Windows Vista Major software problem with vista!

Hello, I'm Mini Imstar and I own a hp 6730s notebook with vista home premium. Vista is alrite with the preinstalled software(games, media center, media player 11) and works fine with office 2007 which i installed myself because it wasn't preinstalled.

BUT!!!

When i try installing software from the internet like firefox 3, skype 3.8, limewire 4.18 and miro...
...it installs fine!

BUT!!!

Whenever i try runnin these applications, it never opens/doen't respond or when i try to sign in on skype, it doen't respond and then i have to open task manager and end the application taking up CPU and slowing computer down AND not opening the application.
I have checked these applications for compatibility with vista and it says it should work fine and i also tried runnin them in compatibilty mode but they still wouldn't work. I don't think there is a virus as i have McAfee security preinstalled although i am new to vista, as i previously owned another older hp laptop with xp and the above software worked fine on xp.

Please help me as this is a problem which is really bugging me and is preventing me having the optimum fun with my laptop(and my mate is enjoying watching me have problems with vista as he has a macbook os x which works fine).

Any help would be appreciated do please don't hesitate to assist.

 

Well, you have mentioned your problems regarding 3 different applications. lets see one-by-one, try re-installing firefox 3. If this doesn't work i would like to know what if older version say firefox 2.x is installed.

 

yes i hav reinstalled firefox 3 and the other programs but it still doesn't work and i have searched for previous firefox on my laptop, which there isn't. The only browser on my laptop is Internet Explorer 7. I also don't have previous versions of the other software i have mentioed as my laptop is brand new.

 

Well... try this: uninstall firefox 3, and install a quite old version (2.x) of firefox.
This should work. One of my friend faced similar problem.

 

but what about the other software, it seems like my laptop isn't compatible with anything or is deliberately being stupid. Also, i'm more concentrated on skype, i don't mind IE7 compared to firefox its just i'm more comfortable with firefox's controls. I know people have had similar problems, i think its my laptop not the software, personally because i had the same problem as before opening dofus(because a freind recommended it)after i installed it.

 

Ok. I understand importance of skype for you.

Did you enable windows firewall? If so, disable the same and try with skype.
This option should work for you............

I was looking at these articles:
1. http://forum.skype.com/lofiversion/index.php/t102155.html
2. http://www.pcworld.com/businesscent...ista_firewall_fails_on_outbound_security.html

 

Hi there Mini Imstar, and a happy new year to you (and your Mac friend)
I run Vista (still learning) but have not come accross your problems, but my first hunch would be that your AV is not allowing you to correctly install.
hawk22