Windows found that this file is potentially harmful

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Guest

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Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.general (More info?)

Recently I've become unable to download and save files to my machines
(Windows XP SP2 and Windows 2003 SBS SP1). The download goes ahead, but at
the point of writing the file to my local hard disk, I get the following
error message, then the file is deleted!!!

"Windows Security Warning

Windows found that this file is potentially harmful. To help protect your
computer, Windows has blocked access to this file."

I wouldn't mind, but I haven't changed anything that would have enforced
this, can't find any way of disabling / configuring this functionality and I
trust the file and its source (a good example is the Grisoft AVG Anti-Virus
software downloads!!!).

I've checked my IE, Outlook, Outlook Express and MSN Messenger settings and
they all allow file downloads. If I use the command line FTP utility and I
can transfer the file from a network share.

Any ideas?!?!?

Thanks in advance for any help / explainations.
 
K

kelly

Distinguished
Apr 14, 2004
1,761
0
19,780
Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.general (More info?)

Hi Neal,

Check the Security Center and IE/SP2 - Privacy.

--

All the Best,
Kelly (MS-MVP)

Troubleshooting Windows XP
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com



"Neal Tosney" <Neal Tosney@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:1631DB75-1648-428B-9E96-3DA0145809D2@microsoft.com...
> Recently I've become unable to download and save files to my machines
> (Windows XP SP2 and Windows 2003 SBS SP1). The download goes ahead, but
> at
> the point of writing the file to my local hard disk, I get the following
> error message, then the file is deleted!!!
>
> "Windows Security Warning
>
> Windows found that this file is potentially harmful. To help protect your
> computer, Windows has blocked access to this file."
>
> I wouldn't mind, but I haven't changed anything that would have enforced
> this, can't find any way of disabling / configuring this functionality and
> I
> trust the file and its source (a good example is the Grisoft AVG
> Anti-Virus
> software downloads!!!).
>
> I've checked my IE, Outlook, Outlook Express and MSN Messenger settings
> and
> they all allow file downloads. If I use the command line FTP utility and
> I
> can transfer the file from a network share.
>
> Any ideas?!?!?
>
> Thanks in advance for any help / explainations.
 
G

Guest

Guest
Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.general (More info?)

Hello Kelly:
I have exactly the same problem, but with MSN Messenger.

Im a DJ of an internet radio, but unfortunatelly, im not able to mix my own
radio spots. Someone made me a favr and made my advertising spots in mp3
format, so i could broadcast them.

Once i receive the file, if i click on the path hyperlink, the Windows
Security Warning (it even have that shield icon) pops up telling me the same
problem (Windows found that this file is potentially harmful) and when i
click ok, it deletes them. If i go right before clicking ok, to the path
using My Documents, then right click the file and using Properties option, in
the properties window there will be an extra option... "Unblock" but, even if
i select unblock, when i click ok, or close the security warning, the file is
gone from my system!

You said "Check the Security Center and IE/SP2 - Privacy" but i don´t see
anything for that in the Security Center icon in Control Panel nor any other
option on IE options.

It also happends with JPEG files. How can i override this ?

"Kelly" wrote:

> Hi Neal,
>
> Check the Security Center and IE/SP2 - Privacy.
>
> --
>
> All the Best,
> Kelly (MS-MVP)
>
> Troubleshooting Windows XP
> http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com
>
>
>
> "Neal Tosney" <Neal Tosney@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:1631DB75-1648-428B-9E96-3DA0145809D2@microsoft.com...
> > Recently I've become unable to download and save files to my machines
> > (Windows XP SP2 and Windows 2003 SBS SP1). The download goes ahead, but
> > at
> > the point of writing the file to my local hard disk, I get the following
> > error message, then the file is deleted!!!
> >
> > "Windows Security Warning
> >
> > Windows found that this file is potentially harmful. To help protect your
> > computer, Windows has blocked access to this file."
> >
> > I wouldn't mind, but I haven't changed anything that would have enforced
> > this, can't find any way of disabling / configuring this functionality and
> > I
> > trust the file and its source (a good example is the Grisoft AVG
> > Anti-Virus
> > software downloads!!!).
> >
> > I've checked my IE, Outlook, Outlook Express and MSN Messenger settings
> > and
> > they all allow file downloads. If I use the command line FTP utility and
> > I
> > can transfer the file from a network share.
> >
> > Any ideas?!?!?
> >
> > Thanks in advance for any help / explainations.
>
>
>
 
G

Guest

Guest
Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.general (More info?)

