For the last couple months this forum isn't behaving as it did. None of the Avatars, pictures, ads, or buttons will display.

I thought it was my computer.. But this computer here is a "brand new" machine with a clean install of XP-Pro and IE-6.

All other sites seem to work just fine including stuff using complex flash players etc etc.

What's up?

-W

No I don't want Firefox

 

This is something local (your pc, browser). You state avatars, pictures, ads or buttons won't display. Most of those are served by the http://images.ibsrv.net/ domain.

If you block the above domain, you would disable most of the items you have listed above. Therefore, this suggests that something may be filtering that domain.

It's possible you are using a security software that is either specifically blocking that domain, or the software is not allowing "3rd party" content for security. Some security software have an option to only allow content from the originating site only for security.

The "pictures" part is a bit different. What are you calling "pictures"? Attachments inside posts? If so, those are served from the corvetteforum domain and would not be impacted. Anyone hotlinking pictures inside posts would come from all sorts of different domains. Therefore, these things should not be impacted if the above domain was being filtered.

 

I'm not sure what could be "blocked" or why? The computer I tested with was a "fresh outta the box" machine running XP-PRO and IE-6. Absolutely nothing was changed from the defaults at all.
And I can say this is the only side I'm having trouble with.

Bear in mind that I've been having trouble with the site for a few months now, but it was only last night that I got to test it with a "fresh machine" that had never been touched or put on the internet before.

-W

 

Have you checked the info above the I provided? Fresh install or not, I don't know what you're running for security software (it would be unwise if you weren't!) and what changes they may have made. As I mentioned, some security software flags content that doesn't come from the originating domain. The avatars and the buttons all come from an external domain that I noted above. If that domain is blocked or filtered, you will have the exact issues you describe with those images not loading. You didn't address the questions I had about what you classify as "pictures" in addition to avatars and buttons, so I can't comment on that. Perhaps you're running through a hardware firewall?

The avatars, buttons, and all pictures are loading fine for me using IE 6 and FireFox 3.5.7 and judging by there not being others reporting a similar issue, it looks more likely something on your end.

I am 99% sure this is a local (browser or OS) issue as all issues you describe match with the above domain possibly being blocked/filtered. If others were not being able to load the buttons and other content, I'd think there would be a lot of screaming.

 

Sorry... Just to be clear. There is no security software loaded at all.
Nothing is being filtered. The MSN homepage hotlinks all over over the place to build the page we see.

The machine in question is a fresh build with **ONLY** XP-PRO SP1 on it. (Right off the CD, no updates, no patches, no nothing.)

I'm using a Verzon wireless USB thingie for connectivity on that machine.
That machine was stopped mid setup JUST to test THIS site before any more software got added. I didn't even add Office to it yet. No security, no nothing.

This machine is on a dialup... That said.... this machine (also XP-PRO SP1) was fine with this site until a couple months ago... then the stuff stopped loading. No changes made that I was aware of. The 2nd machine just got "reborn" last night and this is the first thing I tested. Yes, it's frustrating. And confusing.

-W

 

I can add something else.

If I go to a site that has mutiple domain links, banners, and pics FROM HERE - I have the same issues.

But if I open a new browser window that didn't go here 1st - the next site is OK.

I just tested this with 3 different sites. Coming here first is the "kiss of death" for my browsers ability to load all linked pics in a web-page.

For that matter, even cutting and pasting a direct link to a photobucket picture directly into my address window does not work IF I was here first. So it just kills my ability to display pics - linked or not.

Coming to this site kills my browsers abiltiy to display pictures at all. I even checked the cache... the pictures are there... they just won't display in a browser window that has been here first.

And yes - I'm now sure. I've just run 100 tests over 2 machines.

In all cases if I go there first with a new browser window I'm OK.
After I visit here, I'm hosed from displaying any pics until I close the browser window and re-open a new one. Then all is fine... so long as I don't come to this site.

It's almost like this site is sending some script instruction that is telling the browser not to display pics..

Yes I know it sounds goofy.... but I'm reporting only what I'm observing.

