, that hog system resources, and sometimes interfere with operations.

If this were me, I would uninstall (at least temporarily while troubleshooting) Trend Micro, reboot, ensure WD (in W8) and Windows Firewall are enabled, then see if you can access those sites again. If it works, then you know the problem is TM and if that is the case, then I would consider keeping the WD/WF combination, with periodic supplemental scanning with MBAM just to be sure nothing sneaked by or you did not allow something in, (a prudent action regardless your primary anti-malware solution).

And speaking of recurring fees for security, MBAM Premium is the exception. MBAM Premium, running concurrently along side WD (or MSE in W7/Vista) present a formidable defense against the badguys - assuming you keep Windows fully updated and you, the user and ALWAYS weakest link in security, are not "click-happy" on unsolicited downloads, attachments and links.

 

Lots of people seem to be having this problem. It shows up when an advertisement that supports the site tries to run. If anything blocks the ad, no view.

With XP SP3, FF30, Windows Firewall, MSE, I got the same error on these sites:

http://www.westmorelandconservancy.org/BlueBirdWebcam-1.htm

http://www.pixcontroller.com/eagles/

I disabled the adblocker, NoScript and DoNotTrackMe plugins/extensions and unchecked the "Block pop-up windows" box in Tools > Options > Content. Long advertisements then ran on the sites. When the ads finally finished I could view the nests OK.

 

Hi All!
To Neil:

Neil, TrendMicro is my only AV Program, but it has a feature that works with Windows FIREWALL only...Defender is NOT running concurrently with Trend. I also did the whole Firefox no addons procedure as well, & the problem still exists on ONLY those 4 sites. Thanks for the ideas, though!
To Bill:

I only have 1 usable laptop, but I know everyone else is able to access the 4 sites without any problems.
I DID try it using IE & Chrome & I STILL got the error issue on those 4 sites. I never heard of PaleMoon, though, so I'll have to give it a try. Thanks!
To Antik:

Those are 2 of the sites I get the Flash error on!!! We must like the same sites...they're great, aren't they?! Anyway, I'm running Windows 8 & I use Firefox 30.0. Since the last browser update, (maybe even when they did 29.0) there seems to be another Popup Blocker that can't be disabled. I DID un-check the box for enabling the blocker; did a complete reboot of my PC but it didn't affect the error problem. One of the Mods on another live-cam site was helping me troubleshoot & she told me there must be a built-in popup blocker, (that can't be disabled), because of the results I got, (it was several weeks ago & I don't remember the details). Do you know if there's a way to find out by looking in Firefox's "about:config "? I'm always afraid to do anything there without someone knowledgeable telling me what to do. As far as other blockers, I don't have any installed, as I found the one I could enable or disable in Firefox's Tools>Options>Content did the job for me. When I had the blocker enabled, I even had the sites entered as "exceptions ", so I didn't have to keep fussing with the settings when I went to other sites. Adobe & Firefox Forums ran out of ideas for me to try, as well. This makes my brain scramble because I can watch the content that's streaming from the pixcontroller site on ustream or wildearth without a problem! I just don't understand it, especially when I watched those 4 sites for over 2 months problem-free. Also, the error problem started WHILE I was watching...I had a "Flash-Crash" & when I refreshed there was the plugin error message. Crazy, huh? All my plugins, browser, java, Windows, etc. are up-to-date. I'm slowly losing my mind, though! LOL
Thank you ALL for your input...if you think of anything else, please post.
Have a great Sunday!
Nuts4Mutts

 

PaleMoon is nice browser alternative but if IE, Chrome and FF don't work, there is no reason to expect PaleMoon will.

 

Wildlife sites have differing content players. Some seldom change while others are constantly changing. That's why things work, but then stop working without warning. Older browser, flash and player versions work better on some, and newer versions on others.

If watching the nest-cams is very important to you, then resetting firefox to plain vanilla defaults is probably better than messing with about:config.

Help > Troubleshooting Information > Reset Firefox to its default state.

Manually force a system restore point and/or make an image backup before you start altering programs or settings. Keep a notebook of what you did.

http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/4690-restore-point-create-windows-8-a.html

Personally, I'm not willing to reconfigure just to watch these cams. A better alternative would be a dedicated computer just for this purpose. I tried to reproduce your problem and then fix it, but undid everything afterward.

 

Hi Antik!
I appreciate your input, but since I found other sites that stream the nest cams I'm studying, I'm resigned to the fact that there are 4 sites I just can't use. I have Firefox customized with plugins, addons & extensions that let Firefox function very well AND make me happy, so going "vanilla" doesn't appeal to me.
Since this seems to be something that affects others, (even the Mod that was helping me said this was the case), I'm going to contact the owner, who's VERY involved with making sure people can use his site, (he's also a big bald eagle fan!). If he's aware of the problem it's possible he can get to the root of the problem. If he should find a solution I'll be sure to post it here.
As long as I can keep track of the nests I follow on an alternate site, I'm satisfied. It was horrible for me from 5/9/14-5/10/14 because I missed LOTS of data...thank goodness for archives!
Thanks again for your help!
Nuts4Mutts

 

I've just clicked on those 2 links that antik included in his Post and they show perfectly. There is a 25 second ad that shows for a start all clear as.
Have you tried an unsubscribe from the web sites and then joined again?
Just my thought that something might be corrupt. Neil.
P.S. I tried Incredimail years ago along with a few others and settled for TB which I have used for at least 10 years. Apart from an odd hiccup now and then (updates) I consider it the easiest to use.

 

I like TB too and use it on my notebook. But for sure for my PC, I like Outlook (not Outlook Express or Outlook.com), but Outlook 2007 (which works perfectly with W8.1, BTW) to keep track of all my email accounts, appointments, birthdays, anniversaries, and contacts.

I also use MailWasher Pro in between Outlook and my ISP to manage/block spam, and to "work" my incoming emails before downloading any I want to keep to my system. MWP allows me to work, answer and cull out the dozens of forum notification emails I get daily, and other "junk" emails without downloading the emails (or any unsolicited attachments!) to my computer. Highly recommended.