Vanishing downloads

[Peter Johnson]

With Vista build 5600 (RC1) whenever a download ends it vanishes. Doesn't
matter if I want it to run or try to save it. The download dialog,
countdown, runs ok. Any one have any ideas about the cause or do I have to
wait until February and hope that installing the retail package fixes it?
TIA

 

[Troy McClure]

lol... uhm, where are you saving the download? i can assure you this is your
error and not the OS

 

[Chad Harris]

Peter--

I'm not aware of any changes in builds forward from RC1 through RTM that
will change download behavior. I don't think though, that what's happening
to you is a Vista phenomenon but rather determined by the program that you
are installing.

I wonder if you are getting tripped up by the download going by default
perhaps to C:\(or whatever drive you have Vista installed on) let's just
suppose C:\ so it might be defaulting to C:\Users\Peter's Profile\Downloads
and I wonder if the Users in the file path could be tripping you up. If
it's going there, once you get to the folder, you can right click on the
icon in the lower left corner of that explorer folder (that has the number
of items in the folder listed above to the right of it)>*sort by*date
modified (note that if you pick more you get over 120 additional categories
for headings) and date modified will list the last download that arrived
into that folder).

If you get a browse button with your downoad wizard, then you can send that
download of course into any folder you want, including to your desktop but
(and this may be very elementary for you--remember that with Vista you have
Users in the file path so hitting the Vista desktop would be
C:\Users\Peter's Profile\Desktop.

I've noticed that some downloads will take what I'd call a "funky path"
that you don't have the option to change, but this has been happening in
Windows since the start . They'll go to some place like

C:\Users\Peter's Profile\App Data\Local\Temp or another variation to a Temp
folder. If I find they aren't showing up I try to use the enhanced search
in Vista that is one of its better features or I might manually go to one of
these places.

___________________
Regedit for Pre-Determining Download Location in IE:

You might be able to hack the registry to control the fate of your download
path:

Backup the registry first by setting a restore point, and after opening up
the registry by typing regedit in the run box>File>Export>Radio Button Lower
Left Entire Registry>Save to your favorite location.


1) Navigate to

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer

2) Right click on the white region of Regedit's right hand pane, click New,
and then click String Value
3) Enter Download Directory for the name of the new DWORD Value and press
Enter. The new value should now appear in Regedit's right-hand column.
4) Right click the new value and choose Modify.
5) Click Modify and set the Value Data field to be the path to the directory
you want IE to send downloads, then click OK

Good luck,

CH

 

[Chad Harris]

In some cases Troy, they don't get to see where it's being saved to.
Ideally, in a user friendly world, an app or downloaded file/folder/doc/zip
would allow them to see clearly where it's going and always have an easy
option to change with simply a change of the file path, or a browsed change,
but that's not aways the case unfortunately, and they are put in the
position of looking for a download. That's pretty easy for some of us, but
it can be daunting for a lot of users particulary when that path is off the
beaten path with a temp here/a squiggle there/ an App Data or even stranger
sub folder for that program or download or portion of a program.

Also no matter what is done, there are some applications that are going to
install **some of their files to places on the root drive no matter where
you opt to install the program in Windows--Nero and Symantec and Win One
care are 3 cases in point, and there are tons of others.

CH

 

[Troy McClure]

who's talking about installing? we're talking about downloading from the
internet... the save path is clearly shown and can be simply changed before
you click save

 

[Chad Harris]

Peter--

As an additional way to look for a file--and I find this most helpful when
you're trying to figure out what might be taking up so much space on a drive
that you can't quickly mouseover for size or right click for size when you
ID it, and you shouldn't have to use this if you can nail where the download
is going up front, or can find the folder it's going to and search for it in
there either using Vista Search or the "last modified" listing in that
folder.

That free program is DX Hog Hunt (3rd Listing Down):

http://www.dvxp.com/en/Downloads.aspx


This will ID every file and folder and by size or other categories.