-W

 

I can add that updating this one machine to IE8 cured the issue.

But I can confirm that this site is the kiss of death (re pictures) for 2 of my other machines running IE6. And whatever it is... it started after you had the problems. It's like some "anti-badstuff" script built into this site is killing IE6's ability to display pics. Flash media is unnafected.

-W

 

If IE6 appears to be the source of the problem, then it would make sense to upgrade to IE7 or 8 or use another browser like Firefox. I use Firefox simply because it takes less resources and is faster to load.

And you need to load an anti-virus software package ASAP. There are way too many sites that look completely innocent that can cause an infection. Do this before doing anything else.

 

It's easy to *say* IE6 is the problem.
But IE6 wasn't the problem a couple months ago until somehting changed *here*.
IE6 is having no trouble with any other site except for *here*.
After coming *here* IE6 is unable to display pictures from any site.
I need to close IE6 and open a fresh browser - then so long as I don't come *here* it behaves normally.

Can you see a pattern emerging?

I must conclude that an unintended consequence of changes made *here* after the attack - is some "script" that IE6 interprets as a security call to block all pictures from displaying.

All my machines use the same build of XP-SP1 and IE6
(IE6 Ver# 6.0.2800.1106.XPSP1.020828-1920)

I agree with you that my virus security is not good. But I've been building my own machines since the late 80's and can format C: and reload a hard drive from a backup DVD image faster than most. A virus infection (of which I've gotten 2 in the last 10 years) is of little consequense. I have other security to insure that my chances of coming across a virus and sustaining "real harm" are minimal.

The fact that I had to lay SP2 on this one machine, followed by a few windows updates, followed by IE8 and more updates - just to view *this* site properly - was as much (or more) of a PITA as if I had to reload C: from an image. All SP2 did for me was slow my machine down a little.

I'm just wondering if someone knows exactly "what changed" here after the attack?

-W

 

Honestly, it's hard to follow this issue and seems local to you. I don't see any similar reports that once someone visits this site, any other site they visit has issues loading images. I'd think there would be a lot of reporting if there was such a global issue.

When I first asked about virus software, you stated "There is no security software loaded at all.". Just recently, you then state that "my virus security is not good" (so you are using virus security??) and then "I have other security to insure that my chances of coming across a virus and sustaining "real harm" are minimal"

What are those "other security" measures that you mention? I ask because it sounds like something local to you - especially since I have not seen any similar issue and I don't have the issue with IE6 myself.

 

To clarify. There is NO anti-virus on all my machines - that's why it's "not good". Would you agree it's not good?

I just use the "Windows Firewall", I have my boot sector locked out in my BIOS, and my Email all goes through the Earthlink virus filters. Also, I don't open email from people I don't know and I don't open attachments from anyone unless I asked for it first.

I'm still wide open to an attack via web browsing, but I don't really surf. I use MSN, Wiki, Here, and one other forum - that's about it.

My airtight "security measure" is my C: Drive mirrored to a DVD.
If I do pick up a virus - I can perform a C colon-ostomy and reload from clean in about an hour.

Now to more forward.
I agree that the issue seems local to me. I agree that the *effect* may be local due to my particularly ancient and unpatched builds.
But how many people are using a Windows XP-SP1 with absolutely NO Windows Updates? I'm not even sure how many people really use IE6 in any varient anymore?

I have 5 machines (all using the same Windows / IE build) and I get the same results *here* on all 4 of them (one has never been online). I can however note that I ws not having this problem *here* with the same software build - before the attack here.

Something *changed* and (even if it only affects me) the change happened *here*. I tested that by throwing my HTPC (that's never been online since it's build) online just to do a test a virgin machine.

There is some sort of command (or script) coming from *this* site, that my ancient unpatched version of IE6 interprets as a "one way switch" command to not display pictures. I know it's very odd but I've investigated this via logical troubleshooting.

-W

PS: Jumped over to the IE6 machine.
Pages that load say : "Done but with errors on page" - for whatever that's worth.