Bypassing Microsoft's new ActiveX behaviour.
Posted: Thu Sep 28, 2006 9:10 am
From this Newsgroup post:
I also created a simple batch script to automate the above file copies whenever I run Microsoft updates:
I ran into this because VMware (where I'm currently working) uses Siebel for its help desk application - and I was completely unable to use it when VPNing in from home until I did this. Note that rather than hunting around for the temporary location of the above mentioned patch file, you can simply extract it by running "WindowsXP-KB917425-x86-ENU.exe /x" from a command prompt in its current directory. It all worked like a charm for me. No more activating controls, and no more hanging. As for the security threat mentioned - nobody ever uses IE for more than Microsoft Updates and Siebel anyway. Right?Are you tired of clicking on activex controls on webpages since MS has lost its battle against Eolas? Then this is for you. The restrictions reside in the file mshtml.dll. So you need an older version of this file without the restrictions. It's located here:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/917425/en-us
Download the appropriate version, then execute the file. It will decompress itself to a temporary directory on your harddisk. Rip the library from the SP2GDR directory, then close the patch, it won't install anyway. Now go to the %PROGRAMFILES%\internet explorer directory and create a file called IEXPLORE.EXE.local in this directory. Just create an empty txt file and give it this name (pay attention to the extension in case you configured Windows Explorer to hide extensions of known files!). Then copy the ripped version of mshtml.dll to the %PROGRAMFILES%\internet explorer directory. You also need to copy the following files to the %PROGRAMFILES%\internet explorer directory (reside in %systemroot%\system32 directory):
browseui.dll
dispex.dll
inetcplc.dll
jscript.dll
shdocvw.dll
urlmon.dll
vbscript.dll
xpsp2res.dll
inetcpl.cpl
mshtml.tlb
Restart IE6. From now on the browser will use the files from the local directory and the Eolas restrictions will be gone for good.
Don't forget to update these files after future updates on the MS windowsupdate website (except for the mshtml.dll file, of course)!
Tested on IE6 with the newest updates installed.
This solution of course poses a certain security threat, since by using an older version of the dll you re-open certain security holes closed by recent IE updates. But who cares, as long as you don't have to activate activex controls, right?
There are also some rumours of a newer mshtml.dll file without Eolas restrictions that MS distributes as part of an IE developer package, but I haven't been able to find this package...yet
I also created a simple batch script to automate the above file copies whenever I run Microsoft updates:
Code: Select all
@echo off
copy /y "\windows\system32\browseui.dll" "\program files\internet explorer" >nul
copy /y "\windows\system32\dispex.dll" "\program files\internet explorer" >nul
copy /y "\windows\system32\inetcpl.cpl" "\program files\internet explorer" >nul
copy /y "\windows\system32\inetcplc.dll" "\program files\internet explorer" >nul
copy /y "\windows\system32\jscript.dll" "\program files\internet explorer" >nul
copy /y "\windows\system32\mshtml.tlb" "\program files\internet explorer" >nul
copy /y "\windows\system32\shdocvw.dll" "\program files\internet explorer" >nul
copy /y "\windows\system32\urlmon.dll" "\program files\internet explorer" >nul
copy /y "\windows\system32\vbscript.dll" "\program files\internet explorer" >nul
copy /y "\windows\system32\xpsp2res.dll" "\program files\internet explorer" >nul