Another new problem - I can no longer download to desktop

Hi all,

I don't know what's going on - the latest updates?

I tried to download two files to my desktop, a .txt file and an application.

They seemed to download fine, but when I looked at my desktop, really searched it, the files weren't there. So I tried it again and got a message box saying the files were already on my desktop, would I like to replace them. I tried, still no new files on my desktop.

So I tried downloading them into "My Documents ", and that worked.

What is happening? If I try a System Restore, I'll erase all the updates I downloaded and installed on Saturday, won't I?

I did try "refresh" on the desktop and the files still did not appear.

Please help! Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Gail

 

Hello Gail,

Yes it would and that's not bad You'll get a prompt that downloads are available again.

Reset the MS download option to Notify you and not to download and install. That way you can do them one at a time and see if one of them is the culprit. You should always do the updates in this way. Slower, but gives you a chance to the effects.

Control Panel > Security center > Automatic Updates at the bottom. In the dialog box "Notify me but don't download or update ".

Regards - Charles

 

Perhaps you downloaded them to some other users Desktop. Windows maintains a Desktop for each user plus one for all users. Check your other user Desktops for the files. Generally the IE download will go to the last location that was used. If some other user downloaded a file to their Desktop it may explain why your download went astray.

 

Thank you, Charles! I will do a System Restore and follow your instructions.

SurferDude2, thank you, also, very much. But I am the only user on this computer and there are no other user's Desktops created on this computer.

Thank you both so much.

Gail

 

Hi Arie,

I'm so sorry I didn't look back here sooner and I only now just saw your reply.

Thank you very much for that information - I didn't realize that downloading to the desktop was a bad idea.

I can't do it anymore, anyway, due to the critical updates. I tried doing a System Restore, then I downloaded and installed the very first most recent critical update. I restarted the computer, as was necessary, and then tried to download a file to my desktop. It wouldn't work. Windows told me the file WAS on my desktop, but it was invisible.

So, thinking I had found the critical update culprit, I uninstalled that particular update, restarted the computer again, and then went ahead and downloaded and installed the ten other critical updates, omitting that first one from the batch.

After that, I STILL could not download to the desktop. And I just didn't have it in me to do an uninstall of all of those ten critical updates and then keep trying them one by one, restarting the computer after each install and uninstall. So I simply went back to the update page and reinstalled that first one I had omitted and then all eleven updates were installed.

So, Arie, thank you for telling me that downloading to the desktop is a bad idea anyway, since I can't do it anymore.

I really appreciate everyone's input and advice.

Many, many thanks,

Gail