"Click to activate and use this control"

[benjamines]

I hope this topic hasn't been posted already and/or pounded to death. Anyways, whenever I try to use an embedded flash object in a web page, it requires me to "Click to activate and use this control". Apparently this stemmed from a ridiculous patent by Eolas involving the way objects are displayed on a web page. In any case, Microsoft has updates for it, but they simply won't work. When I try to install it, I either get the message "The version of Internet Explorer you have installed does not match the update you are trying to install" or "update/update.exe is not a valid Win32 application." The former makes no sense because I am using IE6, and have all the urgent updates installed. The latter may simply be a corrupt download. In any case, I am at a loss of options here and would really appreciate it if someone could suggest something else I can try. I don't mind delving into the registry either, so I'll do what it takes to fix it. Also, I am running a brand-new laptop with Windows XP Media Center edition SP2. Thanks!

[benjamines]

It may help to know that this update is Security Update 917425. And I did get it to download. Now I just get the "does not match your version of Internet Explorer" message, even after reinstalling. Hope this helps...

[Zazula]

Benjamines, the requirement to "Click to activate and use this control" for Flash objects embedded in web pages was introduced with the Internet Explorer ActiveX update 912945. You can see also Microsoft Security Advisory (912945).

The 917425 update was simply intended as a Compatibility Patch in order to help customers who needed more time to prepare for the changes the 912945 update brought in the scene. Moreover, this compatibility patch can only be installed on systems that are running the Internet Explorer April Cumulative Update (KB912812). If you try to install this patch on systems without update 912812, the installation will fail. (What you've been experiencing.)

After it is deployed, the 917425 Compatibility Patch will temporarily return Internet Explorer to the way that it used to handle ActiveX controls. This patch will function until the June cumulative Internet Explorer update is released. Then, the changes to the way Internet Explorer handles ActiveX controls will be permanent. (So, no joy...)

After you install the June Cumulative Security Update for IE6 (916281), this is what happens (from Microsoft Security Bulletin MS06-021):

• This security update replaces the cumulative update for Internet Explorer that was released on February 28, 2006. For more information about this update, see Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 912945.
• This security update replaces the compatibility patch released on April 11, 2006. That compatibility patch temporarily returned Internet Explorer to the previous functionality for handling ActiveX controls, to help enterprise customers who needed more time to prepare for the ActiveX update changes discussed in Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 912945. This security update replaces that compatibility patch, and makes the changes in Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 912945 permanent.

Please have also a look at this: Grid controls on Project Web Access pages no longer function as expected after you install the Internet Explorer ActiveX update or the MS06-013 cumulative security update for Internet Explorer

You can easily check out which of the updates mentioned herein are actually installed in your computer, if you launch Add/Remove Programs and check the Show Updates box.


Additional References:
Information for Developers about Internet Explorer
Activating ActiveX Controls (for Developers)
MS06-021: Cumulative security update for Internet Explorer
MS06-013: Cumulative security update for Internet Explorer
Internet Explorer ActiveX compatibility patch for Mshtml.dll

[benjamines]

Thanks for the reply, Zazula! But I looked in my Add/Remove programs and I actually had none of the 4 updates mentioned here installed. But I'm still experiencing the annoyance. I tried installing 912812 and then 917425, but it still gave me the same error, "wrong version of IE." I'll keeping messing with it, but as of right now, it's still not working.

[Zazula]

Do you have Auto Updates on in your PC? If yes, all these Cumulative Updates for IE are already incorporated in the OS because they're flagged as Security Updates and they are installed automatically. For your update history, you can also look at the Windows Update site, left pane (Options), first item (Review your update history).

[benjamines]

I checked the update history in Windows Update and didn't see any sign of the updates we're looking for. The only thing I did notice was one failed update, number 917953, something about "Vulnerability in TCP/IP Could Allow Remote Code Execution." Not sure if that has anything to do with it. In any case, I don't see updates 912945, 917425, 912812, or 916281 in the update history.

[Zazula]

So, I suppose you don't have Automatic Updates enabled - or do you? If you visit the Windows Update site and in the welcome screen (Keep your computer up to date) select Custom, which updates will you be offered to install?

[benjamines]

Whoops, sorry, I forgot to say I do have Automatic Updates turned on. And I did go to the custom link on the update page and there are no high priority updates to get.

[Zazula]

So, as I've already explicitely stated, all those Cumulative Updates are part of your IE6 now, and the way ActiveX are treated has become permanent.

[benjamines]

Darn. That's what I was afraid of.

Thanks for all you help, tho.

By the way, is Microsoft going to do anything about it?

[Zazula]

Why would they want to do so? They've changed ActiveX handling in order to achieve better security.

[benjamines]

Mostly just because it is annoying. At least give the user the option to click every time there is a flash object on a page, or to let IE activate it automatically. I appreciate the security. It's just a nuisance because it wasn't there before and now it is. That's all.