I've found that my problem was being caused by a Group Policy Object setting
on my Win2003 domain controller. This was forcing the default "attachment
handling" to assume everything was "high risk", which pretty much blocks
everything. It had also set the shell protocol to "protected mode", which
limits the folder that can be written to.

There was also an option to enable the security center options (including
the "unblock" setting, so I can now see that on any files that are still
blocked from being opened or executed, but at least I can save them to disk
now!

I haven't been able to find the reason why this would occur on a non-domain
member machine where GPOs are not assigned, though. The local policies are
pretty basic in comparison, so it must be a registry "tweak"

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\PreXPSP2ShellProtocolBehavior
(which I now have set to 1) controls the shell protocol.

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Associations\DefaultFileTypeRisk
(Which I now have set to 0x00001806 - High Risk) controls the attachment
handling.

That's all I've found so far, but I'll keep hunting.

Cheers

"Luis Mtz. Ramos" wrote:

> Hello Kelly:
> I have exactly the same problem, but with MSN Messenger.
>
> Im a DJ of an internet radio, but unfortunatelly, im not able to mix my own
> radio spots. Someone made me a favr and made my advertising spots in mp3
> format, so i could broadcast them.
>
> Once i receive the file, if i click on the path hyperlink, the Windows
> Security Warning (it even have that shield icon) pops up telling me the same
> problem (Windows found that this file is potentially harmful) and when i
> click ok, it deletes them. If i go right before clicking ok, to the path
> using My Documents, then right click the file and using Properties option, in
> the properties window there will be an extra option... "Unblock" but, even if
> i select unblock, when i click ok, or close the security warning, the file is
> gone from my system!
>
> You said "Check the Security Center and IE/SP2 - Privacy" but i don´t see
> anything for that in the Security Center icon in Control Panel nor any other
> option on IE options.
>
> It also happends with JPEG files. How can i override this ?
>
> "Kelly" wrote:
>
> > Hi Neal,
> >
> > Check the Security Center and IE/SP2 - Privacy.
> >
> > --
> >
> > All the Best,
> > Kelly (MS-MVP)
> >
> > Troubleshooting Windows XP
> > http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com
> >
> >
> >
> > "Neal Tosney" <Neal Tosney@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> > news:1631DB75-1648-428B-9E96-3DA0145809D2@microsoft.com...
> > > Recently I've become unable to download and save files to my machines
> > > (Windows XP SP2 and Windows 2003 SBS SP1). The download goes ahead, but
> > > at
> > > the point of writing the file to my local hard disk, I get the following
> > > error message, then the file is deleted!!!
> > >
> > > "Windows Security Warning
> > >
> > > Windows found that this file is potentially harmful. To help protect your
> > > computer, Windows has blocked access to this file."
> > >
> > > I wouldn't mind, but I haven't changed anything that would have enforced
> > > this, can't find any way of disabling / configuring this functionality and
> > > I
> > > trust the file and its source (a good example is the Grisoft AVG
> > > Anti-Virus
> > > software downloads!!!).
> > >
> > > I've checked my IE, Outlook, Outlook Express and MSN Messenger settings
> > > and
> > > they all allow file downloads. If I use the command line FTP utility and
> > > I
> > > can transfer the file from a network share.
> > >
> > > Any ideas?!?!?
> > >
> > > Thanks in advance for any help / explainations.
> >
> >
> >
 
B

blackglory93

Distinguished
Mar 15, 2009
1
0
18,510





Hi Kelly,

I have a similar problem. Windows won't let me download the latest version of adobe flash player. It is as Neal said:

'at
> the point of writing the file to my local hard disk, I get the following
> error message, then the file is deleted!!!
>
> "Windows Security Warning
>
> Windows found that this file is potentially harmful. To help protect your
> computer, Windows has blocked access to this file."


do you have any ideas on haw i can fix this problem and successfully download the file?

cheers.
 
A

awsemogreeb

Distinguished
May 29, 2009
1
0
18,510
I had this problem when i was trying to download Firefox and Java installers.

Go to your internet Options in IE and turn the security for internet down, i had mine on the highest and turn it down to lowest (medium) and now windows doesn't delete everything i download.
 
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