Windows Update And Yahoo Mail Problems

I have XP Pro with SP3 with IE7 installed. The problem I'm about to describe started yesterday.

The problem is, when I tried to access Yahoo Mail, I was greeted with this popup:

http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff67/Headhunter506/FirstErrorPopup.jpg

After clicking it, I get this:

http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff67/Headhunter506/SecondErrorPopup.jpg

Then, after clicking that popup, I enconter this:

http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff67/Headhunter506/OptionsForYahooMail.jpg

I had to opt for Classic Mail because I had no other choice.

I then went to Microsoft Security & Updates; and, this is what popped up:

http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff67/Headhunter506/MSWU_1.jpg

As I stated before, I have the latest version of IE 7. I clicked on the Internet Explorer Downloads website link and saw this mess:

http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff67/Headhunter506/InternetExplorerDownloads.jpg

No matter what item I click, I'm brought back to the same page.

I've performed an sfc, run Dial-a-Fix, Highjack This, SDFix, scanned my system with NOD32 and Spyware Blaster. Everything is clean. So, my question is "WTF" is wrong?

 

It is probably "security software" causing the problem. Is NOD32 the only one you have installed?

Did you recently uninstall any Norton products, the security suite or something?

Steve

 

Nope, I only use NOD 32. Never installed Norton on this computer. As a matter of fact, I did a clean re-install of XP Pro about a month ago for the same reason I' m posting here.

 

Temporarily disable NOD32 and any other security software and see if you have the same issues.

Steve

 

Tried that before with no change.

 

It's got to be an "ad-blocker" or "security setting" somewhere. If you don't have or had anything else installed........I don't know.

Steve

 

Do you have a router with a web filter, you did not mention a firewall - look there also.

Check Java and ActiveX settings maybe too. If Steve says it's security it is. Did you change some setting to High?

 

I do not have java installed on my computers and use FF which doesn't depend on ActiveX and yet yahoo mail opens fine for me. I don't think the problem is java or ActiveX.
I do have javascript blocked using a no-script addon. Some sites will not load properly until I enable javascript. Check IE7 to be sure that javascript is either enabled or set to prompt. If you change the js setting, reboot before you head to Yahoo Mail.

 

Java settings are at default, I don't use a router, I don't have any adblocking programs installed for IE and I use Sygate Personal Firewall. Been using it for two and a half years.

The whole mess boils down to the fact that Yahoo Mail doesn't recognize that I have XP with SP 3 installed. When I attempted to d/l IE 7 Optimized by Yahoo, I get a screen that says I need XP with SP2 to install. When I go to MS security & updates, I get directed to a page, as shown in the screenshot which I previously posted, that says I need IE 5 or higher in order to access that page. Microsoft.com doesn't recognize that I AM using IE 7.

These are my system particulars:

OS Name: Microsoft Windows XP Professional
Version: 5.1.2600 Service Pack 3 Build 2600
hardware Abstraction Layer: Version = "5.1.2600.5512 (xpsp .080413.2111)"

Internet Explorer
Version: 7.0.5730.13

 

I'm not sure this suggestion is of any use but disable NOD32 completely and download IE7 again. It should offer you a repair option.

 

Thanks for your input, Mark. I already know that I have sp3 installed. It's indicated on the lower right of my desktop; my system info says so; XPManager and TUT say the same, too.

I have FF 3.0 installed and I get the same problem. I can't go to www.windowsupdate.com because the site says I need IE 5 or higher. I ALREADY have IE7 & installed; but, the site is NOT recognizing that I have it installed. Please reread the specs which I posted.

I know Yahoo Mail doesn't require sp3; it requires sp2, at a minimum. I have sp3; once again, the problem is that Yahoo Mail's site is NOT recognizing this. It doesn't even recognize that I had sp2. I wanted to d/l Yahoo's version of IE7 only to see if their site would reconize my OS. It didn't. That is what my ordeal is about.

Addendum:

I have a Toshiba Satellite A105. I went to their support site to find out about creating a recovery disk so I can slipstream sp3 into it and the bums don't even provide that info in their knowledge database.

 

Found these guidelines on Yahoo about the mail error. The problems need not be connected by the way...

 

Thanks for the tips. Tried all of them and get the same results.

 

Well, these are not just any sites. They require extra security in the way your computer identifies itself. Microsoft Update definitely. Yahoo! Mail's log-in page is a not a https but Googles ditto is. Anyway: extra security involved here also.

Something is missing among your programs? Didn't get reinstalled? And I just can't figure out what it is...

 

Can you pay/buy online and use your online bank etc.?

 

The screenshot which I provided in my first post in this thread is identical to the page I encounter using FF3. If you study the screenshots (5 total), they will help in making my written descriptions easier to understand. The last one at the bottom of my post is the same page in both IE7 and FF3.

It still doesn't explain why Yahoo Mail doesn't recognize XP with sp3 on my system. It didn't even recognize sp2.

I'm tired of dealing with those pinheads at MS Tech Support. Those marble-mouthed clods know even less about what they're certified in than I do. I spent 9.5 hours over two days on the phone with them and they couldn't provide me with a viable solution. If this computer had an ear, I'd shove an icepick in it. That's how frustrated I am.

 

Yes to both. It's just the point of not being able to access MS when needed; or, yahoo Mail in the same way as before.

