We have an old web app that we are still running and it requires Internet Explorer to download a .dll file automatically before it can launch the program. This is a web base testing program for students.
When we had IE7 our group policy to allow downloads worked fine, but recently we decided to upgrade to IE8 and now it will not allow the dll to download properly.
It comes up with a yellow ribbon saying:
EDIT (added this to clarify): "To help protect your security, Internet Explorer blocked this site from downloading files to your computer. Click here for options..."
I have tried everything, even disabling every security feature on IE8 but the yellow ribbon still shows up and says it has disabled the file from being downloaded.
I have researched this to no end. I am wondering if IE8 by default will not allow dll files to be automatically downloaded no matter what, in other words you cannot change it.
ANSWER: I found the answer after many hours of mindless searching
Applications that host the WebBrowser control can take advantage of the tighter restrictions on file downloads. You manage the restrictions through a security feature control registry key (FEATURE_RESTRICT_FILEDOWNLOAD). Internet Explorer (Iexplore.exe) needs to run under this feature control to disable the feature and this can be achieved by setting the following registry key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE (or HKEY_CURRENT_USER) > SOFTWARE > Microsoft > Internet Explorer > Main > FeatureControl > FEATURE_RESTRICT_FILEDOWNLOAD > iexplore.exe = 0x00000000
I created a new DWORD reg entry name iexplore.exe and set it to zero.
More info at the link below:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd565669(VS.85).aspx