Downloads fail in IE5.5

I just started having a strange problem w/IE5.5 and WinME. If I try to download files from a site, (i.e. hp.com, Cnet.com, many others), the File Download dialog box opens and it looks like it's going to start (paper moving from globe to folder), but the progress bar never moves and eventually pops up the following message;

"Internet Explorer cannot download <filename> from <site>

Internet Explorer was not able to open this Internet site. The requested site is either unavailable or cannot be found. Please try again later. "

Interestingly, I went directly to the HP site using ftp from a dos window (ftp ftp.hp.com) and downloaded the file I needed with no problem.

I also found that music files from CDNOw and other sites using either Media Player or RealPlayer resulted in a similar error message that the site couldn't be reached.

Normal browsing works fine as does my email (Outlook) I tried to remove IE to re-install it but it didn't give me that option in the add/remove programs. I did try the repair option and ran the IEsetup and selected the IE Browser boxes even though they we bold and said they were up to date. No Change. I also ran Windows Update and downloaded the update for IE5.5 IT WORKED!, but I still can't download from other sites.

Under Internet Options->Security the setting for the Internet is Medium and shows that File Downloads are enabled. Maybe I'll try to set that to Low and see what happens.

Any suggestions are much appreciated!

Gary

 

Try deleting the contents of the Temporary Internet Files and offline content (Internet Options, General tab, Delete files button) and make sure that the amount of disk space Internet Explorer uses for temporary Internet files is not set too low (Internet Options, General tab, Settings button). Mine is set to 20MB.

Also look through http://www.mvps.org/inetexplorer/answers4.htm#downloading

 

Hi Alice

Thanks for the reply. That did the trick!! Everything is working again!!

My amount of disk space Internet Explorer uses for temporary Internet files was 270M which seemed excessive so I dropped it down to 100M.

Certainly a more descriptive error message would have helped greatly.

Thanks again!!

Gary

 

Hi Gary,

Glad it's fixed.

PS

If you want to, you can check the option to empty the Temporary Internet Files folder when the browser is closed (Internet Options, Advanced tab, under Security) which is how I have it set.

 

Alice,

Thanks for the tip!. I've just checked that option.
That one won't bite me again, but I'm sure another will!

Thanks Again!

Gary

 

Internet Explorer uses for temporary Internet files is not set too low

Just a question.

What has the size of the TIF got to do with downloading files ?

I have downloaded 45-50meg .zip files with only TIF set at 8meg.

With Winzip installed the files do go to the TIF and are then transfered to a special folder where they are stored.

I think the cleaning did the trick. Not the size.

 

BB,

The suggestion on adjusting the size of the TIF was a tip I picked up on the newsgroups (see below) although clearing the TIF most likely did the trick as you said. There is one scenerio I came across that causes the TIF cache size to ALWAYS show zero, caused by a damaged folder or a corrupted file(s) in there, so trying to reset the cache size would reveal if that was the case. If it was then the solution would be a deltree in DOS... See http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;q195163 Cannot Change Temporary Internet Files Cache Size (Q195163)

Arie,

I use the option to empty the TIF when the browser is closed and it does work, leaving only the pointers to the cookies.

On limiting the IE TIF cache size, for what it's worth, here is a C/P of part of a recent newsgroup post by Gary S. Terhune, MS-MVP for Windows 9x:

 

A corrupted file in the TIF will do more than mess them up, It will also ( or at least may ) stop scandisk and Defrag from working correctly.

I have had to preform a DOS Deltree command on the TIF to make them behave properly.

But like most everything else in Windows we can read the suggestions, recommendations and quidelines set forth by others and then set the darn things to where they work best for us.

And what works best for Jane Doe or BillyBob or Alice will seldom ( if ever ) be the same.

One thing that was mentioned in the article by Gary S. Terhune is Outlook Express. I do not need to be concerned with it messing things up cause it is not even installed.

BillyBob