my pc wont allow me to download any .exe files.

[jaymar14]

Ive been spending the last few days going between support forums of windows 7, kaspersky and also yahoo answers in hope to fix this google-shy problem im having with no luck, replies even.

when i try to download any application file (i believe they're most usually .exe file?) it opens the dialogue box and i am able to choose location and the file name. Once i have done so it sits at the bottom of my chrome browser until it shows the download is complete. once i click on it, it gives me the standard windows message ''windows cannot find (file pathway and name). make sure you typed the name correctly, and then try again''.
So I tried internet explorer, i click on the completed download/or even try to open the containing folder and the same error msg crops up again.
I changed file locations, even onto a different internal hdd and also i changed the file name before saving, no success.
I figured it must be being seen as a virus by my kaspersky (windows defender is switched off btw) but couldn't find anything that seemed out of place to me (but then im certainly no expert with security programs because i just leave them to do there thing).

It was suggested i get hold of the kaspersky's getsysteminfo.exe (being an application i downloaded it onto a friends pc and brought it over via a usb) to send usage, spec and settings report which i did but unfortunately never got a reply from the forum. i looked at the report myself, with little clue what is normal or not... i convinced myself with a little googling that it was the 'nVidia forceware network access manager' causing the problem, i didnt even know i had such a program and it turns out to be a firewall 'software/hardware(!) thingy' i guess as part of my nvidia 680lt motherboard. so i uninstalled it and with that came no success either.

btw i forgot to mention files such as jpegs, docs, music andvideo files work fine, i can download them no problem without the file going missing, yet any file for a program such as google drive or getsysteminfo or whatever and my pc doesn't want know.

can a registry problem effect one type of file and the resulting behaviour, is it a virus even -kaspersky doesnt think so though... im very puzzled!

if anyone has any questions, suggestions please reply! regards jaymar

below ive added a link to my kaspersky report if it proves helpful;
GetSystemInfo Parser 2.96

ps my system information is in the above link/report

 

[hatab]

try downloading this exe CCleaner - Standard

it is CCleaner from piriform it is a good little utility for removing unwanted or unnecessary files and tiding up registry i don't think it will sort your problem but it will be interesting to see if you can download it, many millions have so give it a try and report back.

 

[smoggie]

until you find the correct fix try changing the file extension in the save box
ie if you try to download xxxx.exe change it to xxxx.txt then if it downloads to your computer change it back to the correct extension

 

[jaymar14]

try downloading this exe CCleaner - Standard

it is CCleaner from piriform it is a good little utility for removing unwanted or unnecessary files and tiding up registry i don't think it will sort your problem but it will be interesting to see if you can download it, many millions have so give it a try and report back.

I already have ccleaner and have run it several times with more 'intense cleaning' each time, with no luck. also i have just tried to download the software and get the same error.
thanks for the suggestion though.

 

[jaymar14]

until you find the correct fix try changing the file extension in the save box
ie if you try to download xxxx.exe change it to xxxx.txt then if it downloads to your computer change it back to the correct extension

thanks for posting in.
i have tried changed the file name to different names if thats what you mean? unless you mean cheating the computer into thinking its a different file? -im not sure how i do that? in the save dialogue box there is a drop down menu that allows me to change between .exe or 'all files', choosing the latter made no difference though.

edit-
it was named simply 'ccsetup325', so i added .txt to it and it downloaded fine, yet the name has returned to just 'ccsetup325' as it sits in my file location, i cant see where i can change it to a .exe though?

 

[jaymar14]

thanks for posting in.
i have tried changed the file name to different names if thats what you mean? unless you mean cheating the computer into thinking its a different file? -im not sure how i do that? in the save dialogue box there is a drop down menu that allows me to change between .exe or 'all files', choosing the latter made no difference though.

edit-
it was named simply 'ccsetup325', so i added .txt to it and it downloaded fine, yet the name has returned to just 'ccsetup325' as it sits in my file location, i cant see where i can change it to a .exe though?

