No solution in sight

[myday502]

Greetings....I wrote for the first time to you guys on the 11th with an error message report. It was about my father's computer. He is running a hp pavilion 6835 pre-installed version ME; Internet Explorer 6. It is about 5 years old. He only surfs and reads email...........
I did exactly what was suggested and no solution.....dad had already called his ISP and they had walked him thru the exact steps that you thought would work. NO luck. He runs McAfee online version of virus protection also. They, his ISP, suggested a reformat............I was always told only at the last resort do you do that!
When I went to his house on Sunday. We checked check marks and checked security and you name it........tried numerous times to download. Tried to download Spy bot but IE will not allow it..........."Internet Explorer can not download...please try again later ". He also did a new connection to his server.
Just off the top of your heads, any thing else we may try or look into. I wanted him to download spybot and see what they could find.
He has 3 system recovery discs but think this problem may just be IE?? How can he just install to see if a file is corrupted or....Any instructions would be greatly appreciated! and or advice.
Thank you again in advance.
Still trouble in WA State.
Father & daughter....blind leading the blind! :)
myday502

[Baser-X]

Check options in any security programs he has running such as firewall, antivirus, antispyware, etc. Something has to have an option checked to disable or block downloads. Does he have any software installed from the ISP? For example, Comcast currently offers Security Manager for free which includes firewall, parental controls, pop-up/ad blocking, and anti-spyware. One of the options in their parental control is to disable downloads if I recall correctly.

And as you stated, the reformat should be a last resort and technically speaking, your ISP should never advise a reformat, they should refer you to OEM to get that advice. Should you decide to reformat, make sure you have a full copy of ME or the original disc that came with the computer. The restore discs may or may not have a reformat option, I'm not that familiar with restore discs.

[myday502]

Thank you for your advice again! :)
The only CD's that came with his computer are the 3 system recovery discs. I read what I could about them and the instructions said you can reinstall over or choose full restore....but I was hesitant to even put one in and restart like it said. IF anyone has done that please let me know............I will have dad ask his ISP again if there are any security options that THEY have on his computer.
........back to the look and search approach.
Would a spyware program or one of those monsters have any control on downloads?
I'm like you.......I keep leaning towards the ISP!
Thank you so much again :wave:
myday502

[myday502]

I'm not sure if this is where I should post this but I just want to thank you again for attempting to assist my father and myself! With all my fuss, His ISP finally called him and walked him thru some of the basic maintenance............And you know what did it!!! He can now download, update and etc. IT was he had NEVER deleted any temp files and it took over an hour just to delete! That just threw me...........I overlooked the obvious!

He is in seventh heaven and surfing up a storm! :)

Thank you so much again for your assistance and perseverance!

Sincerely,

myday

[Baser-X]

Thanks for letting us know :)

I never thought about the temp files either...