Downloads blocked...plus some other weird stuff...

Check1

Reputable
Mar 2, 2014
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4,510
Hi Experts of Tom's Hardware. Hoping you can help me...

I have a few problems with my laptop which seemed to have occurred more or less simultaneously. If I didn't know better I'd think it was a virus. I have run a scan using AVG Free and found nothing.

Firstly I cannot access any downloaded files. When using Google Chrome, the data seems to download and transfer to my computer but then says "Failed - Blocked", and in the Chrome Downloads tab "security settings on your computer blocked this file." With Internet Explorer it doesn't even seem to download in the first place; click the link, a little loading, then nothing.

The obvious solution seemed to be to check my download security settings, but they are all as normal. I followed another solution on the Microsoft website to check all setting. I then tried toI reset to the "medium-high" default settings in Internet Options but the problem persists whatever I do.

In fact if I go into my Downloads folder in Explorer, it says it is empty. It should not be empty...

Which brings me on to the next very weird problem. Explorer seems to have "forgotten" the following:
-Favourites within Start menu; it is just blank
-Items pinned to Taskbar; no longer there
-It will not even let me pin items back to the Taskbar; the options are NOT greyed out, but clicking them nonetheless does nothing
-My Documents, also empty
-Recent items within MS Office. It has lost all my Recent Items and I had to manually re-find them
-Most of my desktop shortcuts (less of a problem but odd)
-Certain programs. For instance, Notepad has disappeared from the Start menu (normally under Accessories), but I can still open existing Notepad files (the only way to make a new Notepad file is to open an existing one then click File>New)
-All options under Dialog Box > New > "(Empty)"
-AVG itself; disappeared from system tray and appeared to no longer be running. I had to manually reopen it, but it is running now seemingly without problems

I hope this is enough information but please ask if you need more. I hope you can help.

Thanks,

Max
 

C1ick2Kn0w

Reputable
Jun 25, 2014
3
0
4,510
Hi Max

Do you happen to have a Compaq HP laptop with Win 7 Ultimate on it by any chance? Because I couldn't download any .exe or .zip files earlier today and IE didn't let me even click on a download link -anything Google can't do MS won't even try lol.

I have managed to fix this fortunately - some services failed to start after my last reboot. Because you're being blocked due to security settings this may very well be the case for you too. I would recommend making sure the following services are not disabled and/or have been started: *Application Information; *Application Management; *Base Filtering Engine; *Credential Manager; *Cryptographic Services; *Group Policy Client; *Network Access Protection Agent; *User Profile Service - might help with problem 2 as well; *Windows Management Instrumentation.
I am NOT going to even suggest what startup type they should be set to - that all depends on you and your laptop. If you want some guidance I can recommend a few articles and/or utilities to help out.

Your second weird problem, could be caused by quite a few things and/or the cumulative effect of lots of little things. If you really, really lucky everything missing was just hidden, or it was an issue with your user profile.

If that isn't the case please check 2 things and report back.
1. In the Program Files Folder in your C drive, on at least 2 of the applications that are gone:
>>right click each folder
>>select properties
>>security tab
>>click advanced: An error message may pop up saying "Access Denied/You do not have permission/authorization" etc.
~If this happens make a note of the error message and the Group & User Names plus their Permissions
(just allowed all/ allowed all except/denied x and y etc is perfect)
~If there's no error, smile :bounce: and then in Permissions there's a table with: Type/Name/Permission/Inherited from/Apply
to, I need all the info in that table;
& then click the Owner tab and make a note of both The Current Owner + who is listed under Change Owner To.

Close and open the app's folder and/or subfolders and locate the application's launch file or any other .exe file and repeat what you did with the folders.

2. Please also open the control panel, click Recovery and then Open System Restore. Again an error message may pop up saying "Access Denied etc" - if it does make a note of the message, if System Restore launches go out and celebrate.