If you have a new computer and the OS is Vista, then you are going to run headlong into Internet Explorer 7's "Protected Mode". The first calls we get from customers with new Vista computers are about not being able to download files or even see certain web pages. This may cause a lot of grumbling aimed at Microsoft, however, they made the new Operating System and Internet Explorer to be as secure as possible. They do have to compete with other browser brands that have been bragging about how much safer they are to use than Internet Explorer.
The first thing to do if you are experiencing trouble with the Internet is look toward the bottom of the browser window and just to the right of center. If it says "Protected Mode: On" that's your trouble. In Protected Mode, Internet Explorer 7.0 performs much like the Firefox browser with the "NoScript" ad don installed. Very safe for casual browsing but not ideal for getting a task accomplished. By the way, in the partial screen shot the word "Internet" is referring to the security zone in which the web site you are viewing has been placed. If you haven't been using the security zone feature of Internet Explorer then, by default, all web pages are in Internet Explorer's Internet Zone.
The Internet Options window shown here is accessed via either one of the Internet Explorer's "Tools" buttons or the control panel. Another, quicker method to get to these controls is to double click the "Protected Mode: On" section shown in the previous screen shot. The resulting window is a single tabbed window titled "Internet Security Properties" which shows the same controls as the window pictured here. This picture shows that "Protected Mode" is enabled for the Internet Zone by default. It isn't recommended but you can disable "Protected Mode" by clearing the check box indicated by the red arrow toward the bottom of the screen. It is much safer to put sites you visit regularly into the "Trusted site" zone and keep your defenses up against sites you haven't visited and don't know whether or not they are trustworthy. On this screen click the big green check mark labeled "Trusted sites", indicated by another red arrow at the top of the window.
This is a view of the "Trusted sites" window. Aside from the "Sites" button becoming active, you will notice that the "Protected Mode" box is unchecked and the "Security level" slider is on a lower setting. This is the default configuration for the Trusted zone. Clicking the "Sites" button will allow you to add sites to this zone.
When this screen appears, after clicking the "Sites" button, make sure the check box at the bottom is cleared by clicking it, since only a few of the sites you will want to use will have the "https". The "Add this web site" box will automatically have the address of whatever site you happen to be viewing inserted unless it is already in the Trusted Sites zone. Next click the "Add" button then click "Close". Finish off by clicking "OK" on the window with which we started.
The behavior at this point will vary from site to site. On one things may just start working on others you may have to click the browser's Refresh button before you get the desired behavior. Don't be alarmed if the site opens in a new window. This behavior was designed into IE7 as a safety factor.
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