Tips on missing images

From the Tex-N Webmaster
last modified 15 October 2004

We recently noticed on some computers that many of our thumbnails would not be displayed at all. Specifically, two new machines with Windows XP and Internet Explorer 6 showed this effect, while other systems (e.g., Windows 2000 with Internet Explorer 5.5) had no problem. Soon we discovered other sites with similar problems, missing thumbnails, links, buttons.
It turned out that on the machine where I locally develop and maintain our site, Norton Internet Security and specifically its ad blocker tool had an effect. Disabling the ad blocker fixed the problem. However, a colleague at work with a very similar computer setup, except no Norton Internet Security around, found the same images missing that I could not see. We do not know yet what he would have to do to get all our thumbnail pictures displayed.
In the course of looking for answers, I found a number of quite useful information sources about missing pictures, more often with a placeholder with a little cross in the top left corner still appearing rather than absolutely no trace (which is what I experienced). It seems to occur sufficiently often that collecting some helpful hints and links is worthwhile. So here they are.

First, check things like ad blockers, pop-up blockers, anti-spam tools. Turn one of them off at a time, then start your browser fresh, load the suspicious page and see what you get. Close the browser before you try the next tool or option of a tool.
The following links were frequently mentioned in a Microsoft newsgroup on Internet Explorer (microsoft.public.windows.inetexplorer.ie6.browser, Microsoft's newsgroup server is msnews.microsoft.com). Inspect the first three before diving into Microsoft's Knowledge Base:

http://www.colba.net/~hlebo49/ieimage.htm

http://inetexplorer.mvps.org/answers.htm#jpg_gif

http://www.fjsmjs.com/IE/redx.htm

Microsoft Knowledge Base 283807 - "Pictures are not displayed on web sites in Internet Explorer"; this article offers lots of options, also has relevant links to Symantec (Norton Internet Security, Norton Firewall)

Microsoft Knowledge Base 221134 - "Some images, content, or controls may not be displayed when viewing a web page"

Microsoft Knowledge Base 817177 - "Image files do not appear when you view a web page with Internet Explorer 6 SP1"

Microsoft Knowledge Base 878461 - "Pictures do not appear as expected, or you receive an error message when you open an HTML file on a Windows XP Service Pack 2 based computer"

Disclaimer: I believe the information presented on the linked pages to be a best effort by their respective authors for addressing problems with the display of images from web sites; however, the risk and responsibility for using that information is yours alone. I do not control the content of those pages and have not tested any of the procedures described there. I also cannot, and do not intend to, imply that other web browsers would or would not have the same or similar problems.

The information on this page shall not be construed to represent an endorsement for or against any product mentioned or any of their competitors. The use of product names and trademarks is for reference only; omission of the respective symbols does not imply that those names were free to use for commercial purposes.