Windows 10 Can't post pictures

[sargan]

This initially may sound like Facebook or Firefox issue - but it isn't, on W10 I access Facebook via Firefox

For past couple of week I have been unable to attach any pictures to Facebook .... using normal method of clicking on camera icon (photo/video) on the FB status update. I use (Firefox v48.02)
Also as an obvious a test tried MS Edge - same fault

I get a moving bar that looks like upload is in progress then after a few minutes it just fails and goes back to the post ... occasionally it gives the word 'Error' and a blank pic with an 'x' but not every time.
On a few occasions it loads what looks like a beige thumbnail ... but 'post' button never goes active.

If I add the same picture to FB via my phone it works fine, so proves account & the pictures are OK. So must be PC config related.

The only help from FB help pages is to make sure no old versions of Flash installed, and version is current.
Also deleted history & cache.

Additional point may help ... on help pages for FB it say to use option on main page to 'report a problem' when I try that I again get the moving bar and failure to complete ... so can't even report the problem. (did report from phone but response seems to be, thanks but we may never reply)

Tested again today form 2 other device a PC and Laptop .... both W10 and both work.


So pointing very much to be a file handling issue on my PC ............... can anybody help?

 

[BIGBEARJEDI]

I've seen this exact problem before on multiple computers. Your file handling issue looks like and..smells like a virus infection. Try using your AV program and scan/remove all viruses found. Then to be sure you got everything, as today 80% of infected computers don't get viruses your AV can even detect, but rather get spyware, worm viruses, or even worse Ransomware viruses. We suggest you download the free MALWAREBYTES antispyware program from Malwarebytes.org and run that. Scan/Remove all found spyware viruses. Power cycle your computer and retest your facebook. If it works, you removed the infection and you're good to go!

If on the other it doesn't fix your problem, you're likely to be suffering from Windows registry corruption or failing/failed hardware such as a hard drive. If your computer is older than 3 years old and you've never replaced it, it's time to face facts and test it for failure; replace it if it fails testing. I'll give you the link to do this in a minute. You should know that modern hard drives are only designed to last 3 years on a desktop PC and only 2 years on laptops/tablets!

My link includes both hardware and software testing and repairs: Windows 10 - Unclickable Task Bar.

Lastly, as a caution we tell everone before proceeding with any kind of hardware or software testing/repairs, MAKE CERTAIN YOU HAVE ALL OF YOUR PERSONAL DATA (LIBRARY FOLDERS) BACKED UP IN AT LEAST 2 DIFFERENT PLACES ON EXTERNAL MEDIA BEFORE PROCEEDING WITH OUR PROCEDURES IN ORDER TO AVOID IRRETRIEVABLE DATA LOSS!!

Post back if you have any questions. We are here 24x7x365.

Best of luck,
<<<BIGBEARJEDI>>>

 

[Neemobeer]

Facebook uses AJAX to do file uploads which basically is javascript and XML, so it's possible there is some minor corruption on your system. I would try running the following

• Open an elevated command prompt and type
• sfc /scannow
• dism /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth
• chkdsk /r /f (reboot after)

 

[sargan]

I've seen this exact problem before on multiple computers. Your file handling issue looks like and..smells like a virus infection. Try using your AV program and scan/remove all viruses found. Then to be sure you got everything, as today 80% of infected computers don't get viruses your AV can even detect, but rather get spyware, worm viruses, or even worse Ransomware viruses. We suggest you download the free MALWAREBYTES antispyware program from Malwarebytes.org and run that. Scan/Remove all found spyware viruses. Power cycle your computer and retest your facebook. If it works, you removed the infection and you're good to go!

If on the other it doesn't fix your problem, you're likely to be suffering from Windows registry corruption or failing/failed hardware such as a hard drive. If your computer is older than 3 years old and you've never replaced it, it's time to face facts and test it for failure; replace it if it fails testing. I'll give you the link to do this in a minute. You should know that modern hard drives are only designed to last 3 years on a desktop PC and only 2 years on laptops/tablets!

