Bitdefender Blocks Website Even Though Parental Control Is Disabled Options

[pardonmyownage]

Still blocks websites. i'm not viewing sites through the xbox. it only blocks sites when (or after) the xbox is being used as a media extender. i have always had the ip address unblocked.

No update from bitdefender on this... problem still hasnt been solved.

[Kram]

I too have the same issue. Parental control is turned off for my account, but will block random pages. This occurs intermittently.

The way I have overcome has been to restart my computer.

I'm running Windows 7 Professional 64-Bit.

Very annoying. Please help!

[pardonmyownage]

I too have the same issue. Parental control is turned off for my account, but will block random pages. This occurs intermittently.

The way I have overcome has been to restart my computer.

I'm running Windows 7 Professional 64-Bit.

Very annoying. Please help!

Do you happen to use a Windows Media Extender?

[butor]

Do you happen to use a Windows Media Extender?

I have the same problem and have already post something about it.

If you have a mediacenter extender , then an MXC1_computername user is created. This user doesn't appear in the parental control of bitdefender.

As soon as you browse the content of your computer with the XBOX 360 for instance. Bitdefender run as this specifice user under your session. I don't know why but it's a fact. I hope that bitdefender support can test that.

Regards

[Kram]

Do you happen to use a Windows Media Extender?

Yes I do. Maybe it is a coincidence, but it does seem to occur after I have used the xbox as a media extender.

I have set up BD 2011 at my fathers place, on his lap top, and he has no issues with parental controls blocking web pages. he does NOT have an xbox.

I have also logged a support query with them last week (25/1). I received an e-mail stating I will be contacted within 48hrs. I have not yet heard back form them.

This post has been edited by Kram: Jan 30 2011, 03:30 AM

[pardonmyownage]

Yes I do. Maybe it is a coincidence, but it does seem to occur after I have used the xbox as a media extender.

I have set up BD 2011 at my fathers place, on his lap top, and he has no issues with parental controls blocking web pages. he does NOT have an xbox.

I have also logged a support query with them last week (25/1). I received an e-mail stating I will be contacted within 48hrs. I have not yet heard back form them.

Exactly my point. this issue is DEFINITELY Related to using an xbox as a media extender, then it blocks sites till you turn off the media extender and reboot the computer.


Bitdefender has been like this for YEARS and they STILL cant figure it out...... WHY WONT THEY FIX THIS... even if they do finally fix it, i highly doubt i will ever use their product again. it would take much convincing to make me stay with them. read this whole thread and it will tell you exactly why i feel this way about them.

[pardonmyownage]

Exactly my point. this issue is DEFINITELY Related to using an xbox as a media extender, then it blocks sites till you turn off the media extender and reboot the computer.


Bitdefender has been like this for YEARS and they STILL cant figure it out...... WHY WONT THEY FIX THIS... even if they do finally fix it, i highly doubt i will ever use their product again. it would take much convincing to make me stay with them. read this whole thread and it will tell you exactly why i feel this way about them.

still waiting... wish someone from bitdefender would at least consider this an issue. would help to know they are actually doing work to fix this....

[Kram]

It just happened again. Tech support contacted me via e-mail with some suggestions. i tried them and still no fix. I have written back to them with the outcomes and sent all the info he wanted and still no answer.

I have been a supporter of of his product for some time now. I now feel like they are not supporting me!!

I am starting to feel like I have been let down.

[starbuckjones]

Wow...over 2 months of complaints about this problem on this thread and DANYDAN has only managed to chastise posters and offer a workaround that does not work. I am only testing BITDEFENDER and have experienced the exact same problem everybody else is. I have a WMC Extender and I get blocked to just about any old random sight when surfing the internet with my pc. Every browser I try gives similar results.

The worst thing a company can do is ignore it's customers. I would much rather hear from tech support that this is a known issue and we are working on it. Instead they give you a work around that doesn't work and leave you hanging when you tell them so. To completely ignore the thread because you don't have a resolution is poor customer service. You will not win any new customers with this approach. I feel sorry for the people who have purchased this already. I have 20 days more of testing and then I go to Norton as well. I do hope there is a resolution on the horizon. If there is or isn't...try communicating more with your consumers. An update would be nice. You will find them easier to deal with.

This post has been edited by starbuckjones: Feb 10 2011, 06:09 AM

[pardonmyownage]

Wow...over 2 months of complaints about this problem on this thread and DANYDAN has only managed to chastise posters and offer a workaround that does not work. I am only testing BITDEFENDER and have experienced the exact same problem everybody else is. I have a WMC Extender and I get blocked to just about any old random sight when surfing the internet with my pc. Every browser I try gives similar results.

The worst thing a company can do is ignore it's customers. I would much rather hear from tech support that this is a known issue and we are working on it. Instead they give you a work around that doesn't work and leave you hanging when you tell them so. To completely ignore the thread because you don't have a resolution is poor customer service. You will not win any new customers with this approach. I feel sorry for the people who have purchased this already. I have 20 days more of testing and then I go to Norton as well. I do hope there is a resolution on the horizon. If there is or isn't...try communicating more with your consumers. An update would be nice. You will find them easier to deal with.

