XP HOME wont allow downloads ...however

Hey anyone out there. I am new to XP and I am having trouble getting my system to download anything on the net. Ran virus checker ... nothing! Rolled system back ...Nada! A nice little box with a triangle square and circle all in one come on the next page and ... no download happens. If however I use the downloader from freshdownload it will download some files but not others as they block some downloaders. What to do? I saw a post like this somewhere else as well but didnt have the problem then. I have applied all new up dates for XP home and my fire wall is off in XP but I have Zone alrm and it doesnt matter if I turn it off as well ...its still a no go man Ive been at this for days now ... dang

 

How are you trying to download? Through a web browser link? Through a peer-to-peer application?

 

Thnx for the reply. Well I am trying to download through the web link on a page ... any page anywhere ... and it wont take me to the download ... but pops up the little box with all those circle square and triangle things in the little box up in the right hand corner of the next screen where the download should be or should begin ... however if I use the download manager and use the link from the other page where the download link is then it will download. It never used to do this and I can not find out what is going on.