can anyone help me, ive done a fresh install of win7 and updated all items from windows update and before i get to install many programs I hit the  following problem.

an error box appears with the following "unable to download ABC from XYZ unable to open this internet site. the requested site is either unavailable or cannot be found"

basically I cant download anything at all once this happens, adobe reader, winrar or whatever
I cant install flash from their site, I cant run flash content

the admin account still works ok, but my main admin user account is affected

Ive tried another fresh install but he same happens soon enough after a windows update

Ive trawelled google and not been able to fix it, it could possibly be linked to adobe flash but im not  100% sure. I did notice that flash auto installed itself when i first started up the fresh win7 install.

grateful for any ideas

The first thing to do seems to be to narrow down the problem.

Can you access the internet at all after this happens, or is it just downloading files which is a problem?

ello

yeah internet works fine, just has the error if i try to download any files or fails to run bbc videos or youtube.

adobe flash page says i already have the latest version, although im presuming it a problem with flash due to this.

have you got your AV/firewall/anti-malware software up and running?

no, firewalls turned off - no antivirus installed as yet, im back to pretty much a clean install

just been looking to this a bit more. nothing to do with flash works on user account and the flash version checks on the net say i dont have flash, but i have just been using all the same sites for the admin account. ive used the adobe removal programe and reinstalled, everything works fine on admin account.

when i tried to install flash on the user account it had an error like "The download did not pass the integrity check 16291.304.428" so i followed the remove steps and reinstalled but still not working on user account.

Im assuming this is the source of the problem as everything works on the admin account?

might be my XP tendancies making me over paranoid, but Id be inclined to get the AV up and running and give it a scan.

Whenever I install Windoze my installation order goes

drivers from disks > Firefox > AV > Firewall > windows update > other software.


This stems from the bad old days when an unpatched XP machine would be infected with something within 30 seconds of going online

I install firewall and AV BEFORE I plug the machine into the network, about the only way to be sure you dont get instantly infected by some nasty IMO.

Then again I am a little paranoid in this area

Quote from: SeriousI install firewall and AV BEFORE I plug the machine into the network, about the only way to be sure you dont get instantly infected by some nasty IMO.

Then again I am a little paranoid in this area

this is certainly the best idea, Im just getting slack and cocky in my old age and havent been caught out for a while!

Quote from: Mongoosemight be my XP tendancies making me over paranoid, but Id be inclined to get the AV up and running and give it a scan.

Whenever I install Windoze my installation order goes

drivers from disks > Firefox > AV > Firewall > windows update > other software.


This stems from the bad old days when an unpatched XP machine would be infected with something within 30 seconds of going online

You can run standard Windows Firewall and Microsoft Security Essentials (free with Win 7, which you can update to a better version online for free) and be totally safe from virus/malware.

Drivers from disks are no longer needed in most cases as Win7 will detect and install for most items, ive been running this machine since Win7 and only installed an updated RealtekHD driver.

Quote from: BaconYou can run standard Windows Firewall and Microsoft Security Essentials (free with Win 7, which you can update to a better version online for free) and be totally safe from virus/malware.

this may well be true, but crazy says hes turned the firewall off. Unless anyones got any better ideas I still think a malware sweep is in order.

Is it a legit install/disc?

If its a funny download one, check your hosts file.  Even if youre using a legit key, but a funny download still check.

yeah its a legit disc, etc
had win7 running for a while prior to now, went back to xp as win7 was doing my head in, but couldnt make the jump back to xp as it felt wierd

ive done another frsh install, put AV/Firewalls up before I get on the internet, evrything works fine until windows updates itself and screws it up.

Ive just setup another admin user *crazylegs2* say, and it works fine and can download anything it wants.

I have changed the dir for my user files to another drive, i wonder if its something to do with that? as the admin and additional user admin are still in default location?
Although i did follow a guide on the net on how to do it via regedit

soopah, where and how do i check the hosts file? thanks

- forgot to add, the other thing i cant do is add to favorites on IE, works on other accounts in default location etc

I might try to ditch this user account and use one of the others as I cant work it out

ok, Ive just deleted the problematic user account and setup a new one with the same name, using the default dir for user files.
everything works fine now, can someone pint me in the direction of a suitable step by step to change the location of the user docs as they are on another much larger drive than the win7 install

thanks