Thank you very much for this post... you understand exactly what is going on and hopefully what you said will stick in the minds of bitdefender employees. something tells me we are far from a solution....

[DanyDan]

Hello,

Let me get this right: everyone in here is having the Parental Control blocked website issue and everyone is having this error when using the XBOX to surf the Internet ? Are there any other situations when the websites are being blocked and NOT using the XBOX / Windows media extender ?

@Kram: may I have the ticket ID of the email you have open with us?

[pardonmyownage]

Hello,

Let me get this right: everyone in here is having the Parental Control blocked website issue and everyone is having this error when using the XBOX to surf the Internet ? Are there any other situations when the websites are being blocked and NOT using the XBOX / Windows media extender ?

@Kram: may I have the ticket ID of the email you have open with us?

DanyDan,

No we are not using the xbox to surf the web. we are using the xbox as a media extender and if you use windows media center to view movies or music or anything, then go back to the computer and try to surf the web, thats when the sites get blocked.

The only way to fix it so far is to turn off the xbox and then restart the computer. but if you use media center on the xbox again, it starts blocking again until a reboot. this is really frustrating if my wife or anyone else is watching a movie in the other room, then i cant be on my computer and surf to known safe sites (newegg.com).

We have the parental controls disabled and it states the sites are being blocked by the parental controls. you can see how this gets frustrating.

This has all been stated many times before in this thread, so i dont know why i have to repeat myself over and over. just READ it... and i mean actually read the thread and now just skim it and you can see exactly what the problem is, and what causes it. what is lacking here is a solution from bitdefender.

Everyone here has confirmed that it blocks sites and they DO use the xbox as a media extender. This is the definite cause... now FIX IT!!!!

[Kram]

@DannyDan: Ticket ID:201101251009903. I have had a reply from two differnet techs now, but still no solution to this issue.

@pardonmyownage: I think you have summed up our problem concisely and to the point.

This is very frustrating indeed!

[Xcalibur]

I too am now experiancing the same problem once my xbox360 was linked up as a media extender for streaming movie from my computer to my tv, bitdefender parental control (although deactivated) is blocking websites. This problem was clearly stated in the first 3 posts back on December 5, and now on Feb 16th still no answer and worse yet on Feb 14th still no understanding from Bitdeffender on what the problem is although stated clearly several times. I too have been a loyal client but seeing this thread make me wonder why seeing loyalty is only going one way.

[DanyDan]

Hello,

To everyone having the issue with the website being blocked by Parental Control when using a Windows Media Extender please provide me with the following file so we can finish the fix and launch it:

1. Goto the following location considering BitDefender installed on the default partition C:

C:\Program Files\BitDefender\BitDefender 2011

2. Locate the file pcontrol.XML;
3. Copy the file on your Desktop;
4. Restart the PC;
5. Connect the Media Extender;
6. Go to the same location and copy the file pcontrol.XML again, this time on a different location and with a different name ( i.e. pcontrol_media_extender_connected.XML );

NOTE: the two pcontrol.XML files should not be the same as a new username is created when the media extender is connected so make sure you do NOT overwrite the file when you copy it for the second time.

7. Create an archive with the two XML files and upload it HERE

@butor: Thanks for the valuable information on the new Windows user being created when you connect the Media Extender - I don't have an XBOX so can't reproduce the issue on my end.

@Kram: reply sent to ticket ID: 201101251009903.

I am waiting for the two XML files before and after you connect the media extender (before and after a page is blocked).

Thank you for your support and patience, we are working on a fix for this issue and, as soon as it will be ready I will let everyone know via both email and forum.

Regards,

[pardonmyownage]

Hello,

To everyone having the issue with the website being blocked by Parental Control when using a Windows Media Extender please provide me with the following file so we can finish the fix and launch it:

1. Goto the following location considering BitDefender installed on the default partition C:

C:\Program Files\BitDefender\BitDefender 2011

2. Locate the file pcontrol.XML;
3. Copy the file on your Desktop;
4. Restart the PC;
5. Connect the Media Extender;
6. Go to the same location and copy the file pcontrol.XML again, this time on a different location and with a different name ( i.e. pcontrol_media_extender_connected.XML );

NOTE: the two pcontrol.XML files should not be the same as a new username is created when the media extender is connected so make sure you do NOT overwrite the file when you copy it for the second time.

7. Create an archive with the two XML files and upload it HERE

@butor: Thanks for the valuable information on the new Windows user being created when you connect the Media Extender - I don't have an XBOX so can't reproduce the issue on my end.

@Kram: reply sent to ticket ID: 201101251009903.

I am waiting for the two XML files before and after you connect the media extender (before and after a page is blocked).

Thank you for your support and patience, we are working on a fix for this issue and, as soon as it will be ready I will let everyone know via both email and forum.

Regards,

well when i tried to use that site the parental controls blocked it... lol so i'll just put them here....

