IE7 does not let me download or open .jpg

I have a laptop with WinXP SP2 Media Center Edition and a desktop with WinXP SP2. Both machines have developed the same problem with IE7 in the last day or two: I cannot download a picture from http://webshots.com . It downloads maybe three quarters of the file and then I get the message "Windows cannot access the specified device, path, or file. You may not have the appropriate permissions to access the item ".
At another site, http://tinyurl.com/2vdrhy, I click to view the original image, but then get the same message after it downloads most of the file to open it in Irfanview.
I note that Firefox has no problems with either sites. I also believe that there was an automatic windows update done a day or two ago as both computers automatically rebooted after the update - I don't know what the update was.
Does anybody have any ideas of what settings have changed? I have accessed these sites hundreds of times before without problems.

 

Hi Bear,

To the best of my knowledge when this is shown:

You may not have the appropriate permissions to access the item ".
It indicates you may not have "Adminstrator" rights...But I have seen when someone did so the next suggestion would be to try the following:

Error: Windows cannot access the specified device, path or file. "Windows cannot access the specified device, path, or file. You may not have the appropriate permissions to access the item." may be seen on Windows XP SP2 systems with certain security restrictions in place. This is normally due to a flag placed on the file as a result of being moved from another computer or network.
Right click on the executable and choose "Properties" and look to the bottom of the "General" tab. Here you should find an "Unblock" button provided to allow normal access to the executable.

You can also consider reading article# 308421 by Microsoft
Try seeing if that helps, then post back here and let us know.

 

Hi Master Green!
Thanks for your suggestions.
I am the Admin on both computers (desk and laptop). However, I don't quite understand this part of your comment:

The file that the flag supposedly is being placed on does not get fully downloaded. The warning comes up first and that stops the downloading that would allow the image to be opened in Irfanview, so I don't understand where that flag would be placed.

Also, you say to right click on the executable but what is this executable?

I read the article 308421 about taking control of folders and files. When I start in safe mode and go to c:\documents and settings\owner\local settings\ I don't get a security tap under Properties - the choices are General and Customize. This is regardless of how deep I drill down. The download is going to Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5\xxxxetc
Thus, I don't think this works for me.

Is there a way of pasting screen shots here?

I can add that both computers are up-to-date on Windows. I run ZonAlarm Security Suite but turning it off does not help solve this problem. I also reinstalled IE7 on the laptop without it affecting this problem.
What seems strange to me is the fact that both computers have the same problem, the fact I have done downloads (from Webshots -a wallpaper=screen saver and photo sharing site) and open the image for viewing (from FreeBMD - a genealogy site) hundreds of times before and now suddenly it does not work.
I reset the settings for the medium-high (default) custom level under the Internet security tab without any affect and setting it at medium level does not help either.

BTW, if I save the file from FreeBMD to the hard disk, it works fine and I can open it in Irfanview as normal.
Since Firefox presently handles these tasks flawlessly, I suspect the problem resides in IE7 - but where.

What else can I try??? Any suggestions are welcome.

 

Hi Bear,
Hold off on the info I provided...If you were able to do everything you mentioned many times before and now since the download of IE7 you have not, let's try the following:

• First "Uninstall anything related to webshots "
• Second "Uninstall Internet Explorer 7 (IE7) "
• Third "Reinstall Internet Explorer 7 (IE7) "

Note:For proper removal of IE7, obtain the "uninstall" instructions from Google.

Also, out of curiosity are you getting any "ActiveX" prompts so it may download ???

 

Hello again,
Here is the situation now (using only the desk top computer):
I uninstalled webshots.
I uninstalled IE7 using method 2 (IE7 is not listed in the Add/Remove program window in control panel).
I checked that IE6 was running and went to FreeBMD - it worked without problem.
I reinstalled Webshots - it worked without problems.
I uninstalled Webshots.
I reinstalled IE7.
I went to FreeBMD - problem still there.
I reinstalled Webshots - problem still there

So it seems the problem is definitely related to IE7.
While reinstalling IE7, the process went through the updating process but I have no idea when the latest updates were done. Could one of those be the culprit?

I don't get any ActiveX prompts but at Webshots, the yellow bar comes up and I right click to download file.
Also, I cleaned out the Temporary Internet File folder and cookies. I did not help.

So, are there anything else I can try or am I now stuck with IE6?

 

Hi Bear,
Sorry this has become such a complicated situation for you and that we are not so successful just yet at finding the key that will unlock this mystery.

The facts you have provided are:

• FreeBMD acknowledges Internet Explorer 6
• Free BMD does not acknowledge Internet Explorer 7
  
  The following appears to correct these situations:
• Downloading what's called "User Agent String Utility Version 2 "allows sites that do not acknowledge IE7 to see IE7 as IE6.

Since I do not have any personal experience with it, I am hesitant about recommending it...However, you can seek more info if you wish before proceeding and downloading...Keep us posted.

 

Hi Master Green,
It is not quite right to say that FreeBMD does not acknowledge IE7 - it does and I can work the site otherwise as well as download the image to my computer. The problem occurs when I want to see the image without saving it as a file to my computer. Thus, when I click on Open, I believe the image is downloaded to a temporary folder and Irfanview (or the default image viewer in windows) is called to open it. However, the download stops at some point in the download to the temporary folder and the warning appears.

I just tried the utility you suggested - sorry, it did not change anything.

Thank you for trying to help!
If you can suggest anything else, I am certainly willing to try it.

 

Hi Bear,
I'm not sure which direction to proceed in next...I will do my best to search around and post back as soon as I have any luck...