posted
Okay, so I've been struggling with this for weeks, trying to fix it on my own, and I finally give up!
I have a computer irritation.
My computer will not download any type of file with a .zip extension.
All other files are fine.
Just .zip files are a problem.
Before you think you have the answer, let me tell you what the problem ISN'T - *sigh*
It's not my browser - I have the problem in Firefox AND IE (*shudder* I even resorted to trying IE! I feel dirty...).
It's not the site I'm trying to download from - It happens at all sites that I've tried.
It's not my pop-up blockers - I first tried just making the sites "allowed" in the blockers, then I even tried turning the blockers OFF, to no avail.
It's not my browser security settings - I went as low as I could go, still no .zip files.
It's not my firewall settings - I have tried altering them, as well.
It's not in my folder options - the "confirm open" box is checked.
As near as I can tell, it's not any malware/virus that I've picked up - if it is, NONE of my virus/ad/malware software is catching it (which doesn't say it can't be a virus, but lessens the odds since all of them are up to date and properly functioning - or so they say).
And up until recently - say 3-4 weeks ago - I could download .zip files with no problems. I don't know exactly WHEN it changed. It's not something I specifically keep track of. But it apparently did at some point, and I'm NOT happy.
Here's what happens:
NOTHING.
I click the link to download and nothing happens. The download dialogue box does not appear (You know - the one that has the buttons for "Open" or "Save") and the file never downloads. It's not on my hard drive anywhere.
The issue is definately on my side, as I can access these files from every other computer but my own.
It's driving me up the wall.
I can't think of anything I have manually changed in ANY settings recently that could have caused this.
The only new programs I have installed of any substance in recent times are Office 2007 (First Pro, then a complete uninstall of that over the weekend - after the problem already was in existance - and a fresh install of Enterprise) and the software for the new HP c5200 on the network. Other than that, nothing.
Any thoughts? You guys are much smarter than I am, and I've just been hitting brick walls with Google and every other web resource I can think of at this point.
HELP!
~Liz
-------------------- "You are anal twattypoo who has ruined my good mood" PsyLiam to TSN May 01,2006.
Registered: Mar 1999
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Daniel Butler
I'm a Singapore where is my boat
Member # 1689
posted
Switch to Linux.
But seriously. Umm, the only other thing I can think of to check is to open Firefox options, go to Content tab, and click the "Manage" button under the file types pane. See if zip is there, and if so, what it says. I'm not sure how you could set that to do *nothing*...and you don't seem to be able to add filetypes, at least in mine, which seems odd to me.
Registered: Jul 2005
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posted
Sounds like, yeah, the problem is with whatever program you're using to open/save .zip files. So Firefox or Safari or whatever is passing the link to that program, but then for whatever reason, that program isn't doing what it ought to be doing. Which could mean your .zip program went south, trial period expired, etc. or as Dan suggests your browser could be pointing to the wrong helping application. If you right click on the link, you should be able to tell your browser to download the linked file (or whatever verbiage they use) and then try opening the zip from within Windows.
Oh, yeah and if that doesn't work, get a mac.
Registered: Sep 2000
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Daniel Butler
I'm a Singapore where is my boat
Member # 1689
posted
lol Linux v Mac v Windows! WARRRRR!
Registered: Jul 2005
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posted
Along the lines of bX's suggestion, what happens if you double-click a ZIP file that's already on your hard drive?
Registered: Mar 1999
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posted
I can open .zip files just fine if they are on my machine already - I just cannot download them from a website in order to PUT them on my machine.
So, for example, if I go to Scott's computer, download the files, put them in one of my folders on our network, and then open them on my machine, all is well.
But if I try to download it with my own computer, nothing happens.
It's not a matter of being unable to unzip.
It's a matter of being unable to download the file to begin with.
I did check my Mozilla list, .zip isn't listed.
However, I have the problem with IE, too - and IE DOES have .zip listed in the folder options, and all of the settings are correct - I've checked, rechecked, and then checked again.
And maybe I didn't explain my problem very clearly before - I can't right click and force a download - if I couldn't that would be marvelous!
Here's an example of a site I'm having the problem at - download.com
I pick something I want to download, click the link, and what would NORMALLY happen is the dialogue box would pop up asking me if I want to Run the program or Save the program, then I could click the button of my desire, and the download would commence and I would re-route to the "Thank you for downloading "Program xyz" page.
Instead, I just go to the thank you for downloading "Program xyz" page - no box comes up with the options for download and NOTHING does download - it's not even like the computer just downloads on it's own, having made a decision for me? No. There is NO DOWNLOAD.
It's like my computer just doesn't recognize that something in the website is trying to trigger it to auto-run this download process, so it just bypasses that and moves me along to the next page.
Again, this is ONLY with .zip files, it happens at EVERY website I go to with .zip files where I may try to download them, and it happens regardless of which browser I try to use.
But, my computer itself WILL handle .zip files just fine once they are on the hard drive if I put them there with other methods.
AGH!
And the thing is, I don't download .zip files that often, but now that I know I can't, it seems like I want to, I need to, I can't live without it.
I'm getting cranky and I have no idea how to fix this.
Registered: Mar 1999
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Daniel Butler
I'm a Singapore where is my boat
Member # 1689
posted
So if it's a website that doesn't redirect you to a "thank you for downloading page" at all, but just has a plain old fashioned direct link, what happens when you click? Nothing at all, as if you were clicking on plain text?
Registered: Jul 2005
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posted
Have you got any software to help you download that was oh-so-popular back in ye olde internet days, such as Getright?
-------------------- Yes, you're despicable, and... and picable... and... and you're definitely, definitely despicable. How a person can get so despicable in one lifetime is beyond me. It isn't as though I haven't met a lot of people. Goodness knows it isn't that. It isn't just that... it isn't... it's... it's despicable.
Registered: Mar 1999
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