Edit: maybe this link will work also...

http://www.sendspace.com/file/6wmp74

This post has been edited by pardonmyownage: Feb 17 2011, 02:52 PM

Attached File(s)

 pcontrol.xml ( 4.25K ) Number of downloads: 8
 pcontrol_media_extender_connected.xml ( 4.25K ) Number of downloads: 5

 

[Kram]

Hello,

To everyone having the issue with the website being blocked by Parental Control when using a Windows Media Extender please provide me with the following file so we can finish the fix and launch it:

1. Goto the following location considering BitDefender installed on the default partition C:

C:\Program Files\BitDefender\BitDefender 2011

2. Locate the file pcontrol.XML;
3. Copy the file on your Desktop;
4. Restart the PC;
5. Connect the Media Extender;
6. Go to the same location and copy the file pcontrol.XML again, this time on a different location and with a different name ( i.e. pcontrol_media_extender_connected.XML );

NOTE: the two pcontrol.XML files should not be the same as a new username is created when the media extender is connected so make sure you do NOT overwrite the file when you copy it for the second time.

7. Create an archive with the two XML files and upload it HERE

@butor: Thanks for the valuable information on the new Windows user being created when you connect the Media Extender - I don't have an XBOX so can't reproduce the issue on my end.

@Kram: reply sent to ticket ID: 201101251009903.

I am waiting for the two XML files before and after you connect the media extender (before and after a page is blocked).

Thank you for your support and patience, we are working on a fix for this issue and, as soon as it will be ready I will let everyone know via both email and forum.

Regards,

@Dan: Thanks i have recieved your e-mail and sent you a reply with the files as instructed.

Thanks.

[nicholass817]

I too have this problem. I will PM the requested info ASAP.

[DanyDan]

Hello,

I have finished most of the tests and I can finally come with a workaround, as follows:

Follow the steps below and let me know if the issue persist:

1. Restart the PC in Windows Safe Mode as explained below;
2. Locate the following file:

pcontrol.XML - default location if BitDefender is installed on the C drive:

C:\Program Files\BitDefender\BitDefender 2011

3. Open the file using Notepad so you can edit it;
4. Edit from pcontrol.xml the following line:

CODE

<profile user="default_restricted_user" disabled="0">
<pc_status>1</pc_status>

TO:

CODE

<profile user="default_restricted_user" disabled="0">
<pc_status>0</pc_status>

5. Save the file then restart the PC in normal mode;
6. Test to see if the pages are still blocked or the issue is now resolved.

You can also edit the XML files using the following freeware software called NotePad++:

Click HERE to download NotePad++

[how to start Windows in Safe Mode]
If Windows is the only operating system installed on your computer, booting into Safe Mode with these instructions:

* If the computer is running, shut down Windows, and then turn off the power
* Wait 30 seconds, and then turn the computer on.
* Start tapping the F8 key. The Windows Advanced Options Menu appears. If you begin tapping the F8 key too soon, some computers display a "keyboard error" message. To resolve this, restart the computer and try again.
* Ensure that the Safe mode option is selected.
* Press Enter. The computer then begins to start in Safe mode.
* When you are finished with all troubleshooting, close all programs and restart the computer as you normally would.

@Kram: sent you the same instructions via email.

@nicholass817: If you have the exact same issue, send me via PM the XML files and also try the above proposed workaround and let me know if the issue is resolved or still persist.

Best regards,

[pardonmyownage]

Hello,

I have finished most of the tests and I can finally come with a workaround, as follows:

Follow the steps below and let me know if the issue persist:

1. Restart the PC in Windows Safe Mode as explained below;
2. Locate the following file:

pcontrol.XML - default location if BitDefender is installed on the C drive:

C:\Program Files\BitDefender\BitDefender 2011

3. Open the file using Notepad so you can edit it;
4. Edit from pcontrol.xml the following line:

CODE

<profile user="default_restricted_user" disabled="0">
<pc_status>1</pc_status>

TO:

CODE

<profile user="default_restricted_user" disabled="0">
<pc_status>0</pc_status>

5. Save the file then restart the PC in normal mode;
6. Test to see if the pages are still blocked or the issue is now resolved.

You can also edit the XML files using the following freeware software called NotePad++:

Click HERE to download NotePad++

[how to start Windows in Safe Mode]
If Windows is the only operating system installed on your computer, booting into Safe Mode with these instructions:

* If the computer is running, shut down Windows, and then turn off the power
* Wait 30 seconds, and then turn the computer on.
* Start tapping the F8 key. The Windows Advanced Options Menu appears. If you begin tapping the F8 key too soon, some computers display a "keyboard error" message. To resolve this, restart the computer and try again.
* Ensure that the Safe mode option is selected.
* Press Enter. The computer then begins to start in Safe mode.
* When you are finished with all troubleshooting, close all programs and restart the computer as you normally would.

@Kram: sent you the same instructions via email.

@nicholass817: If you have the exact same issue, send me via PM the XML files and also try the above proposed workaround and let me know if the issue is resolved or still persist.

Best regards,

Did exactly as stated. changed it from a 1 to a 0. and still no change. still blocking sites. i checked after i booted back in and with the xbox on. the pcontrol.xml still says it was changed to a 0.

proposed solution is inaffective. as it it doesnt work. as it nothing changed. as in it still blocks websites when the media extender is active.

try again.