Local, I've been wrong before, I'll be wrong again. Occassionally, and surprisingly, I'm right. I'm no fan of Java - I can think of a lot of reasons why believe would be opposed to it - and I wasn't sure if that solution would work. Java and Javascript are not so much different things as slightly different implementations of the same technology. It's possible that Jako acquiring the latest Java did not directly help, but instead the installation reconfigured some scripting behaviors in his machine. But, not having been there, that's just a guess.
Anyway, I assume that because we didn't get a followup from Jako, I stumbled on the right answer. However, please do us a courtesy. If you're going to criticize another person's solution as completely off base, please honor us with the explanation of what was actually the problem and how it "accidentally" got fixed. I do admit that sometimes things do get fixed without a clear explanation as to how being readily available. When I was an Electronics Technician in the U.S. Navy we used to call it PFM: Pure (expletive deleted) Magic. But, if you can't give a coherent answer, and only post fear mongering and unfounded criticism, then I'm not sure you have anything valuable to contribute. I advised Jako to be cautious in taking my advice, and I have to agree with you on one thing. Your post indeed demonstrates that people should be careful in putting too much stock in some of the posts that appear here.

Somewhat respectfully,
Watcher13

BuBBy is right I see activate like to Bookmark IE + Firefox when I went to new now have bookmark not show IE Bookmark still no Firefox Bookmark from Firefox3
some firewall wen off still stop you some more info may help like P C is? A-V is? Firewall is? spyware scanner is?

I know I'm way too late to help with this post post but this post raised an important point.

Please, I ask as a concerned PC user.
DO NOT go out and install software willy-nilly on your PC based on advice from a forum like this.
This problem for example had nothing to do with Sun Java not being installed on your PC jako.
I, as many others, have nor ever will ave Sun Java on my machine and regularly install GOTD software.
Java and javascript in browsers are different things.

This is not just a problem with Java though .
I have seen many instances where somebody has installed this or that software on their machine desperately trying to solve a simple problem and in the end succeeded in completely trashing their computer.

My suggestion is
Firstly ask a professional/expert their opinion and most important
Secondly, NEVER EVER install software on your machine unless you know what you are doing.

I hope this can help somebody from making a bad mistake in the future.
Happy computing everyone.

Thanks, Jako! I was hedging my bet because I was really only making an educated guess. I didn't really know what the activation mechanism exactly was. And I'm always impressed by the folks here. Some of them are much sharper than I'll ever be. I can tell you this much: you're right on track about your suspicions with page loading. When Java's not up to date, pages often load slower because your old Java or Java deficient browser can't translate the scripts the site's trying to execute and eventually just has to approximate, often with noticeable visual errors. Or the older code at least can't run the scripts as efficiently as the new script calls for. The good/bad news you might already know is that your new Java is set up to check for updates periodically. If you haven't already, you can go to your Control Panel and adust when it checks and whether it notifies you before it updates. Another nag (!) if you want, but a useful one. Glad we could help.

Hi Watcher

I'm sure you got it right despite your own modesty.

As I said there was nothing for Java in manage add ons and nothing in add/remove programs. So as you suggested I went to the Java site and ran their scan to see what issue if any I had but it couldn't find anything. So then I got the names they use and had a look in C programs at my actual program folders. There was nothing in the J's for Java and nothing in S's for Sun Microsystems.

Then I had a look in Internet Options, there were listings under Java with various options checked but they couldn't have been doing anything 'cos there was nothing there.

So then I downloaded the latest Java. When I then looked in manage add ons it was all there also when I looked at my program folders one had appeared in J named Java.

Then when I tried the activate GOTD (even though too late) it connected to GOTD site without problem no error message I just got GOTD telling me to get a new watch.

I didn't really think that Remote assistance should have effected it but it was grasping straws time.

The other thing that I didn't mention is that a delay between pages on some sites now seems to have eliminated. Maybe just coincidence but I will see.