My link includes both hardware and software testing and repairs: Windows 10 - Unclickable Task Bar.

Lastly, as a caution we tell everone before proceeding with any kind of hardware or software testing/repairs, MAKE CERTAIN YOU HAVE ALL OF YOUR PERSONAL DATA (LIBRARY FOLDERS) BACKED UP IN AT LEAST 2 DIFFERENT PLACES ON EXTERNAL MEDIA BEFORE PROCEEDING WITH OUR PROCEDURES IN ORDER TO AVOID IRRETRIEVABLE DATA LOSS!!

Post back if you have any questions. We are here 24x7x365.

Best of luck,
<<<BIGBEARJEDI>>>

 

[sargan]

I use Malware Bytes, SuperAntispyware & CCleaner on regular basis .. and there is full Anti-virus protection in place. Plus behind 2 firewalls.
In any event run Malwarebytes again ... 84,861 files scanned - no faults found.
Then run SuperAntiSpyware iut found 5 tracking cookies - removed.

 

[sargan]

Facebook uses AJAX to do file uploads which basically is javascript and XML, so it's possible there is some minor corruption on your system. I would try running the following

• Open an elevated command prompt and type
• sfc /scannow
• dism /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth
• chkdsk /r /f (reboot after)

OK ... ran each step in turn ... no errors reported - no faults found.
Still the same.


I also created a new account on this PC .. and the problem is the same on the new account.
As an attempt, I removed with deep clean Adobe FLASH .. and reinstalled - no change.

 

[BIGBEARJEDI]

Looks like your drive is free from viruses/malware. And you ran basic windows corruption repair utilities from neemo with no problem found.

You now need to take a look at Hardware Testing from this link in my Post #2 above: My link includes both hardware and software testing and repairs: Windows 10 - Unclickable Task Bar.

You haven't done this yet, and until you do you will continue to have problems with your FB on that computer. We have established your FB account is Ok by using other devices which don't display the problem. It's clearly a problem with your computer. Continuing to attempt further software repairs is going to be counterproductive. But, hey, it's your computer and your problem. Live with it if you want to!

If you want to get it fixed, re-read my post; you have an EXTREMELY high probability your problem is being caused by a failing hard drive. If you feel it's too difficult to do the testing, spend $80 and buy a new drive and replace the one that it's in there now. Do a Clean Install of W10 using the Microsoft free MTC tool here: Link Removed. Login to your FB account and retest. If the problem abates, your old hard drive had failed and needed to be replaced. Keep the new hard drive if it's of sufficient capacity, reinstall your programs and restore or copy your personal data back from external backup media, and you're good to go!

We don't know why people insist on trying to find a software solution for broken hardware when they get no good result time after time. We suspect it has to do with what a huge pain Windows scratch OS installation or reset is. Consider this: NO SOFTWARE ON THE PLANET CAN REPAIR BROKEN HARDWARE!!

Good luck!
BBJ

 

[sargan]

I have no problem buying a new HDD if there is any evidence of failure.
The pictures concerned open fine and will upload with other applications or to other sites with no issue.

There are no errors pointing to the HDD ,,,, as this is a n SSD and with no moving parts ... I feel any permanent failure of the SSD would manifest itself across multiple applications.

I will take a look at you link and carry out your tests, and report back.

I'm beginning to think this is W10 OS corruption (I know you feel it's hardware) ...... I may have to look at how I can do a clean install, wanted to avoid due to many, many Hrs it will take to re-install programs.

 

[BIGBEARJEDI]

That's good! Glad to hear you're open to this possibility, albeit remote. Another thing that came to mind is that we've only tested 3 brands of SSDs with W10 going back 2 years and including the current September AU update. They are (1.) Kingston, (2.) Samsung, & (3.) Intel. All other brands showed poor quality in that they either wouldn't take a W10 install at all, or they presented similar app related problems such as yours. What brand is your SSD??

