Cookies - All permitted but still not 'switched on'

[haydn]

Amazon, Google etc all saying cookies switched off.
I run XP Pro with Norton Internet Security 2005. Browser IE7.
Been to:
Tools > Internet Options > Privacy and set the level to "Accept all Cookies". Also, set 'Security' to Medium-High.
Norton - in the Privacy settings, cookie blocking is set to 'None'. Re-booted several times - still no luck.

I've always used Amazon etc perfectly OK until the last week. My daughter & fiance used my laptop while I was on holiday, but insist they never changed anything. Well, something's changed. I also use Hotmail. This is getting very frustrating. I've looked at many sites on my machine which might have global cookie settings (banks etc) but no joy.

 

[electronicsfreak]

Id go into internet explorer and set it to default setttings.

There is a point in wisdom and knowledge that when you reach it, you exceed what is considered possible - Jason Schoon

 

[smah]

First, check the sytem's date & time to make sure they are correct. Then, have a look at these previous discussions:

thread608-955332
thread608-924567
thread608-869083
thread608-854853
thread608-793296

 

[linney]

Is it possible that the hidden Index.dat file in the Cookie folder has become corrupted?

See if you can use this as a guide for Cookies as well as Temporary Internet Files folder.

"To delete a corrupt Cookies folder"
Safely Delete the Temporary Internet Files

http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/delcache.htm

A quick check of the safer sites from "Safe Mode With Networking" might tell you something too?

 

[haydn]

Electronicsfreak:

I restored all defaults - no change


Smah:

Date/time OK. The threads you suggested didn't really match the problem (unless I'm not interpretting them properly).

linney:

I did a search for the all cookie files and there were quite a few Index.dat files in various cookie directories. I don't know whether they are corrupt.

 

[haydn]

This is getting very frustrating. It's as if something higher than the browser is overiding whatever settings are made. I'm going to try a phone based PC support service and see what they say. I'll keep you posted.

 

[linney]

I don't know whether they are corrupt".

The reason behind deleting the Cookies folders is a "just in case" purpose. After you delete them, Windows will recreate new, clean, Cookies folders.

 

[haydn]

Well, I think I've fixed it, but don't ask me too many details !! I was about to use "Go Back" yesterday to revert my laptop to an earlier session when it displayed a very odd message which I've never seen before. It said that it was not possible to revert the machine because of the huge amount of traffic recently. I then disabled Go-Back, which took about 45mins to delete all its records - again, a huge amount of time. Finally, I restarted the laptop and enabled Go-Back once more. And there it was - both Amazon and Google no longer displaying the cookies message. Have I got a clue about this ? Nope. My only thought was if Go-Back was so congested, perhaps the laptop could not complete updates such as enabling cookies. Incidentally, Firefox worked OK before all this and both Amazon and Google were OK using it instead of IE7.

 

[smah]

My thoughts are that the problem was not really cookies, since you 'issues' only seem to be on sites that would have a secure login - you didn't complain about Tek-Tips for example, which also uses cookies.

 

[BadBigBen]

I've found that GoBack is usually more trouble than it is worth, because when it goes sour you have to totally reinstall windows from the beginning, no reinstall no repair etc...

but that is just my opinion...

Ben

"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."

 

[haydn]

Smah

You may be right, but how can I tell - and where do these 'secure sites' overide the IE7 settings? Google preferences had the normal instructions on enabling cookies and I'd already done it. I can't really explain why Tek-Tips acccess was not affected.

Ben:

Well, I didn't need to re-install windows to get Go-back working properly, but I agree that it is obviously tempremental. The laptop continues to be OK now.