Im back again! found a neat little guide to show me how to change it back, so simple i should know that though! here's the link for anyone else with similar issues that stumble across my post or similar ones- How to Change File Extension in Windows 7

oh and it worked!! file is now a .exe again and executes fine. i dont know whether you were suggesting this as an awkward way of fixing the issue or if this tells you something helpful about my pc to diagnose it better though?
many thanks

 

[surfbum]

Launch Internet Options from Control Panel. Click the Security tab. Select the Internet zone. Click the Custom Level button. Scroll down to the Miscellaneous group. Find the item "Launching Applications and unsafe files". Is it set to "Disable"? Then change it to "Prompt" and click OK.

or just click reset all zones to default

 

[jaymar14]

Launch Internet Options from Control Panel. Click the Security tab. Select the Internet zone. Click the Custom Level button. Scroll down to the Miscellaneous group. Find the item "Launching Applications and unsafe files". Is it set to "Disable"? Then change it to "Prompt" and click OK.

or just click reset all zones to default

thanks for the post.

i checked it and it was set to disabled and it was so I changed it to prompt, restarted and no luck. went back into the settings and reset it all, restarted and still no luck.

I still think its something to do with this nvidia forceware network access manager... im not sure how effective my uninstall of it was because i expected it wouldn't uninstall through computer>uninstall programs 'properly', so i did it with revo uninstaller. upon checking for anything nvidia, i have found many things in an nvidia folder, yet i do have a nvidia motherboard so i dont know whether the leftovers are seperate from nvidia forceware network access manager or not. i think its a bit more complicated than that because of this unusual type of firewall...

 

[surfbum]

can you go back in time to before you uninstalled the nvidia thing, see if that sorts this problem.

 

[jaymar14]

can you go back in time to before you uninstalled the nvidia thing, see if that sorts this problem.

thanks for the reply. yes ive checked my restore points, so i will put it back to one that fits the right time soon, maybe tomorrow hopefully.

btw ive uninstalled kaspersky with the official uninstaller and bought the latest copy and installed it and had no luck with that attempt either

 

[surfbum]

maybe a corrupt registry file , if it was my pc i would backup everything i wanted to keep then format it back to new.
save all the shit trying to find out what went wrong lol

 

[jaymar14]

maybe a corrupt registry file , if it was my pc i would backup everything i wanted to keep then format it back to new.
save all the shit trying to find out what went wrong lol

Ive done several registry cleans with no joy. I think I'll try some earlier restore dates, if no luck then it looks like a format... thats going to be a headache and a half with the data ill need to get backed up but thats my only options or ill go mad trying to figure this all out lol

one thing though, about just over a month ago my pc water cooling kit packed up and i took it into a local pc technician and the chap in there replaced it with a basic cpu cooler, he had to wind down the clock speed a bit so that it wouldnt cook though! i imagine this is a bios setting, but would a system restore to before this date or factory reset cause any problems concerning the changes to the clock speed of the processor? i dont want to do a restore or reset and cook my pc obviously... i think its probably excluded from it but just thought id check?

 

[leemoo]

Have a look at these links maybe one of these may help you

h**p://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/19449-default-file-type-associations-restore.html
h**p://support.microsoft.com/kb/2688326

Wasn't able to make the links live for some reason as I don't have the option there.

 

[jaymar14]

Have a look at these links maybe one of these may help you

h**p://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/19449-default-file-type-associations-restore.html
h**p://support.microsoft.com/kb/2688326

Wasn't able to make the links live for some reason as I don't have the option there.

thanks for your reply. Recently I've put back trying to fix this problem for a date where i can just reinstall windows as my system restores have been ineffective. but i'll check those links tomorrow to see if i get any luck from them, if not i'll be doing a factory reset and start all over again. of course i'll be sure to post back if those links helped me fix the issue however.
thanks again