system details

heinz-oz · Post by **heinz-oz** » Fri Nov 25, 2005 1:33 am

Your browser might just be loading a cached version. Did you click on 'Reload' or 'Refresh' once?

Not sure if that will fix it but worth a try.

I certainly can see everyones.

Post by **Ken Berry** » Fri Nov 25, 2005 2:24 am

Thanks for the suggestion, Heinz, but I have clicked on the refresh button while on this Board about fifty times since the button thing came up. I do it regularly as I often just go back to the top of the list and refresh to see if there is anything new listed. In any case, I think this Board, by its very nature, is refreshed every time you select the Board or, when going through individual posts, click on the "Jump To: Select a Forum" selection at the bottom right of screen... (which I also do regularly) Must be something else. I use Firefox, but test it out with IE 6, and still don't get the system button.

Post by **Ron P.** » Fri Nov 25, 2005 2:49 am

Hi Ken,
I looked at the Page Source and this doesn't make sense. The webpages are simplistic HTML/DHTML with JavaScript. The buttons are JavaScript, so there has to be something wrong with your system interpreting, or performing the script.

Do you have Javascript disabled? This would be found under your Web Features section of FireFox.Probably not or else it would be almost impossible to navigate this board. However there can be errors and unless you specifically have a boxed ticked to warn on errors you wouldn't see them.

What version of Java do you have..Should probably be J2SE Runtime Enviroment 5 (update 5)..

Just something that came to mind as a possible cause...

Ron

heinz-oz · Post by **heinz-oz** » Fri Nov 25, 2005 3:19 am

Hi Ken,

I also use FF. Have you enabled and allowed java script for the board?

Post by **Ken Berry** » Fri Nov 25, 2005 3:45 am

Java and Javascript are both enabled and I am using update 5. And I can see the buttons labelled Profile, PM, Email of my own and others posts (and others used by individuals such as MSN, Yahoo etc). It is just the System button that I cannot see!

EDIT: On calling up the Java Console, however, I am getting the following on a repetetive basis: "Error: uncaught exception. Permission denied to call method location.toString" [sic] Heaven knows what that means and whether it is linked to this problem. I am using Zone Alarm Suite. Does that interfere with Java operations? If so, how come I am seeing the other buttons?

EDIT 2: EUREKA!!! Even though I had put Java in the Trusted (2 bars) category in Zone Alarm and also given it server access, Zone Alarm still seems to have blocked it. When I disable ZAP, however, the System button appears. Not sure the value of the button is worth the danger of not having Zone Alarm, including its anti-virus, working, however. Any thoughts on what I might be able to do to tweak the Zone Alarm settings regarding Java?

(Sure enough, when I re-enabled Zone Alarm, and restarted the browser, the System button disappeared again.)

Post by **Ron P.** » Fri Nov 25, 2005 4:07 am

Ken,

I'm not sure, but it maybe just that Zone Alarm is keying on the word "System", thinking that it's a malicious code or an attempt to accessing your system files...

EDIT

I don't use ZA, so I'm not familiar with it. However according to the Error message that's what it is telling you, that it is denying the JS Method, which ZAP thinks it is requesting your system information off of your PC...
Which all the JS is doing is calling up the method to open a new window displaying the info we put there. The button is of course named System, and the method

<a target="_blank" href="experienz.net/module_systeme/system.php?$id_poster=6857"> <img border="0" src="templates/subSilver/images/icon

is requesting info from the PHP file (server side scripting) to display this system button, and then when pressed to open a new window...

Make sense?

Ron

Edit...
Maybe they can change the button to PC Specs? Wouldn't trigger security issues in firewalls then...

heinz-oz · Post by **heinz-oz** » Fri Nov 25, 2005 4:34 am

I use ZoneAlarm Pro, no problem here but I had a problem with my VET anti virus. The auto download feature did not work. Tried all sorts of things, no luck. I updated the darn thing yesterday to the latest version.

I did as you did, Ken, disabled ZA and voila, auto download worked. Went into the settings of ZA to find all my VET modules that need unrestricted access to the internet. Because of the naming conventions used, I had a hard time finding all of them

Found something else though. In the program control tab, with VET Anti Virus highlighted, I clicked on the "Options" button and ticked "This program my use other programs to access the internet" and "Allow application interaction" the auto download function now seems to work.

Java(TM) 2 Platform Standard edition and Java(TM) Update checker are the only java programs with internet access in the trusted zone.

