OT: XP machine "ActiveX" not installed?

[JimK]

tying to get my desktop to do what my netbook did "out of the box" - display an IP webcam in IE8 - desktop machine says (when pointed at IP cam and logged in) "ActiveX not installed"...

when I look at

get "If you see the message ActiveX is not supported, then your browser doesn't recognize ActiveX at all. Netscape, Opera, or other browsers usually do not support ActiveX."

same thing was occurring in IE6 so I updated to IE8 hoping it would magic itself better....

any pointers please?

Cheers JimK

[Andy Burns]

IE used to install activeX controls without asking, now it's a bit more careful, did you get a yellow bar at the top of the browser asking permission to install?

[JimK]

no yellow bar or prompts :>(( When I point IE8 on the desktop at the cameras IP address and login, I can see the webpage from the camera but the camera picture is missing!! in its place is "Active X control not installed"....

Cheers JimK

[Andy Burns]

Try adding the IP address of the camera to the trusted sites or local intranet zone ... sorry[0] I haven't got an IE box handy so can't tell you the exact steps for that, it's somewhere under tools, options, security I think.

[0] OK, not really, I'm glad I don't have it on any of my home machines.

[JimK]

mmm seems to be a more generic ActiveX not installed prob rather than the IP camera address....

the pcpitstop link I posted earlier reckons ActiveX is not installed!

How do I install it?

cheers JimK

[Andy Burns]

I don't think it means that activeX in general isn't installed, far more likely that it means the specific activeX control that the camera wants to use is not installed.

What *specifically* does it say directly below the phrase "The current date and time should appear below"

[JimK]

ActiveX is not supported

[Andy Burns]

Hmm, that does sound like it's not working at all, it's the same message I get when viewing it in Firefox on Linux, did you try the security zone settings they suggest?

[Adrian C]

Find the name of the ActiveX control from the source code of the webpage that's trying to display it. You may have to search about a bit.

Then google it. There may be an update or other information relevent to it's use in IE8.

Also you might have security software installed currently blocking it's installation. Spybot Search and Destroy's TeaTimer is one that will.

[JimK]

well IANA expert but I've been all through IE8s security settings and anything to do with ActiveX is either "enabled" or "prompt" - still no joy

strangely on my netbook (IE6) on which the IP camera works fine, the pcpitstop activeX test does not work either???

Is there some gold standard ActiveX test I can do?

Cheers JimK

[JimK]

good thought - I've uninstalled SpyBot from the desktop (IE8) but no better :>(

thanks JimK

[Bob Eager]

Did you just do the 'Security' tab? There is an 'Advanced' table with some active content options.

[JimK]

not sure what relates to what on the advanced tab, but nothing seemed obviously "off"...

anyhow found a workaround by searching for the name of the activex control (thanks Adrian C ;>):- by editing the URL after logging into the camera one can force IE8 to use java to display the video stream... so after I installed Java and don't ask me how, but it now works .... strewth... Good ole Bill strikes again....

Cheers to all JimK