An interesting bug for xp users.

Had this happen yesterday

All of a sudden I was only able to ‘right click and save picture as’ in bitmap format (it was the only format offered in the drop down menu whatever the format of the original).

Searching for the answer from those that know on the www reveals that in Windows XP using IE6 there appears to be a critical point in the ratio of cookies stored : url’s in the history file : size of internet cache and if by chance you reach this position a very small window (no pun intended) opens up where the anomaly can manifest itself if you try and save an image from the web.

It apparently has nothing to do with numbers involved i.e. they can’t pin it down enough to say if you just happen to hit 35 cookies stored, have 72 history files and 18.27mb cache you will get the problem.
Each cookie, history and temporary internet file affects the ratio differently depending on its size in bytes, the time it was created and the order in which they were stored, each adds a different ‘weight’ to the ratio and presumably therefore almost infinite number of combinations to reach whatever the critical point is.

Most users go up to, through and then beyond this point during normal surfing and so don’t experience the problem however, if you do try and ‘right click and save as’ within the dreaded window the bug locks itself on, so you can’t surf your way out of trouble by adding more cookies and files etc as you go.

Solution ? Just clear out your history, cookies and temp internet files (you must do all three) and the problem goes away probably never to visit you again.

Alternatively get fed up with it turn it off and go to bed, in the morning the clock will have clicked over a day and if your settings only save one days history files the magic ratio will have altered during the start-up phase and the ‘fault’ will have gone !

Thanks Bill G, I really enjoyed scratching my scalp right down to the bone !
Cheers for now,
Phil.