Thanks again Jako

Jako, I haven't paid strict attention, but I'm sure IE ships with basic Java compatibility, but with the version that was available at the time. Obviously, what you needed was an update, I think the Java that shipped with IE7 was like 4 or 5 versions ago. It was apparently too old to understand the script to activate your web browser. As new Java versions come out, websites that use it can upgrade and often change their scripts to take advantage of new capabilities and old stuff gradually stops working right. At least I'm hoping I've haven't led you astray. I may be completely wrong and it may not be a Java type script at all, but since you might be working, I might have guessed right. As the old saying goes, "Even a stopped clock is right twice a day." I assume you'll come back for more advice from smarter people if I haven't.

What Bubby said about security permissions would strike me as the next step, too high a setting can keep certain scripts from activating, though installing Firefox might be easier and most people like it better once they get used to it (I'm not quite comfortable, yet.) That might be Face's laptop problem. To give a practical rather than a technically perfect explanation, it's a different security profile when your in safe. Resetting your IE permissions might work for you Face. Also, I don't remember if and how the UAC works in safe, if you're using Vista. Either that or you've got some kind of weird conflict with some software on your laptop. Remote assistance doesn't apply here, Jako. It's used for accessing your machine from another.

I don't think you're giving yourself enough credit Jako. Don't feel bad at all. To paraphrase an American Navy recruiting slogan: Computing. It's not just a job, it's an adventure!

I hate to disagree Bubby, but I'm using Firefox as my default browser, and when I do click activate and it brings up the GOTD site, it is NOT in IE.... it's in Firefox.

@copmom - there are 2 stages to activation - the "activate bit" and the "display successful activation webpage". The part you see that launches in your default browsers is the second stage. The part I mentioned that used the Microsoft Internet dlls etc - is the first stage.

To demonstrate - load internet explorer and under the file menu - set it to "Work Offline" (which prevents IE from connecting to the internet). Then Close IE and try to activate or setup a giveaway. Despite having Firefox or Opera or Chrome etc etc as your default browser - the Activate will not work (as it uses Internet Explorer).

Well Done Watcher and thanks.

Looks like that might have been the problem.

I wanted that Moyea flv Editor, but couldn't register and still have the unpacked activation file. It's too late now of course but instead of the 'windows has encountered a problem' box, I get a message from GOTD telling me I'm too late.

You know I can recall seeing Sun MicroSystems and the Java coffee cup on my PC at sometime and it must have been installed because even in Internet options the java options are enabled.

Anyway I seem to be right now

Thanks again all, for your help and advice

jako

PS Pre this reinstall of Java there was no sign of it in C programs not even an empty folder. So can only think that at some point Java has become corrupted and then my Reg Cleaner and General system cleaner has progressively seen its components as junk and turfed them out.

That didn't take as long as I thought.

Watcher you may have hit the nail on the head with your first blow.

No Java in Add/Remove so not surprisingly nothing in manage add ons. Stange 'cos I am sure that I have had other stuff that have warned that Java script must be installed to run yet never had any problem. Nowt stanger than computers though.

So now I'm off to find out how to get Java script on my machine, but need to try and understand just what it is first.

Wikipedia here I come, now I really will be some time

Jako

Wow! Thanks all for replying so quickly and extensively.

(XP Home, IE7, as far as I am aware both fully up to date via automatic updates. I did a manual connect this last weekend and it told me no further updates available)

I should mention that I probably qualify as a silver surfer (hate that term) and am not the brightest with computers but willing to dig in and still learning.

This problem goes back a long way so it's difficult relating fully and precisely exactly just what I have tried at various hair tearing out moments.

But I do recall having a butchers at event viewer but nothing that really helped or at least that I could decifer. So maybe this site mentioned by aRenegade will help me with that. Funny because when I have had that send a report box at other times I seem to recall that there was a debug button, but I didn't get that option with the GOTD error even though the report produced by hitting the debug button previously meant absolutly nothing to me anyway.

So OK Now I'm filled with fresh hope I will digest and deal with each post in turn but taking Bubby's Archangel's and Copmom's comment's into account I may leave FF until last, and Safe Mode mentioned by Face as my last resort.

