These programs can interfere with accessing and logging on to the CTS Gen II system, generating reports from the administrative section, accessing help and reading files, seeing images during training. Here we'll learn how to deal with them.

Most people don't know that they have one or more popup-blockers on their computer, because these programs are often anonymously included with other programs and even Windows updates that they download.

You can perform a quick check to see which toolbars are installed in your browser. Simply left-click on the View menu option and then left-click on the Toolbar submenu option. Our example shows that the Google, Yahoo, AOL, Earthlink and MSN toolbars are installed. If the toolbar is listed, but does not have a check mark next to it, this indicates that the toolbar is installed, but is hidden from view.

Hint: Most pop-up blockers will allow the user to hold down the Ctrl key when you try to open a blocked site. If it opens, you definitely have a popup-blocker that's active. This probably doesn't work with all blockers, but it's a good indicator that you have one.

What are Popups?

Unwanted popups are screens that come up when you're surfing the internet. You go to one page, and an ad opens up on another page. They are often the product of spyware. To block some types of pop-up ads, pop-up blockers will disable JavaScript. However, legitimate software applications also use JavaScript. If your pop-up blocker disables JavaScript, it may block legitimate web site functionality or prevent legitimate software (such as CTS courseware) from running successfully. CTS training courseware uses JavaScript and requires it to be enabled.

Because pop-ups have become so common and irritating, popup blockers are popular.

There are hundreds of pop-up blockers available on the market today. Some examples of the most common pop-up blockers or applications with pop-up blockers include:

• Adobe Reader 7.0 with Yahoo Toolbar
• Google Toolbar with Pop-Up Blocker
• MSN Search Toolbar
• Norton AntiSpam
• Norton Internet Security
• Norton Personal Firewall
• Shockwave Player 10.0.1 with Yahoo Toolbar installed (Internet Explorer on Windows workstations)
• Yahoo Toolbar with Pop-Up Blocker
• Windows XP with Service Pack 2 installed

When you click on a link to intentionally open a web page in a new window, you are requesting a wanted popup. You do that many times while taking your online training. The problem is that most popup-blockers interfere with wanted and unwanted popups. For that reason, they need to be turned off while you're taking your training.

"BUT I KNOW MY POP-UP BLOCKER IS TURNED OFF!"

If your pop-up blocker is turned off and your lesson still won't launch, another pop-up blocker maybe running on your workstation without your knowledge. Because pop-up blockers have increased in popularity and are being delivered free with toolbars and software, it's not uncommon to have 3 or more pop-up blockers on your computer.

To verify that a pop-up blocker is preventing you from launching lessons, click the following link:

If no pop-up windows display, then you still have a pop-up blocker on your workstation and it is turned on. Therefore, the CTS application will not launch.

How do you turn them off? First you have to find them. Listed to the left are some of the common ones. Click on the logo for more information.