# I can't install Firefox - "Unspecified Error" - WTF? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 29, 2005, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-install-firefox-unspecified-error-wtf/319109 "2005-08-29T15:49:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2005, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-install-firefox-unspecified-error-wtf/319109/1 "2005-08-29T15:49:46Z")
I downloaded Firefox on the advice of people who told me to do it to combat all the adware and spyware. But I can’t run the installer. When I click the installer, it says “7-zip - unspecified error.” I’m really angry now. What the hell can I do now? ---
**Author:** ![treis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bc79bd/32.png) [@treis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/treis)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2005, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-install-firefox-unspecified-error-wtf/319109/2 "2005-08-29T15:52:57Z")
Sounds like you are having trouble unzipping the file but I don’t think that Firefox comes zipped. Try downloading it again (from firefox’s site) and see if that fixes it. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2005, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-install-firefox-unspecified-error-wtf/319109/3 "2005-08-29T16:47:38Z")
Is it possible you don’t have enough disk space? How much space do you have free? ---
**Author:** ![Nanoda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Nanoda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nanoda)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2005, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-install-firefox-unspecified-error-wtf/319109/4 "2005-08-29T16:56:29Z")
Did you get it at [getfirefox.com](http://getfirefox.com)? The download there is an .exe, and as such shouldn’t invoke 7-zip or any other decompression program. ---
**Author:** ![DarrenS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/977dab/32.png) [@DarrenS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DarrenS)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2005, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-install-firefox-unspecified-error-wtf/319109/5 "2005-08-29T17:10:54Z")
> [@Nanoda](#): > > Did you get it at [getfirefox.com](http://getfirefox.com)? The download there is an .exe, and as such shouldn’t invoke 7-zip or any other decompression program. I’m pretty sure Firefox is bundled as a self-extracting 7-Zip EXE archive. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2005, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-install-firefox-unspecified-error-wtf/319109/6 "2005-08-29T17:15:01Z")
The exe is a self-extracting archive most likely, and it sounds like it uses the 7-Zip engine to extract itself. It could be failing because of lack of disk space, as I mentioned before, or also because the user logged in does not have permissions to install software. 1. Check that you have enough disk space 2. Have you ever installed anything before under the same login? ---
**Author:** ![Jayrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Jayrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jayrot)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2005, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-install-firefox-unspecified-error-wtf/319109/7 "2005-08-29T17:20:32Z")
Argent, Based on the other thread, it sounds as if you are in fact infected with spyware. The problem with spyware is that it can affect your system in very serious ways, hi-jacking or rename system files. Because of this, spyware can not always be removed in a meaningful way and sometimes the removal can be so intrusive that it does more harm than good. This goes even for well respected programs like Adaware and Spybot. The bottom line is to use preventative measures to not get spyware in the first place. These are things like using Firefox exclusively and using the Microsoft Anti-Spyware with real-time protection enabled. If you’re unable to do basic system functions like unzipping and installing simple programs, it’s likely that you’ll need to do a full re-install. However, I would try to re-download the Firefox installer just in case the download was somehow corrupted. ---
**Author:** ![Jayrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Jayrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jayrot)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2005, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-install-firefox-unspecified-error-wtf/319109/8 "2005-08-29T17:46:13Z")
I should also note, that if you’re trying to install Firefox **before** running the anti-spyware program and attempting to disinfect, that could be the problem. ---
**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2005, 8:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-install-firefox-unspecified-error-wtf/319109/9 "2005-09-04T08:47:44Z")
If the user doesn’t have sufficient privileges to install the program, Firefox should say so when you try to install it. “Unspecified error”, on the other hand, does sound like a corrupted download. Like Jayrot said, I’d try redownloading it first before taking more drastic measures.