Am working this problem directly with Jeff via email, posting here for forum viewing...

I have a new Dell Studio XPS 8100 desktop w/ Windows7 (64 bit) and Internet Explorer 8.  All runs fine until I load BD v 3.6, then I can no longer open attachment in my email (AT&T) and the embedd links no longer work.  Dell replaced my desktop, agreeing that it might be an original build glitch.  

However on my replacement Dell PC, I was careful to verify my email worked originally out of the box and before loading any programs and then following each and every program installation.  I needed to turn off the pop-up blocker in IE8.  I loaded BD last because I am now aware of the problem with Petey and Win7.  After loading BD I deactivated Petey.  (I installed the MS hot fix for Petey on my original PC and that did not correct the problem.)...the email problem reappeared.  

Jeff helped me do some troubleshooting when the problem appeared on my original Dell--in addiditon to the problem w/ Petey, BD would not close and was very slow to open.

Hi Thom,

Thanks for posting here. I have reset your activations, fyi.

This hardly makes much sense. That installing BD will will cause email pop-ups to stop working. I am not sure I even understand what that means exactly. What email client are you using? A browser attached to an online email program such as Gmail? Please be specific about what you are using and what has stopped working.

Also - are the performance issues gone now? You were having startup delays of up to many seconds when starting BD. Please list all issues you are having.

Let's start here.

Jeff

I don't get it either.  I just reactivated my BD, then shut down my PC and started up again. 

BD takes ~30 seconds to open but works fine.  Problem appears when attempt to open an attachment in an email or click on an embedded link.  I am using IE8 and "att.my.yahoo.com" for my email.  A window appears that says "the window appears to have been blocked by a pop-up blocker. For best results we recommend you add att.mail to your pop-blocker's allowed sites."  I did that and still same problem.  I then turned off IE8's pop-up blocker all together. No change.

I did verify that I could open email attachments and embedded links BEFORE installing BD this time.

ps.  One other bit of information, when I first loaded BD on my replacement PC, I moved my database to the BD program data folder.  Then I opened BD for the first time as "administrator."  It opened my database and Petey took a while to "fly in."  I immediately deactivated Petey but then BD would not allow reactivation (which youhave now taken care of).  When I attempted to shutdown BD, it hung up.  Appears Petey was trying to do something.  Eventually (several minutes) the program closed on it own.  It now closes immediately.  

Hi Thom,

Thanks for the info.

The pattern I think of is anti-virus programs. It stops popups and causes delays in program starts while it scans the program and all DLLs it might open. I simply can't even imagine any connection between BD and your browser starting to refuse to open attachments. But what does fit both scenarios is a rogue anti-virus (or the various flavors of such programs) program.

My strong recommendation is to completely remove (not just disable or turn off) any and all such programs. And see if the problem goes away. In a previous email you and I had, it seems that I remember you said your attachment problem went away when you did this. But that BD startup time was still long. Then, after removing all such programs, install Microsoft Windows Security Essentials. Absolutely free from www.microsoft.com, better than anything I have seen and it is from microsoft.

Those are my thoughts currently. Are you able to try this?

Jeff

Yes - I agree. Doesn't make sense at all. So, what we are left with is standard troubleshooting steps.

Yes, definitely remove McAfee - completely and reboot. Then test BD and email/IE. Then install Windows Security Essentials. I use it on all of my systems from XP to 7. And, it is completely free; keeps itself up to date and has the fewest random weird interactions of any out there. No need to load any additional spyware, firewall, etc programs. Security essentials does it all along with Windows firewall.

Jeff

will give that a try and get back to you.  thnx.

I removed McAfee completely using Win7 program uninstaller. Shutdown the PC cold and restarted. Same problem.

Did not install Windows Security Essentials.  Waiting for your further assistance as you offered.

Ok - thanks. Can you let me onto your system and is it ok for me to download to your system a microsoft monitor tool that will assist me in determining why BD starts slow? If so, please go to the Support >> Desktop Sharing page on this web site; read the instructions; and click on the Start Session button.

BTW - if you remove BD, does your email attachment problem go away?

Jeff

Here is what we found out.

BD was stalling while Windows attempted to play the warbling vireo song you hear upon startup of BD. I disabled that by adding " /SKIPSPLASH" to the dekstop icon shortcut 'Target" property; after the "...bdv36.exe" part. Now BD starts instantly. Not sure what kind of problem Windows is having playing this file, but disabling playing of the file fixed the startup delay.

In addition, to the timing of installing BD and his Yahoo email reader can no longer open attachments stating that "it was stopped by the popup blocker" (even though the popup blocker has been turned off). Thom found that by using the Google Chrome browser instead of IE8, it has no problem opening attachments. He was going to try Firefox as well to confirm that the problem lies with IE8. We do not know if removing BD returns functionality to IE8 and Yahoo email attachments yet.

Of note, Thom did install to C:\Program Files (x86)\ directory instead of to the root "C:\" directory. Not sure if the problem would go away if we moved the installation there.

fyi

Jeff

I tried the Firefox browser and opening email and embedded links work fine.  I have made this my default browser and have abandoned IE8.  Also loaded MS Security Essentials for my AV+ protection (deleting McAfee that came factory installed on the PC).

Incidentally, I originally loaded BD in the C: directory as suggested by the BD install.  I swicthed to the Program Files (x86) folder this last time when I got my replacement from Dell. 

Jeff, thnx again for your efforts and arriving at a workable arangement.  I'll take a look at the media player set up and see if there is a missing association.