Allow Active Content

One of the new Service Pack 2 security features prevents a Web page from running "active content" on your system. "Active content" consists of little programs a Web page downloads and runs on your local system to help generate content. It is the polar opposite of a "server-side application," where programs are run on the Web server, and then results are sent to the client machine. Such active content is usually helpful, but could contain instructions that produce undesired results, such as changing your IE homepage or making edits to the Registry.

When you encounter a Web page that's trying to run active content on your computer, you receive a message that asks whether you want to allow the content. If you're sure about the contentthat the ActiveX controls and/or scripts are safeclick Yes in the dialog box. This will allow the content on a site-by-site basis. If you close the site and return to it later, you will be asked for permission once again.

If you don't want to be asked every time, you need to change the default active content settings. To always allow active content:

1.	Open an Internet Explorer window, and then choose Tools | Internet Options.
2.	Click the Advanced tab (see Figure 15-18). Navigate to the Security options, and enable the "Allow active content to run in files on My Computer" check box. Click OK to commit your changes.

Figure 14-18. Allow active content.