Actually, both SSDs and HDDs manifest emulation of software problems in pretty much the same way. That is, if they have a read sector error on the drive, it affects how Windows reads from or writes back to that specific track, sector, block. SSD handles it's drive geometry just like the HDD, so it's certainly affectable by the same problem an HDD would have if it had trouble reading from a specific flawed sector on the drive repeatedly. This means to you as a user, every time that application attempts to read from or write to that sector, it produces a read sector error. It works this way in an SSD as the SSD emulates HDD geometry as already stated. So, your assumption about how SSD drives works is incorrect.

I've seen several customers with a very similar FB problem as I mentioned, and a couple had SSDs and the rest had HDDs. One of the customers with the SSD made the same statement you did, as his mobile devices worked fine on his FB account. Turns out he got the SSD from a relative who was upgrading system, and threw that drive into his laptop. Tests proved conclusively that his SSD failed, and additionally it had quite a few hours on it which indicates much aging. SSD drives fail from aging just as HDD drives do. That's another myth that's untrue. SSD drives do NOT last forever. After replacing his SSD, his FB account immediately started working again. He acted like I performed some sort of great magic feat like David Copperfield or something. No magic, no tricks. He had failed hardware and refused to believe it until I demonstrated it to him.

In any case, you've got some new information here, and that help you to move forward. Another possibility I would recommend, read the paragraphs above again, is to buy a BRAND NEW (not used!) SSD or HDD, and do your Clean Install of W10 on that. It should be under $70 US or so unless you live outside the US (import duties). Do a Clean Install of W10 using the Microsoft MCT tool here: Link Removed.
The tool will create W10 install media on either DVD or USB stick. Fire up your Internet after the install, connect to FB and see if it works. If it does, you've fixed it! And you've proved my point about SSD failure in spades.

I do lots and lots and lots of Windows reinstalls on customer machines as well as the 5-W10 machines I own. So, I definitely empathize with you on having to tackle a Window reinstall (of any version).

Let us know how it goes.
BBJ

 

[sargan]

The SSD is made by Crucial

 

[Neemobeer]

If chkdsk, sfc and dism came back ok then there probably isn't any corruption. Have you tried resetting your browsers?

 

[sargan]

I just reset Firefox - still the same ...... what has changed over past 48 Hrs is that I no longer get the horizontal; bar moving left to right - which looked like upload in progress ... then it would fail ............ now I just get a beige thumbnail and post button does not become active. I can upload or attach pictures anywhere else with no issue.
Is it possible FB has a config file or registry entries that I could delete ?

 

[Neemobeer]

Doesn't use anything like that. Do you have any add-ons?

 

[sargan]

I just looked in registry ... there are entries in software for Facebook ... in 'installer' I don't undestand Registry enough to know if there is anything I should remove.

I have no add-ons in Edge and a few (spellchecker for example) in Firefox
None of the plugins are active they are all set to 'ask to activate'

 

[Neemobeer]

Unless you installed something to do with Facebook there shouldn't be anything in the registry for it besides history type entries.

 

[Neemobeer]

You can always right click the key and select export and save it somewhere. Then delete the key. If you end up needing it you simply double click the saved .reg file to import it back into the registry.

 

[sargan]

There are entries under:
HKey_classes_Root\installer>features
HKey_classes_Root\installer>products
HKey_classes_root\local settings\software\microsoft\windows\ ......... very long path ..... \ facebook.com
HKey_classes_root\local settings\software\microsoft\windows\ ......... very long path ..... \ www.facebook.com



quite a large number of entries .... 4 given as example

 

[Neemobeer]

Sounds like you installed something. Could be causing the problem.

 

[sargan]

There are also a load of entries for Microsoft edge and not installed anything onto Edge (only used to test this fault)

Is there such a thing as a W10 repair disk .... don't want to have to reinstall all my programs again

 

[sargan]

OK ... resolved.
It was not hardware as suggested (thankfully) it was as I expected W10 corruption.
Contacted Microsoft support - they carried out a rest of W10 to original default settings ............ and all works again