Cannot download files from any site

[Guest]

Running Win98 SE, which is patched up to date, on a small LAN attached to the
Internet through a Linksys DSL router.

Can't do an HTTP file or .PDF download from any web site <<this is a recent
problem, previously OK>>
Shows 'File Download' box with "Getting file information" message
then times out with an error message:
"Internet Explorer cannot download 'File.doc' from 'ServerName'.

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

Can't download the ActiveX module (to validate my system) from the Microsoft
download site. So even if I could identify which files might be bad, I
couldn't get their replacements from the Microsoft site.
Error message indicates a module needs to be downloaded.

Can't load full PCpitstop tests:
Also, was not presented with the security certificate dialog box when
attempting to load the tests. Just came back and said "could not load the
tests".
Error message for XP users about needing to download an ActiveX mod
The individual ActiveX test shows a red x indicating failure.

Win Update works
Symantec Live Update works

I have been running Google Toolbar and McAfee AV for years with no previous
problems downloading or using PCpitstop, but of course I have turned them off
and rebooted without them several times. I loaded an old version of Zone
Alarm after this problem occurred to see if there was any outgoing traffic
that I wasn't aware of, but again ZA is not running when I am trying to
troubleshoot my download problem.

Installed Firefox - downloads files, that IE fails on, successfully
Installed clean Win98SE and IE 6 on separate partition and patched it up -
downloads OK

I believe I have eliminated as the source of the problem:
the web site(s)
the connection to the Internet (other systems on my LAN can download )
Win98SE and the Win Upd patches (clean system downloads OK)
corrupted Registry key (old Registry copy, pre-problem, continues to fail)
corrupted components (SFC and IE repair)
hardware and drivers (Firefox downloads OK)
conflicting applications (disabled and/or not loaded)
settings, including Security, ActiveX, Java/JVM

Anybody got an idea, because I'm fresh out? (Besides reinstalling, because I
want to know what the *%@#! is going on.)

 

[Al]

Can't do an HTTP file or .PDF download from any web site

just a thought:

have you verified whether or not a TCP connection is made? I think that'd give
a clue as to where suspicion should be directed

if we assume that the error msg is not necessarily the truth (e.g., the
programmers used a generic response: "The requested
site is either unavailable or cannot be found"), then maybe a different
problem lies at the source than what it's saying. For example, if the browser
can't cache, so it won't download. Check any index.dat (for cookies or cache)
to make sure they're not marked as 'read only'

 

[Guest]

Index.dat was not 'read only', but I had 2 Temporary Internet Files
folders??? When I deleted the duplicate (contained content files but not
cookies) then download functionality was restored. However my Index.dat is
over 2.5 MB after I "deleted files" thru the IE Tools panel, leaving only
cookies in the folder. This seems excessive and I seem to be experiencing
slow loading of pages.

If I delete the Index.dat will IE rebuild it? Will I lose my cookies?