Firefox does not download

Download error: "(filename.type.part could not be saved because the source file is not readable ". Get this whenever I try to download using firefox. HELP Firefox Version 3.04 running on XP and XP-Pro Have read and done everything in the Forum including changing profiles deleting history and temps, have changed hard disks and operation systems. Nothing works. I can down load using Internet Explorer but I prefer not to use it.

 

Is this happening attempting to do any download, or just one type of download?
Did you use an earlier version of Firefox? Since it appears that you tried things that I would not be able to do,I am at a loss. Making all those changes, assuming that the profiles are recognized you should be able to do, at least, the first download.

 

redfish32 ...

Have you tried using an external download manager, rather than FF's internal downloader? There are many available, and a good way to integrate any of them with FF is with the FlashGot extension. There's a whole list of DL managers Flashgot works with, many of them free, about halfway down the Flashgot page.

 

Should being the operative word, however can't is the present situation.

 

You didn't say whether you'd tried my suggestion but, looking at the list of things you've tried without success, there appears to be one you haven't tried ... you haven't uninstalled FF and reinstalled it. This doesn't normally fix FF problems, but your inability to download with FF leads me to think it's a program fault.

After uninstalling FF, I'd suggest that, before you reinstall it, you run a program like RegSeeker to clean the Registry of all references to FF. If you haven't used RegSeeker before, just click on the top link in its sidebar menu, "Find in registry ". When the search window opens, type in firefox and let RegSeeker do its thing. When the search is complete click on the blue checkmark at the bottom of the page, then click on "Select All ". Then click on the adjacent Action icon and click on "Delete selected items ".

You can backup your deletion if you choose but, since you want a complete uninstall, that shouldn't be necessary.

 

Have re-installed and cleaned the registry but the cleaning may not have worked
dont trust registry cleaners

 

Generally speaking, I don't either, but RegSeeker does an outstanding job of eliminating references to a single program. I've found, though, that sometimes it doesn't hurt to run it a couple of times.

 

Bingo ! Removed Firefox 3.0.4 cleaned the registry and reverted back to Firefox 2.0.0.18. Problem magically solved. Firefox 3.0.4 is a bad boy. Three techs and four different user forums worked on this and no one had the slightest clue ! Thank you

 

Did you try reinstalling 3.0.4 after you uninstalled it and cleaned the Registry, or did you go directly to 2.0.0.18? I'm running XP Pro SP3 on two computers, and have been using 3.0.4 on each since it was released, with absolutely no problems. I still think you probably had a bad installaton.

BTW, I've found it advisable to always use the custom installation, rather than the standard one, as it gives you much more control over where the program is installed ... I, for one, do not want it in C:\Program Files. The same is true when creating your profile ... I don't want mine in C:\Documents and Settings\<username>\Application Data\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\, and I don't want it to have some cockamamie name like v6zui74n.default.

 

Did not have 3.04 lying around, will have to download it I guess, but I am extremely hesitant to try it again. Went straight to 2.0.0.18 and may stay there given the problems I had with 3.0.4

 

Jim, I too prefer doing it "My Way" and have FF, TB and Seamonkey installed in the Path of C:\2-NET\?????

I have my different Profiles located on a 2nd Hard Drive in a Path of D:\PROFILES

I create a new Profile at the Beginning of each year so I have profiles of D:\PROFILES\RAY-2007 and D:\PROFILES\RAY-2008 and so On and so Forth.

I will start a new one on January first of D:\PROFILES\RAY-2009 -- Fact is, 2009 is already set up.

My main reason for the new profile each year is so I can keep my old email messages from year to year. With in Seamonkey and Thunderbird I have a sub mail folder for each month of the year so the email is organized by the month.

I have 5 different email addresses and also do not use the default folders for stowing the email. The path to my mail folders is something like D:\PROFILES\RAY-2008\v6zui74n.slt\mail\RAY-2008 or RAY-BELL etc. etc.

I too hate dizzy names like v6zui74n and I am wondering what or how you eliminate this (if possible) because even though I establish my own path and profile I've never bothered with or attempted to change the self generated or default name as shown in the path and in my case a more descriptive name would be appreciated.

So, do you mind explaining how you create your profiles and is there a way to eliminate use of such names as v6zui74n

Thanks, Ray

 

Hi Ray,

I really wish the creators of Firefox and Thunderbird hadn't bothered with the "salted" profile name, as it seems to be the cause of a great deal of confusion in users' minds, and is totally unnecessary.

Since you're asking about TB, for simplicity's sake let's assume a single profile. As you already know, TB's profile folder can be located anywhere the user desires, as long as the profiles.ini file, located in the C:\Documents and Settings\<username>\Application Data\Thunderbird folder, properly reflects the folder location.

The profiles.ini file is created and written to by TB's Profile Manager, and it's in PM that you give your profile its unique name. The name of the profile and the name of the profile folder can be different, but it's less confusing if their names are the same, especially if one uses more than one profile, as you do.

For example, instead of my profile name being v6zui74n.profilename (or something similar), it's TB2.0 and, instead of the profile folder being located at C:\Documents & Settings\<username>\Application Data\Thunderbird\Profiles\v6zui74n.profilename, it's located at D:\MOZILLA\THUNDERBIRD\PROFILES\TB2.0 (see screenshot). FWIW, I always use uppercase for foldernames, to distinguish them from filenames, which are in lowercase.

If I wished to add profiles, I could easily use JSS3rd or JIM to name additional profiles and profile folders.

You'll note that the TB program folder is located in the same master folder, at D:\MOZILLA\THUNDERBIRD\PROGRAMS\TB2.0.

FYI, the same information also applies to Firefox.

HTH.

 

Install the portable version . The profile is in this type of path: C:\FFportable\FirefoxPortable\Data\profile No funky name here.
I have two different installation of the Portable. One in my C drive, and the other in my F (flash) drive, used on the road. The same goes for Thunderbird.