Depending on what version of ZA you are using, you may need to look at some of the permissions.

What I normally do when I have a problem after I update ZA is to switch on all alerts. It can be a bit annoying getting all these stupid messages all the time but it does not take long to find out what is missing. Afyter that I switch the messages off again.

Post by **Ken Berry** » Fri Nov 25, 2005 5:07 am

Thanks for all the suggestions, Heinz. Much appreciated.

I have taken your suggestion about going into Program Control in Zone Alarm and ticked those two boxes in Options against my Java entries, but no joy -- either after restarting my browser or rebooting the computer.

Like yours, Java(TM) 2 Platform Standard edition and Java(TM) Update checker are the only java programs with internet access in the trusted zone.

phpBBadmin also contact me separately to suggest I flush the Firefox cookie cache, which I did, also with no joy.

Anyway, no big deal, I guess. I can still look at an individual's profile to see if he/she has included system details...

rwindeyer · Post by **rwindeyer** » Fri Nov 25, 2005 9:22 am

Thanks for the detective work - I can confirm that Zone Alarm Pro is the culprit. I see all the system buttons with it disabled; on restoring it they go away again.

Vidoman, I like your suggestion about "PC Specs" instead of "System". Hope someone from the board is watching...

heinz-oz · Post by **heinz-oz** » Fri Nov 25, 2005 11:09 am

Ken Berry wrote:Thanks for all the suggestions, Heinz. Much appreciated.

I have taken your suggestion about going into Program Control in Zone Alarm and ticked those two boxes in Options against my Java entries, but no joy -- either after restarting my browser or rebooting the computer.

Like yours, Java(TM) 2 Platform Standard edition and Java(TM) Update checker are the only java programs with internet access in the trusted zone.

phpBBadmin also contact me separately to suggest I flush the Firefox cookie cache, which I did, also with no joy.

Anyway, no big deal, I guess. I can still look at an individual's profile to see if he/she has included system details...

Which version of FF do you run? This is what I find in "Help" > "About" Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; en-US; rv:1.7.12) Gecko/20050915 Firefox/1.0.7

If you compare that, we should get closer to working out what the differences are.

One more thing, do you have the 'No Script' add on installed? I have. It gives me a message bar at the bottom of the screen, advising me if java script is enabled and for which of the currently loaded pages. I can allow java script for ulead.com.tw but disallow pop up sites that do not need to run.

Post by **Ken Berry** » Fri Nov 25, 2005 11:35 am

Nope -- identical version of Firefox.

But interested in this 'No script' add-on. Where did that come from?

I confess, though, that until 2 months ago I have used NOD32 for the past two years or so as my anti-virus, but decided to give Zone Alarm suite a try. Have had little but angst since then, including this problem, but also tons of pop-ups and adware and spyware which I never had before (and currently also have adware and spyware software running as well!!!) Think I might revert to NOD...!!!

Post by **Ken Berry** » Sat Nov 26, 2005 2:57 am

For Ron and anyone else not able to see the System button: I finally got mine to appear. This involved, in my case, shifting the Zone Alarm Security Suite Privacy setting for Ad Blocking from High to Medium. Not sure I like this solution, though, since now it will only block pop-up and pop-under ads and animations (which I have already blocked in Firefox), though will presumably now allow banner ads. Not sure if Firefox blocks those...

Post by **Ron P.** » Sat Nov 26, 2005 5:50 am

Ken,

No I can't find that Firefox blocks banner adds. You can check under the Web Features (Tools>Options, then Web Features) there is a Select option to Load Images, and From Originating Website Only. Checking the latter does stop alot of images, however I've noticed that Flash animations sneek by..

Post by **Ken Berry** » Sat Nov 26, 2005 6:07 am

Thought that would be the case. Ah well!

Mind you, I find it rather funny that Zone Alarm seems to think the button, or more to the point, the ensuing page that comes up with the system information, is a pop-up ad! Who would write it that way? Why not use exactly the same model for a button and new page that already existed on the Board for the Profile button, for instance, which works fine and is not blocked by anything...?

The page that comes up there is a page of the Board itself, rather than, as with the system button, invoking a new browser window to open, which subsequently has to be closed.

rwindeyer · Post by **rwindeyer** » Sun Nov 27, 2005 12:29 am

Thanks for the suggestion Ken - unfortunately that doesn't work for me. I tried reducing the privacy setting of ZA, even to allowing all popups, without effect. Disabling ZA completely will reliably allow me to see the system buttons though. Weird!!