Computer newbies forum: Computer won't download/install programs

You've downloaded the Google Earth installer file to your computer desktop or some other folder.. Once it's there, you double click on the installer file and it won't run. Is that correct?

Or when you attempt to download the Google Earth insaller file to your computer, it doesn't make it to your desktop or folder?

Or are you performing the online installation of Google Earth while connected to the internet and it doesn't work?

Which version of Internet Explorer do you have installed? (Open IE, then click on "Help" in the upper left, choose "About Internet Explorer".)

Since both MSN and Google Earth have "online" installations, have you tried installing other programs? For example, if you don't already have the Firefox browser installed on your computer, can you download the Firefox installer from the link below to your desktop? Once there, can you double click the file and does the program install.. (You might want to try installing Firefox and see if you can then install Google Earth from Firefox instead of Internet Explorer.) If Firefox installs correctly, you can always uninstall it if you don't like the secondary browser.

http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/personal.html

Hope this helps and let us know more.

Grif

...Uninstall Internet Explorer 8 by opening the Control Panel/Add-Remove Programs, then find the Windows Internet Explorer 8 listing and "Remove" it.. After restarting the computer, it should revert to IE7 and your problems should be cured.

Hope this helps.

Grif

the normal location for Vista.. To uninstall Internet Explorer 8 in Vista, go to Control Panel (Classic View), and click on the "Programs and Features" icon. Then on "Tasks" pane on the left, click on "View installed updates" link. Locate and select "Windows Internet Explorer 8" in the list of installed updates, and then click on "Uninstall" button. Click on Yes when asked that are you sure want to uninstall the update.

And if tje IE8 uninstaller isn't there, then you should be able to uninstall it by following the instructions in the link below:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/957700

Hope this helps.

Grif

Do you have the latest service packs for your OS (what is it btw?) or have you recently restored your OS?

I've only ever had this problem twice. Both times, I attribute it to the fact that I closed the IE window before the download was done and I'd clicked "run". In both cases, I went back to the download site, started the download, left the IE window open, and (when it was done) clicked run. It worked fine, then.

I was just wondering if you ever found out why you can't run programs. I to have the same problem. I click to download something, then click run and nothing, like nothing happens after that, so I can never install something I am trying to download. I also cannot open up attachments in my email. I saw that you downloaded AVG. I am wondering if there is a problem with that as I to had downloaded it , then decided to uninstall it, ever since have had the problems with running stuff. Just curious if you ever found a cure maybe you can share, this is so annoying!

On a separate computer, download the Firefox browser and see if it helps. Unfortunately, you've given us NO information about your computer or the things you've tried to fix the issue.. Operating system? Make and model of computer? etc.

And because malware can cause such problems, download the free Malwarebytes programs and it's manual updater from the links below:

Malwarebytes Installer Download Link (Clicking on the links below will immediately start the download dialogue window.)
http://www.besttechie.net/tools/mbam-setup.exe

Malwarebytes Manual Updater link
http://data.mbamupdates.com/tools/mbam-rules.exe

Hope this helps.

Grif

...the computer manufacturer's website.. Once that's done, because Norton frequently causes such issues, try temporarily uninstalling Norton, or at least disable its realtime scanner, to see if you can use your browsers and download things of your choice.

Hope this helps.

Grif

We use the recovery disc or recovery partition to reinstall everything from scratch.

Still, using a separate computer to download the drivers for your machine, should allow you to copy those drivers to a CD or flash drive, then transfer them to the problem computer.

Hope this helps.

Grif