One other thought, Archangel said:-
" Greetings jako. During that part of the registration process your pc is given the command to open your default browser with GOTD's url. "

Does this mean I need to have remote assistance activated? 'cos at the moment it isn't.

Thanks again all and Happy New Year.

I'm off to scratch around at Watcher's java script suggestion. (I may be some time)

i'm with copmom. I use FF and activate with no problems.

In all actuality, when I used IE back in the day, activation was more of an issue and had to retry several times. Since switching to FF, activation has run much more smoothly and alot quicker.

I hate to disagree Bubby, but I'm using Firefox as my default browser, and when I do click activate and it brings up the GOTD site, it is NOT in IE.... it's in Firefox.

Before this goes off the rails with the suggestion of which default browser you have - from past experience I have seen evidence that the activation process ALWAYS uses Internet Explorer (It is coded to connect using the Microsoft Internet Libraries). One user in the past had actually removed Internet Explorer altogether (using nLite) and any attempt to activate crashed altogether.

So you can have any browser installed and configured as your default browser of choice - but you still need to be able to access the site using Internet Explorer.

Check the File Menu - that you aren't "Working Offline" too.

As a last resort - in Internet Explorer, open the Tools Menu, Internet Options, on both the "Security" and "Advanced" tabs there is a reset button - to return the settings back to defaults.

Jako
I know it's not as scientifically justified as the other help you are getting here, but if all else fails - try downloading it in Safe Mode. I know not why, but that's the only way I can get GOTD and GGOTD software with my laptop.

Hello jako - I don't have an answer for the problem you're encountering, but here's a troubleshooting tip that might help. Open the Windows Control Panel, access "Administrative Tools", and double click the 'Event Viewer' icon. Then look for any logged Event ID error numbers. There's a site where you can get information about any event ID. It might help narrow things down to the root problem. Good Luck

http://eventid.net/

Greetings jako. During that part of the registration process your pc is given the command to open your default browser with GOTD's url. I was an avid IE user but IE is not as stable a browser that you can use. I now use FireFox.

My solution would be to download FF and install it. Make it your default browser and do your registration. If you don't like it, reset IE as your default and change to FF when you run into this problem.

The only other thing that could be happening is with "Permissions" and a conflict is coming up.

Maybe you will need to do that, Jack, if we can't find you a better solution. We likely need more info. from you, especially what OS you're running and what browser your using. Any other details in the error message? I can't remember whether that message box contains other info. or a link to click to get the actual error. I sympathize. Windows doesn't handle errors well. For example, I've gone to the Microsoft page that's supposed to give the explanations to particular errors, and most of the error codes have no information. (!)

One thing I might suggest: you've got a possible Java scripting error, though, with no other site acting up, that isn't as likely. Do have the most updated version of Java? You can check by going to Control Panel - Add/Remove Programs. You should see Java 6.11. If your using certain browsers, you can go to manage add-ons. In IE7: Tools - Manage Add-Ons - Enable or Disable Add-ons. There's a drop down menu near the top. Go to Add-ons that have been used by Internet Explorer and you should see Java Plug-In 1.6.0_11 and it should be enabled. If not, go to Java.com. They can also detect there what Java you have if you give permission to accept the ActiveX control that does the detection. If that doesn't help, I'm sure some of the savvy admins here can help you a lot better, but they may need more info.

Can anybody help me.

Whenever I try to register a GOTD I read the downloaded instruction carefully and make sure I unpack and run install and active in the correct order. But every time I try to activate I first get the small GOTD window telling me it is connecting then a few seconds later I get the grey/white MS window telling me that windows has encountered a problem and inviting me to submit a report to MS and the activation process is then of course terminated.

I don't get this with any other registration or website and get no clue as to what is causing the problem I would be grateful if there is somebody who could point me in the right direction.

Thanks Jack

PS I have chanced trying it with both firewall and AV off, run recent scans with Sybot and Malwarebytes also cleaned out old internet files etc etc, but nothing of that nature seems to help. just wondering, does GOTD need to be in my trusted sites but then no other downloads sites have ever needed to be.