 

maybe you could recheck your firewall settings and alowd all traffic through.

 

Sorry to say, that's been done, too.

 

SGI, I think at this time we should try some more or less far-out possibilities. Who knows, - perhaps it's a third party program causing all this. SP3 is not without problems, it can damage other programs during install. Perhaps going through these suggestions could help you:

1. Run chkdsk
2. Update Java - see below
3. Install Secunia PSI RC3, run it and update all else as suggested by Secunia
4. Update all drivers at the computer manufacturers homepage
5. Perhaps it's a malware issue. If you always visit the same homepages and one of them is a victim of malware you will become a victim to and get reinfected quickly. And then your new install is not clean anymore. Update and run all your security software and visit at least 2 online scanner. Run a full scan every time.

This is how to update Java. The latest Java version is just a few days old:

1. Run a scan here but don't download any new Java yet: http://java.com/en/download/installed.jsp
2. If old Java program(s) is detected go to Add/remove programs via Start -> Control Panel and uninstall all old Java version(s)
3. Run this special tool to get rid of the remains of old Java
4. Now install the new Java version(s)
5. Reboot
6. If it worked: delete/uninstall the special Java-cleaning tool that took care of the remains

PS: some people have special/advanced Java programs installed also. Most of us should only have one.

 

A idea maybe? Something to do with your theme AlienGUIse, but not familiar with themes only saw mention of SP3 not allowing unsigned themes and a lot of posts relating to themes and SP3.

Have you tried uninstalling the theme. Have you tried a reinstall w/o the theme? Also, depending on where you downloaded the theme from, you might go do the Read Me and Run Me in Malware Forum.

 

Cat_w_9_lives, that was a clever suggestion. A bug in that theme. It seems that this Alien company have a very well hidden Forum on their homepage. I didn't register to check it out so I couldn't get in.

 

I've used the Xenomorph theme for over a year prior to this situation without any problems. I just finished following Cordialis's instructions with no success.

I also tried to run another sfc; but, now I'm asked for the XP SP3 CD. I went to Toshiba's support site to find info on creating a recovery disk from the OEM crap which they provided with the laptop so I can slipstream SP3 into the DVD; there is no information in their knowledge database which describes the procedure. If anyone can tell me what the procedure for creating a Toshiba-specific recovery disk is, it would be greatly appreciated by me. That would be, in my opinion, the best way to replace any corrupt Windows files without having to resort to reinstalling the whole OS again.

 

I don't think it needs to be Toshiba-specific as you call it. It really shouldn't be so difficult - but of cause, - never say never. I made a Avira Antivir rescue CD because it's system is getting attention for it's talents. Whatever they are. I haven't had a chance to test what I think about it myself. I'm looking at their pages right now to find out more and see what else they have. This here is the press release about this boot-able system.

 

I was under the impression that a recovery disk was manufacturer-specific if the OS was part of a bundle loaded with OEM supplied crap. I've read about Avira a while back; but, didn't consider it at the time. I will give it a shot and see what happens. Thanks for your patience with me.

 

Here is another link - it's the download itself. But perhaps a bit more reading would be advisable. They have more tools here.

 

Some countries still have "Windows Update" as well as "Microsoft Update". I believe? I can't always get in there because Microsoft immediately redirects me to the site in my OS's language. On some days it escapes them but it seems to be impossible today. Not even cached works - I just get a whiteout if I try that option.

 

Yes, but that was before SP3. The bug could be a compatibility issue between SP3 and your theme.

 

Have you cheked for updates for that theme?

 

The problem started before I updated with SP3. Re the theme, it was installed over a year before the problems, as indcated here, occured. There aren't any new updates available for that theme.

 

OK. And I guess you get the same result in "Windows Update" as well as "Microsoft Update"? Probably same system anyway...

 

Also: you didn't run a chkdsk. What you ran was a sfc /scannow. They are not the same. Microsoft article: How to perform disk error checking in Windows XP.

 

Interesting Microsoft article: Understanding User-Agent Strings

Note: This documentation is preliminary and is subject to change.
This topic describes the user-agent string, which identifies your browser and provides certain system details to servers hosting the Web sites you visit. The topic also shows how to view your user-agent string, summarizes tokens used by recent versions of Windows Internet Explorer, and documents registry keys that affect the user-agent string.​

 

Wild card: download IE8 beta and try again?

 

Yet another interesting Microsoft article: "Thank you for your interest in Windows Update" message when you connect to the Windows Update Web site.

 

@Mark:

It did go right because I was able to access Yahoo Mail and MS Security & Updates without encountering those "problems". If it wasn't successful; it would have affected more than IE-related operations. I then installed SP3 and continued to access the sites without a hitch for about three weeks before they resurfaced.

@Cordialis:

I actually did perform chkdsk and it found no bad sectors or any other deficiences.

I created a slipstreamed XPSP3 recovery disk yesterday and plan on re-running sfc /scannow later today to replace those corrupted files. I also wish to thank you again for the information which you kind enough to find. I am reading the articles and will attempt to implemnt the solutions offered.

 

We will nail that bug in the end. No worries, mate! :-D

 

I haven't read thru all the outside link's provided, so if you have already checked this just disregard.

Check the Privacy settings in IE and make sure it is on "medium" and turn the pop-up blocker off.

Steve