What's going on here? (computer problem).

[pkbites]

For years I’ve been playing classic video games from HERE and THIS site, as well as others.

Recently when I click on any of those games it refuses to load and my computer semi-freezes up. I can X out of my browser, but do nothing else. But the browser doesn’t actually close when this happens. I have to go into my task master and manually close it.

This doesn’t happen with any other site or application, such as viewing videos and such. It also does not happen when playing flash games.

I updated Java but nothing changed.

Any ideas?

[voltaire]

@pkbites

For years I’ve been playing classic video games from HERE and THIS site, as well as others.

Recently when I click on any of those games it refuses to load and my computer semi-freezes up. I can X out of my browser, but do nothing else. But the browser doesn’t actually close when this happens. I have to go into my task master and manually close it.

This doesn’t happen with any other site or application, such as viewing videos and such. It also does not happen when playing flash games.

I updated Java but nothing changed.

Any ideas?

Clear your browser’s cache, close it, then delete all your Temporary Internet Files. If you don’t know how to do that, or can’t easily find it in a search (should be easy), post back with your OS and browser details and I (or someone else) will help you.

[Superhal]

What date did it stop working, and what version of windows were you using? This sounds exactly like what would happen with a new installation of vista, win 7, or win 8, and/or installation of win 8.1, or a new version of any of the above. New updates of windows usually come out the first week of the month. Updating java/shockwave/etc. may help but with win 8.1 it’s not likely.

[pkbites]

@Superhal

What date did it stop working, and what version of windows were you using? This sounds exactly like what would happen with a new installation of vista, win 7, or win 8, and/or installation of win 8.1, or a new version of any of the above. New updates of windows usually come out the first week of the month. Updating java/shockwave/etc. may help but with win 8.1 it’s not likely.

I have Vista. Windows does automatic updates.

I’m away from my home computer now, so probably won’t be able to act on any advice until after midnight at the earliest.

[pkbites]

@voltaire

Clear your browser’s cache, close it, then delete all your Temporary Internet Files. .

I’ve done this 50 times. I did it again before I posted this just to be sure.
It does nothing.

When I try to play those games (and ONLY when I try to play games on various web sites) the page seems to get “hung up” (if you get my meaning) and never during ANY other time.

WTF?

I’m not having any other problems with my computer regardless of what I try to do.

[Little_Pig]

RE: I updated Java but nothing changed.

Can you back out the update?

[pkbites]

@Little_Pig

RE: I updated Java but nothing changed.

Can you back out the update?

Huh?

[Blakeyrat]

@pkbites

Any ideas?

No comment on the technical problem, but it takes a lot of cojones to steal games from companies, offer them on a website, then put your OWN copyright notice on the bottom. Many of those games are still actively sold, and don’t fall under the “abandonware” non-excuse. Cripes.

In the interests of solving the technical problem, the first site posted this notice in January:

1/16/14 - Special Notice for Java Security Warning Prompt or Error:
If you recently upgraded your computer’s Java to version 7 you might of noticed some of our Java games do not work. Version 7 of Java requires a certificate for an online application to function. Unfortunately small sites like mine can not afford the thousands of dollars Java wants for their certificates.

Don’t worry, I can show you how to get them working again.

1. Open your computer’s Control Panel and click on the Java Icon. Go to the Security Tab.
2. You should be able to add http://www.tripletsandus.com/80s/80s_games/arcade.htm (note the entire URL address) to the Exception Site List.
3. Or, you can lower the Security Level slider to medium.
4. Either approach will get your favorite online games working again. Enjoy!

Have you followed those instructions?

[pkbites]

Those websites have been up for over a decade. I’d think if there was a legal issue with them somebody would have taken action on them by now.

@Blakeyrat

Have you followed those instructions?

Yes, and it didn’t work.

However, I just uninstalled Java and reinstalled it and, voila, the sites work.

Odd. Very odd.

[BigT]

At least one of them, the Super Mario Bros one (which I wanted to test the JavaScript player for speed reasons) appears to be a hack rather than the real thing. You start off in world 0-1 and can get blocked in such a way that there’s nothing to do but wait for the timer to run out.

That may be how they haven’t been hit by that one coalition that prevents software from certain companies (including Nintendo) from being on other abandonware sites.