[RESOLVED] Downloading Unsuccessful

[shrdlu]

Hi All, ......... My Windows 7 with Firefox v.3.6.20 and Internet Explorer 8 refuses to continue downloads. After I click on "Save file" nothing happens. This condition persists regardless of the downloading site or the file/program that I'm trying to install. Some attempts such as FastStone Viewer, Macecraft's JV16 and Powertools Lite, and Microsoft's Security Essentials (using MajorGeek.com) produce nothing.

For what it's worth I'll mention another perplexing situation. If an e-mail offers a video and I try to open it I get an error message on a black screen. But when I go to the Youtube site for the same video, it downloads and I can view the video normally.

I've searched for a solution to fix the download problem and done such things a removing add-ons from Firefox and deleting the "dowloads.sqlite file but so far nothing I tried has helped. Can anyone suggest any possible solutions?

[SuperSparks]

If this is something that started happening only recently, then this would be a good case for using System Restore to roll back to a point before the problem started.

[SpywareDr]

Windows 7 Help > What is System Restore?
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/w...System-Restore

[shrdlu]

SuperSparks andSpywareDr, Since your replies each relates to System Restore, I'll use one answer. I think this download problem has been a long-time condition but the part about videos didn't concern me. It was only when downloading programs surfaced that I tried to remedy the situation.

Unfortunately, my System Restore shows no dates to back-reference even though the System Properties screen has the Local Disk(C) (System) turned on. I've been considering what I used to call Windows Repair in earlier versions of Windows.

I subscribe to a Windows Secrets site that has an article by Fred Langa, "Win 7's no-reformat, nondestructive reinstall" which is similar to the old Windows Repair. I hesitate to go that route if there is a simpler method. I would welcome any further comments that either of you care to contribute.

[SpywareDr]

With no backup or System Restore to fall back on, a "Win 7's no-reformat, nondestructive reinstall" sounds like a logical next step.

[SuperSparks]

You could try running the System File Checker first, there is nothing to lose except a bit of your time. Go to Start and type "cmd" without the quotes, then right-click cmd.exe and choose "Run as Administrator". Once at the Command Prompt, type "sfc /scannow" without the quotes. You may need your Windows 7 disc, though most of the time you don't.

[shrdlu]

SuperSparks, ........... I ran System File Checker and when it finished gave the message: "Windows Resource Protector did not find any integrity violations."

SpywareDr, .............. I used the Fred Langa in-place reinstall mentioned in my last post. Results were the same as those of my initial post.

Each of these results seems to point to some program that I might have installed. Following this reasoning, I removed about three that I thought were recent. Same results, no downloads. Unfortunately one of the recent was an upgrade for Flash Player and that messed things up further. It appears that I'll have to to do a complete reinstall which means that I'll have to reinstall all my programs. Any more suggestions or cautions about a reinstall? Thank you for the previous replies.

[Train]

Back up all that you would hate to lose first.

Everything on the hdd will disappear with a clean install.

[Welshjim]

shrdlu--Last chance before clean reinstall
http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/i...1-11592f04e9b9

[shrdlu]

Hi All, ............ Well after reinstalling Windows 7, the downloading process is back to being normal. I has plenty of opportunity to check it by downloading those programs that I had inadvertently missed in my backups. Thank you all for your continued help.

[SpywareDr]

Good to hear the problem's been solved. Thank you for letting us know.