Hi everyone, not sure where in this forum to post about my problem as I don't know what exactly it is about... anyway my problem is as follows: everytime I download files (such as installers) via a website, they download very fast, and when I try to launch them I get an error message saying they're corrupted; sometimes the download window would shut down by itself before the download is completed. This happened to me on Internet Explorer, Firefox and Google Chrome. Actions I took: -scanned for viruses and spyware.. everything was ok -formatted disk and installed a different version of windows xp (the one I specified in the Exact OS field), with a different version of explorer (7 instead of 6), but I had the same problem -connected to a different port on the switch/router.. didn't help -used a new cable.. didn't help either -got a wireless adapter and connected to the web via wireless connection... same again -asked my housemates whether they had the same problem.. everything works with them (so the rounter and phone line are supposed to be ok) -removed the RAM (a new module I bought some weeks ago), and put back in the old one.. still got the same problem -tried to move the RAM module to a different slot... not helping I don't know what more I could do. Note that this happens to me ONLY when I download through a web browser. Peer to peer transfers are working correctly. Thanks to anyone willing to help, I'll appreciate it a lot! Mary

seems like you have changed everything that could be the problem between what you started with and what you have now. I am trying to find some commonality between the two. Especially since you installed brand new OS. About the only thing I can think of is the I.P. address you get assigned when you connect to the router. That might be the same as what you started with. Is there any way you could try to connect directly to the modem and see if it still happens, bypassing the router? Also could run a memory checker just to be sure. memtest for example.

Did everything but check the disk integrity. Run chkdsk /r on the drive. Download the drive manufacturers diagnostics and run them against the drive. You don't mention firewall/download monitoring software but that also could be the source of prematurely ending the downloads. McCain: steal from the poor/middle class and give to the rich. Obama: steal from the rich and give to the poor/middle class. Go Obama!

If you are using a downloader helper, try without it.

Thanks everyone. I'm not using any download manager. And I get the same static IP if I connect to the router via cable, but I get assigned a different one everytime I connect via wireless, and the download problem is always there. SO. I tried a memory test and it was ok. Couldn't run hard drive check cause it says it's being used by another process (suppose I cant run the command while windows is running?). I decided it had to be a software issue, so I formatted again, downloaded the software I commonly use, and checked whether downloads were still working after each install. It turned out the problem with downloads started after I installed Avast (don't ask me why). Tried to repair windows but didn't help (why do they call it an OS repair if it keeps my web history??), so I formatted AGAIN and downloaded windows updates. Now downloads aren't working with IE (something went wrong during installation) but they are with firefox. How weird is that now?