Hi Evermore,

Jim ... it would have been helpful if you would have provided a couple of specific links websites that you are experiencing this problem with.

Various things can cause the red X phenomenon like an image type that is not supported by Internet Explorer, the show pictures check box is not checked in the Advanced tab of the Internet Options dialog box, the image is displayed using a script, ActiveX or Java applet and your computer is configured to block one or more of these features, corrupted Java, corrupted ActiveX, missing or corrupted registry key, corrupted file associations, Windows HOSTS file entries, corrupted operating system files, corrupted browser files, browser settings, privacy/security application(s), a full IE cache, bad website links etc. Images are generally in one of the following formats ... .jpg, .gif or .png. Recently, .gif copyright issues have been raised. Although expired in the US, apparently the copyright is still valid in Europe. In response, many websites are being changed over to .png file formats for display of images. Unfortunately, Internet Explorer has minimal support for this type of file format and hence the red X prroblem. Right click on one of the image place holders (box with the red x). If it has a .png extension, there is little that can be done other than to switch to a browser that completely supports this file format like Mozilla Firefox or wait for Microsoft to provide a browser patch or release of a new browser that supports .png images.

This is a difficult problem to resolve. In desperation, some have reinstalled networking components, winsock, scripting engine, virtual machine, Java, ActiveX, DirectX, Internet Explorer and even the operating system, but this entails some major surgery. I will assume that you have disabled all privacy/security software in an effort to ensure that this is not the source of the problem. When you have done so, here are a few suggetions that can be tried:


1. To enable portable network graphic (.png) support, re-register IE's internal .png support (primary viewer) as follows:

Click "Start", then click "Run". Type "regsvr32 c:\windows\system\pngfilt.dll", and then click "OK".

In addition, for Win98, click Start -> Run -> enter regedit and click OK.

Navigate to the following registry key and verify that the following registry values are present and correct:

HKLM\SOFTWARE\Classes

HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\Accepted Documents

Click "Edit" then click "New" and enter the next available free number as the new String Value name. Double click on the newly created value and enter "image/png".


2. In Internet Explorer:

Navigate to "Tools" > "Internet Options" > "Advanced" and under "Multimedia", verify that "Show Pictures" is checked.

Navigate to "Tools" > "Internet Options" > "Security" and, with "Internet" highlighted, click on "Default Level" and click "OK".

Navigate to "View" > "Encoding" abd verify that Auto-Select is checked.


3. From Control Panel:

Select "Add/Remove Programs" > "Install/Uninstall" > "Microsoft Internet Explorer" > "Repair Internet Explorer" and click "OK".


4. Re-register the following critical IE components. Click "Start", then "Run". Type "regsvr32 urlmon.dll", and then click "OK". When you receive the "DllRegisterServer in urlmon.dll succeeded" message, click "OK". Repeat for the following Dlls:

browseui.dll
msjava.dll
shdocvw.dll
mshtml.dll
actxprxy.dll
oleaut32.dll
shell32.dll


5. In the Rergistry:

Note: If you are uncomfortable with dabbling in the registry, get some one to assist you who is experienced in such matters.

Click "Start", then "Run". Type "regedit", and click "OK".


Delete the following registry keys:

HKCR\PROTOCOLS\Name-Space Handler\http
HKCR\PROTOCOLS\Name-Space Handler\https
HKCR\PROTOCOLS\Name-Space Handler\ftp


(Windows XP and Windows 2000 ONLY), Navigate to the following registry key and verify that the following registry values are present and correct:

HKLM\SOFTWARE\Classes\Interface\{00020400-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}
Name: (Default)
Value: IDispatch

HKLM\SOFTWARE\Classes\Interface\{00020400-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}\ProxyStubClsid
Name: (Default)
Value: {00020420-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}

HKLM\SOFTWARE\Classes\Interface\{00020400-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}\ProxyStubClsid32
Name: (Default)
Value: {00020420-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}


Highlight between the lines and then cut (CTRL-C) and paste (CTRL-V) the following into Notepad and save as Restore File Associations.reg. Double-click on Restore File Associations and the default .gif and .jpg file associations will be applied to your registry. NOTE: The usual disclaimer about backing up the registry first applies.


--------------------------------- BEGIN CUT ---------------------------------
REGEDIT4

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\.gif]
@="giffile"
"Content Type"="image/gif"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\.gif\ShellEx]

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\.gif\ShellEx\{BB2E617C-0920-11d1-9A0B-00C04FC2D6C1}]
@="{7376D660-C583-11d0-A3A5-00C04FD706EC}"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\giffile]
@="GIF Image"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\giffile\DefaultIcon]
@="C:\\PROGRA~1\\INTERN~1\\iexplore.exe,9"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\giffile\shell]

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\giffile\shell\open]

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\giffile\shell\open\command]
@="\"C:\\PROGRA~1\\INTERN~1\\iexplore.exe\" -nohome"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\giffile\shell\open\ddeexec]
@="\"file:%1\",,-1,,,,,"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\giffile\shell\open\ddeexec\Application]
@="IExplore"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\giffile\shell\open\ddeexec\Topic]
@="WWW_OpenURL"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\giffile\CLSID]
@="{25336920-03F9-11cf-8FD0-00AA00686F13}"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\.jpeg]
@="jpegfile"
"Content Type"="image/jpeg"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\.jpeg\ShellEx]

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\.jpeg\ShellEx\{BB2E617C-0920-11d1-9A0B-00C04FC2D6C1}]
@="{7376D660-C583-11d0-A3A5-00C04FD706EC}"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\.jpg]
@="jpegfile"
"Content Type"="image/jpeg"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\.jpg\ShellEx]

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\.jpg\ShellEx\{BB2E617C-0920-11d1-9A0B-00C04FC2D6C1}]
@="{7376D660-C583-11d0-A3A5-00C04FD706EC}"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\jpegfile]
@="JPEG Image"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\jpegfile\DefaultIcon]
@="C:\\PROGRA~1\\INTERN~1\\iexplore.exe,8"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\jpegfile\shell]

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\jpegfile\shell\open]

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\jpegfile\shell\open\command]
@="\"C:\\PROGRA~1\\INTERN~1\\iexplore.exe\" -nohome"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\jpegfile\shell\open\ddeexec]
@="\"file:%1\",,-1,,,,,"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\jpegfile\shell\open\ddeexec\Application]
@="IExplore"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\jpegfile\shell\open\ddeexec\Topic]
@="WWW_OpenURL"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\jpegfile\CLSID]
@="{25336920-03F9-11cf-8FD0-00AA00686F13}"
---------------------------------- END CUT ---------------------------------


7. Used by the Microsoft TCP/IP stack, a HOSTS File can contain mappings of known spyware server host names to the localhost IP address (127.0.0.1) ... your computer. This effectively blocks a spyware host from engaging in spying and tracking activities, but can also cause those red Xs. What you will be looking for are entries like the following, especially entries of websites where you are experiencing the Red X problem...

127.0.0.1 localhost

... followed by more of the same. As an alternative, you could temporarily rename the HOSTS file to HOSTS.REN.

Be aware that you will need to reboot for most of the above suggestions (registry changes) to take effect. If after trying all these suggestions, you still have the red X problem when finished, remember what I said about "major surgery" or trying another browser.

Jim McNamara

Thanks Jim, for the detailed information. I went through the easy ones and one of them did the job. I'm not sure which one. It could have been the one to repair IE. I didn't try to do any of the items that required registry changes. I'm glad it was fixed before I got that far!!!  Thanks a million. I will keep you informed if the problem returns.