Windows won't let me install!

February 24, 2007 1:10 PM

Help! Windows won't let me install downloaded programs.

I have a new computer with Windows XP. I've downloaded and installed all the updates and it will let me install programs that I have on CD, but when I try and download programs it says they're corrupt. I've downloaded Mozilla, WinZip, and GAIM from their official sites and I've got some variant on that same error for each one.

posted by dagnyscott to technology (8 comments total)

OK here's the really weird part: I just downloaded Firefox to a shared folder on my father's computer and it installed from there.

Also, anyone know of any other good places to ask questions like this?
posted by dagnyscott at 1:20 PM on February 24, 2007

ask on bleepingcomputer.com
posted by freddymetz at 1:38 PM on February 24, 2007

Make sure that the files are saved to be read-write and that you've got all the right permissions (i.e. are logged in as administrator). I had XP give me "corrupted" errors once when what it really meant was "you need to be admin"...

Also, if that fails, try downloading somewhere else/with a different computer, and then installing. Whatever you're using to download (IExploder, I assume) may be screwed up and corrupting downloads. (Just because it's a clean install doesn't mean Windows is actually, uh, working...)
posted by anaelith at 2:41 PM on February 24, 2007

Use Mobile Firefox and try downloading a file. If it is still corrupt, then there is something amiss with Windows. If not, then IE is your problem.

If IE is your problem, try clearing the cache (tools->internet options->browsing history->clear temporary internet files).

If that doesn't work (and depending on what version of IE you're using) the eldergeek has some suggestions on how to repair IE.
posted by purephase at 5:26 PM on February 24, 2007

Oh, download Mobile Firefox on the other workstation and put it on a usb key or some such to try it out on the other workstation.
posted by purephase at 5:28 PM on February 24, 2007

Well, are they corrupt or not? Have you tried running them on a different machine? What versions of firefox did you download? They publish the md5sums of their packages on their ftp site. Run an md5sum utility in windows and compare the values.
posted by damn dirty ape at 9:06 PM on February 24, 2007

Protonic.com also offers free tech support.
posted by IndigoRain at 6:52 AM on February 25, 2007

My bet is a faulty RAM module - try Memtest86+ and see if it picks up any problems. Otherwise it could be your hard drive - you should be able to download a diagnostic program from the manufacturer's website.
posted by cb at 3:57 AM on March 5, 2007