Well, QED’s trick (as per Microsoft) didn’t work.
I checked the stuff Daizy mentioned, too. It’s all in order.
My new account is administrator level, too. Should I try and create a user profile without admin privileges? Could that make a difference?
And how about that Outlook question? How do I get the old stuff back, the folders, the address book? It now looks like I have to rebuild it all from scratch.
Again, thanks in advance. Prevent the reinstall! Fight the power! 
Some more for you to try…though why you are resisting the CD Repair, I’m not sure?
Anyhow…
Use the System File Checker (Sfc.exe) Tool to Verify Protected System Files
Use System File Checker with the /scannow parameter (sfc /scannow) to immediately scan and verify the versions of all protected system files. If System File Checker discovers that a protected file was overwritten, it retrieves the correct version of the file from the cache folder (Systemroot\System32\Dllcache) or from the Windows installation source files, and then replaces the incorrect file. System File Checker also checks and repopulates the cache folder. You must be logged on as an administrator or as a member of the Administrators group to run System File Checker. To run System File Checker with the /scannow parameter:
Click Start, and then click Run.
In the Open box, type cmd, and then click OK.
At the command prompt, type sfc /scannow, and then press <ENTER>.
Register .Dll Files
Re-register the following .dll files:
Softpub.dll
Wintrust.dll
Initpki.dll
Dssenh.dll
Rsaenh.dll
Gpkcsp.dll
Sccbase.dll
Slbcsp.dll
Cryptdlg.dll
To do so:
Click Start, and then click Run.
In the Open box, type cmd, and then click OK.
At the Command Prompt, type the following lines and press <ENTER> after each line:
regsvr32 softpub.dll
regsvr32 wintrust.dll
regsvr32 initpki.dll
regsvr32 dssenh.dll
regsvr32 rsaenh.dll
regsvr32 gpkcsp.dll
regsvr32 sccbase.dll
regsvr32 slbcsp.dll
regsvr32 cryptdlg.dll
Click OK when you receive the message that DllRegisterServer in FileName succeeded.
Type exit to quit Command Prompt.
Worth a shot. I’m not ignoring your other questions, I just believe you should try sorting out one thing at a time.
Daizy
When you created a new profile it also created new folders for Outlook to use. All you would need to do is either import the old folders from your pst file or simply point Outlook to the old pst.
This can be done as follows.
To import:
In Outlook
Select File
Select Import/Export
Select Import from another program or file
Select Personal Folder File (*.pst)
Change the path to the old profile directory there should be a file called outlook.pst or username.pst.
You will have to make a judgment call here. If you have not done a lot of work in you new Outlook folders then I would
Select Replace duplicates with items imported.
Select which folder you wish to import. To import them all select the highest level.
Leave the Import into the same folder in: checked.
Click Finish.
To change the file:
In Outlook go to Tools,
Select Services
In the Services window select Personal Folders
Click on Properties
Check the path. It should be pointing to the new profile directory and pst file. If so do the following
Close that screen.
On the Services screen select Personal Folders and click Remove.
Then back on the Services screen click Add
Scroll down and select Personal Folders.
The next screen asks you to select the pst you want. Change to the old profile directory and select the original pst.
Ok out of all of it.
At this point in either case your folders should be restored.
BTW - as Daizy as pointed out, it seems to me that something is trashing your profile settings. When you created the new profile and ran successfully, did you install ANYTHING during your test and recovery. One of those apps could be the culprit.
HTH! Good Luck.
D’oh! :smack:
Being a long time viewer and recent member to the boards, I should know better than to post without preview.
Daizy is correct. You really should tackle one issue at a time.
Profile.
Load a program.
Test.
Load a program.
Test.
You get the picture.
Thanks guys! I’m running that sfc thing now, and will reregister the other files next.
Then, we’ll worry about outlook.
OK, the sfc completed without reporting anything. I had this progress bar on the screen for 10 minutes, and when it was done, it vanished without a report or anything. Is that supposed to happen? Does that mean all is well?
Then, I re-registered all those files Daizy spoke of. Worked like a charm.
I still can’t access secure sites, but maybe it needs a reboot? I want to make sure, since a reboot on this ancient machine takes about 10 minutes.
Hi again Coldfire
Bumping this one to see if you’ve got an update. I’m still a little troubled about your inability to access secure sites, but am heavily leaning towards what GMRyujin has mentioned.
If need be… totally uninstall your firewalls, then check. You can always (and should) re-install.
In particular, I’ve run into Norton’s doing some pretty wonky things. But do uninstall them both…and let us know how it goes.
Daizy
Amen to that! It’s abominably flaky. At least the past five system crashes that family/friends/neighbours have asked me to sort out for them have mysteriously disappeared the moment I turn Norton off. It’s almost as bad as Gator for quietly and anonymously screwing things up.
Btw Coldfire, what exactly is the error that IE gives you when you open a secure page? Are you seeing some HTTP error info in the browser window, or does a message box pop up, or does it just hang there for ever doing nothing, or what?
This is what it says when I access a secure site:
Hmm, it seems a common problem with multiple possible causes.
Secure sites work through a protocol called HTTPS, which is a useful term to shove into Google along with ‘IE6’ and the error message itself. Here’s a Google Groups (Usenet) link that shows many people with this exact problem.
Having looked at a few I’d say the first thing to do is go to your IE Advanced settings (Tools, Internet Options, Advanced) and check that your “Use TLS 1.0” option is unchecked. (source, ignore the “applies to Win 98” bit, it’s often a lie). While you’re there, check that SSL 2.0 and SSL 3.0 are both checked.
You also need to get Opera running to see if this is IE-specific or not. Go to http://www.opera.com/ and click on the “Free Download” link and select the 3.1 MB non-Java option. The downloaded .exe is a complete client install rather than a weird installer (a la Netscape) that’s already proved itself useless to you.
Well, that might work for 98, but it doesn’t seem to do anything in XP.
That was referring to Lib’s advice, BTW.
Reuben, I already downloaded Opera earlier, and coulnd’t get it to connect then.
The settings you refer to are correct as it is. I have to leave now, but will browse those Google groups some more later.
Opera: sorry, forgot you’d done that. Wouldn’t it even connect to ordinary non-secure pages while your internet connection was up? In that case you might have some proxy settings that need to be copied over…
In IE6, go back to Tools | Internet Options, and select the “Connections” tab. Select whichever dialup/broadband connection you use from the little list, then press the “Settings…” button to open another dialog. The middle section of this dialog box is your Proxy Server settings. Anything turned on here? Use the advanced button to find out what proxys are being used per-protocol.
Alternatively, your firewall may be configured to block it. I know you said it “always asks” about new software, but could you just double- or triple-check that Opera wasn’t already somehow blocked? If your firewall lists things by port number, you’ll want to check that port 80 (HTTP for ordinary web browsing) and port 443 (HTTPS for secure sites) are both enabled and accessible by both IE and Opera. I know you’ve already tried turning the firewall off, but bitter experience has taught me to never believe something’s stopped running until I actually see it vanish from the task list. And sometimes not even then!