# Help with computer problem **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 31, 2004, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-computer-problem/237519 "2004-03-31T14:21:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![pool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pool/32/4152_2.png) [@pool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pool)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2004, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-computer-problem/237519/1 "2004-03-31T14:21:02Z")
In the last few months I have been unable to open any programs that I have downloaded from the internet, I always get an error message that says something like file size expected 1783625, file size received( or something like that) 26746527 I am just making up those numbers, but I think you get the point It really sucks I can download the whole program but then cannot open it, but when I for instance install a program from a CD-ROM it works. Help me! ---
**Author:** ![Papermache\_Prince](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f05b48/32.png) [@Papermache\_Prince](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Papermache_Prince)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2004, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-computer-problem/237519/2 "2004-03-31T14:40:26Z")
I can’t help much. But the people here who can help will probably want to know: type of OS you’re using, and the browser or separate download program you’re using. If these programs are zipped, which unzipping program are you using? Is the problem common to all sites you download from or only some? ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2004, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-computer-problem/237519/3 "2004-03-31T14:49:58Z")
Try deleting your temporary internet files (in IE6 this is in Tools\>Options) - what sometimes appears to happen is that if, for some reason, a file initially fails to fully download, IE stores the fragment in the cache, when you try to download again, rather than fetching it afresh, IE says ‘Hey! I’ve already got that in the cache’ and gives you the broken file again. Clearing the temp folder usually fixes this. ---
**Author:** ![pool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pool/32/4152_2.png) [@pool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pool)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2004, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-computer-problem/237519/4 "2004-03-31T14:57:14Z")
I use Windows 98 and it happens at every site I download from, I doubt deleting the temporary internet files would work since I do that quite regularly, actually files that must be unzipped usually work. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![pool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pool/32/4152_2.png) [@pool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pool)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2004, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-computer-problem/237519/5 "2004-03-31T14:58:27Z")
aol is my browser, if that helps in some way ---
**Author:** ![Bongmaster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Bongmaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bongmaster)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2004, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-computer-problem/237519/6 "2004-03-31T17:08:22Z")
> [@pool](#): > > aol is my browser, if that helps in some way In my years of dealing with AOL it seems about 80% of the time technical troubles are related to the AOL software. Try connecting to the internet, minimizing AOL, then downloading your files with Internet Explorer instead of AOL. ---
**Author:** ![pestie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e5b9ba/32.png) [@pestie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pestie)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2004, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-computer-problem/237519/7 "2004-03-31T18:28:04Z")
I’ve seen this exact same thing happen before, on my ex-girlfriend’s computer. It was the result of some piece of spyware/adware/crapware, I believe. The problem cleared up after I ran [AdAware](http://download.com.com/3000-8022-10214379.html?tag=lst-0-5) on it and cleaned off over 250 malicious items and then ran a virus scan and removed a few of those, too. This is why one should never, ever let teenagers touch computers. Incidentally, I also recommend [Spybot Search and Destroy](http://download.com.com/3000-8022-10194058.html?tag=lst-0-4). It cactches some crapware that AdAware doesn’t. The catch, of course, is that every time I downloaded (or copied across the network, or…) one of these, that problem cropped up again. I wish I remember how I worked around it (copying the install files to a CD on another machine and booting the dead one in safe mode, maybe?) but it was about 3 years ago. Please, for the love of god, stay up to date with Microsoft’s security patches. Windows Update is your friend.