Thursday, July 8, 2010

Unable to Download Files Using Internet Explorer - How to Fix It

Yesterday I was working on a computer that had a very strange problem. I could bring up web pages just fine, check email, and everything else online. However, when I clicked on a link to download a file to the computer I received a message stating: "Internet Explorer cannot download filename from this particular webserver". In other words, using pchell.com and the filename fixit.exe as an example, the message stated "Internet Explorer cannot download fixit.exe from pchell.com"I could use an FTP program just fine and I could download the file using an alternative browser such as Firefox. So the problem was definitely an Internet Explorer issue.
After trying to repair Internet Explorer to no avail, I discovered the problem lies in the Temporary Internet Files folder. Sometimes the index.dat file can become damaged. If this occurs, you'll have to delete the index.dat file and restart your computer. Then you'll be able to download files correctly again.
Follow the steps below to delete this file.
1) Open Internet Explorer.
2) Click on Tools, Click on Internet Options
3) On the General tab under Temporary Internet Files, click on Delete Files
4) Click Ok when it asks if you want to delete the files
5) Under the History section on the General tab, click Clear History, then click Ok
6) Close Internet Explorer
7) Log off the current user and Log onto another user account such as Administrator
8) Click on Start, Run
9) Type CMD and Press Enter to open a command prompt
10) Change directories to the Temporary Internet Files directory by typing the following command, substituting the correct drive letter and the word username with the correct user in Windows XP.
cd drive:\Documents and Settings\username\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5
Example: cd c:\Documents and Settings\Mark\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5
11) type del index.dat and press Enter
12) Type Exit and press Enter to close the command prompt
13) Restart your computer
Once the computer has been restarted, open a web page with a link to a download. Click on the link and try to download the file. It should now work.

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