corrupt Zip & exe files

I have a problem downloading Zip & exe files.When I unzip files I get a corrupt file message or the exe file will start to run & tell me some file is corrupt. I have 4 computers on a network 1 each XPpro,XPhome,ME, & 98se. I've eliminated the fire wall & antivirus. My IP (Earthlink) says its a browser problem and suggested I try Firefox which I did and it still did not solve the problem. I'm out of ideas any suggestions would be welcome
Thanks
JAK

 

Hello there JAK,

1. Can you tell us on which machines did you have this problem?
2. How many different .zip and/or .exe files have you had this problem with?

This info would help us understand the problem better.

~TL

 

Sorry I didn't make myself clear. The problem exists on all the machines It started Several months ago It started about the same that there was som issues with McAfee antivirus which I use. I moved the modem to a computer that had no antivirus or firewall and it made no differnce. The problem has been with zip and exes in general not with any special site or file.
Thanks
JAK

 

Maybe try another unzipper program? Might help, worth a try? Or uninstall, download latest version, and re-install your current "zipper" program. Bazza

 

I agree with Bazza. If you are using an old version of a"zip" program and the file you are trying to unzip has been created with a later version you will get the corruption message.

 

Any kind of .exe or .zip file is effected with this and further more on multiple machines?

If it is just the .zip files then I agree with others but if it is also the .exe then there is something else going on imo.

That doesn't sound right. I mean if the problem was with one machine and multiple files, then it would be a software/registry issue with that particular machine.
If it was one or two files on all machines, then I would suggest the problem to be with those specific files, but you are saying multiple files on multiple files, that is where I say stop and ask yourself this question:

What could possibly cause this?
This is not something I have seen in a setup like yours unless it was a LAN configuration with some sort of a security monitoring services that was running on all PCs...

 

I have a satellite intenet connection and I use a software router program called satserv for the network. It has been problem free for several years and has had no updates. I will talkto them and see if they have any suggestions.
Thanks
JAK

 

There you go, I am not saying that is definitely it but with such a unique problem I can't think of a better suspect.

See if you can connect only one PC alone, without using that router software and still get the same issue? If the software has a configuration panel, check its settings, may be you could find the setting that could have been causing this.

~TL

 

I have tried this with the same results
Thanks
JAK

 

1. You try and unzip a file and your zip utility gives the error message, correct?

What is the exact error message about corrupt files?

2. You download and try to run an exe file from it's location and windows gives you the corrupt file error, correct?

What is the exact error message about corrupt files?

3. Was the problem with Mcafee on all machines and how did you resolve it?

Steve

 

Also, what (un)zip utility are you using?

Program name and version number might help us.

Bazza

 

I use the unzip program that comes with ME & XP not a third party program.
1.I right click hit extract all the wizard opens hit next & then I get"The compressed folder is invalid or corrupted"
2.I get "setup files are corrupted please obtain a new copy of the program" or Files will start to load it will stop & I get a window that says file such & such is corrupted & has the buttons "retry" "skip file" & "cancel"
I can't remeber what the issues were with mcafee they resolved it with a patch it was a wide spread problem not specific to me.
JAK

 

See if these steps help, if you scroll down the bottom of the link provided you will notice that it applies to those operating systems you mention.

1. http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=308090

2. An error telling you that files you downloaded are corrupted usually indicates the connection to the server was lost while you were downloading. This will cause your file to be downloaded only partially, even though the browser might think the file is downloaded completely (because it stopped receiving data). When you try to download the file again the browser will recognize the filename and retrieves the file from its cache instead of downloading it. Because of that the error keeps coming back, even if you try to download the file from a different server.

To solve this problem you need to clear the cache of your browser and then retry downloading the file. Clearing the cache of your browser will force the browser to download the file from the Internet again instead of taking the corrupt version from the cache on the harddisk.

To clear the cache of the browser Internet Explorer you need to click on the menu Tools (on top of the screen) and select the Internet-options... option. Then you need to click on Delete files... (in the middle of the window) and then twice on OK.

To clear the cache of the browser Mozilla Firefox you need to click on the menu Tools (on top of the screen) and select the Options... option. Then you need to click on Privacy and then on the Clear button beside Cache. Then you can click on OK to close the window.

Although it's not required by all browsers, restarting your browser after clearing the cache is a good idea.

Steve

 

What Steve suggest is definitely worth trying and the link has good info too but what troubles me is you have 4 PCs with XP pro, XP he, ME and 9x and different files gave you the same errors on all these systems!
Therefore a corrupt browser cache or corrupt zip utility doesn't sound like a logical cause to me but in your situation nothing really jumps at me either...

Something else must have happened 6 months ago that you might recall.
Are the files you are downloading all from the same site? Can you give examples? For example, can you pick an app from MG's download section, something small and free and zipped and see if you get the same result...

I will keep thinking but this is an odd one indeed.

~TL

Did you really use one PC outside the LAN and the router software and downloaded a zip file that way? I feel the files are gettings corrupted during transmission.

 

Matacumbie Earthlink tech. support already Had me try this with no change. Yes I did try the modem on a computer without the router software with no results. I am still waiting to hear from the satserv people. Earthlink dose not think it is a trasmission problem. As a test they email some files and they were good They are sending the satellite software on a disc so I can reistall it to make sure I don't have a problem there
JAK

 

I just noticed ter are 2 MS updates 1 downloaded & installed fine the other will not I just tried 3 times. The 1 that installed was .5mb the 1 that didn't was an IE security patch about3.5mb.
JAK

 

Hmm...JAK, are you positive these systems are clean, no malware infections, etc?

I am simply puzzled that all 4 PC with diff. Windows flavors are experiencing the same problem...never seen that before.
According to Earthlinks test it wasn't the transmission, what did they send you to check that, a .zip file?
If that was the case that I would have to think the problem might indeed with the files that were giving the error. Let me ask you again: Are the files you are downloading all from the same site?

Well, that is all I can come up with, good luck.

~TL

 

Earthlink sent me both an exe & a zip file. The 2 computers that normaly go online are virus protected and I scan with several antimaleware programs.
Thanks
JAK

 

Hmm, then I am guessing either; a) those files were corrupted (may be it was a one-time deal?) or b) the site you downloaded from had them corrupted.

So, try downloading the files again and see if the results differ, also if possible tr another site to download from.

Let us know, ok?

~TL