CH

 

[Peter Johnson]

who's talking about installing? we're talking about downloading from the
internet... the save path is clearly shown and can be simply changed
before you click save

Thanks for your quick response gents.

Yes, I am referring to downloads, not installs. I chose the path to save by
browsing to it, the download take place then, puff, vanishes. If I try to
avoid the save, in case there is a problem with the path, and click on run,
the download takes place and then, once again, disappears as soon as it
finishes.
It occurred to me after posting my earlier message that this problem might
be linked with two others that I have:
1 - I can't save favorites
2 - I can neither save nor open email attachments in Windows Mail

The latter did work but stopped a few weeks ago for no obvious reason. I'm
sure the download was ok when I first installed Vista but I don't think I've
ever been able to save favorites with it.

 

[Troy McClure]

ok then. your version of vista is slowly dying... little things here and
there. thats how it happens. you need to install the RTM if you have it

 

[Chad Harris]

1) Downloads sometimes don't give you the option to direct them nor do they
show you where they are going so everything I wrote applies.

2) I don't know that Vista is "slowly dying" on your machine since if it's a
Beta it shouldn't be now and the comment on save attachments with Win Mail
may be simply a matter of your setting security in IE to allow you to do
this or have you gone to (from Main Win Mail toolbar)

As to Win Mail:

Tools>Options>Security Tab and unchecked "allow downloaded attacments to be
saved."

As to Favorites:-

If not working as a part of IE, I'd run sfc /scannow from an elevated
command prompt. Click on cmd>run as administrator and then type in sfc/
scannow.

It's personal preference but using Explorer Folder organization the need to
ever touch favorites becomes moot or unnecessary to me--if I see a shortcut
or a folder I want I drag the small "e" from browser window or the folder
icon, etc. into the appropriate folder labled for it and then organize the
folder by clickingthe right side of "Name" >Sort or Group by Name.

CH

 

[Dennis Pack]

Peter:
Go to IE7, tools, internet options, advanced, near the bottom of the
list uncheck "Check for signatures on downloaded programs". Then restart
IE7, try the download again, it should stay in the folder that you choose.
Have a great holiday.

 

[Chad Harris]

Anythng in my prev post applies to downloads where the download path isn't
specified as *DOES the reg hack.

CH

 

[Frank Saunders, MS-MVP OE/WM]

Thanks for your quick response gents.

Yes, I am referring to downloads, not installs. I chose the path to save
by browsing to it, the download take place then, puff, vanishes. If I try
to avoid the save, in case there is a problem with the path, and click on
run, the download takes place and then, once again, disappears as soon as
it finishes.
It occurred to me after posting my earlier message that this problem might
be linked with two others that I have:
1 - I can't save favorites
2 - I can neither save nor open email attachments in Windows Mail

The latter did work but stopped a few weeks ago for no obvious reason. I'm
sure the download was ok when I first installed Vista but I don't think
I've ever been able to save favorites with it.

Are you sure the path you're choosing is one you have rights to?

 

[CMShepard]

I had this problem when using a "Download Manager" to download the file.

 

[Chad Harris]

I'd like to make a couple points clear relevant to this thread:

1) Unless you hack the registry, you cannot always control where a download
goes. I can give a current on point case:

2) MSFT Office Systems 2007 and all the related trials of it:

Those downloads are going to default to install on the drive where the OS is
on when you download them. You have absolutely no place on earth to go to
choose where they download unless you do the regedit that I posted earlier.
And it's hardly a lone ranger and it's not from a very small obscure
company.

All it says is "download to temporary folder". This may not be a big deal,
but Office 2007 Professional's trial is a 773MB download, and if you happen
not to have that space on that drive, you might want to direct it to another
drive with ample space. You have no way to direct it to that other drive
unless you do the reg hack that will control that.

CH

 

[Chad Harris]

Correction: *Office Trial or Office anything related 2007*
doesn't make this mistake; but there are a lot of downloads that do. I
forgot that Office several versions back allows you to choose the
destination with the "Customize" button.

So while Office isn't a good example, we all can find plenty that are.

CH