Download of some files keeps getting stuck at certain point

Question

I'm having this problem where everytime I download a particular file, the download would progress to a certain point and pauses there, for example, when I try to download the TCPOptimizer software from http://www.speedguide.net/downloads.php, it keeps progressing the download up to 72% and gets stuck there.

It doesnt happen for every file from the WWW, but I noticed that it has been doing this for several files already, and not randomly as well but consistently for the same file. I have tried different browsers to do the download and different download managers as well, but they all exhibit the same issue - the download progresses to the same percentage and gets stuck there.

The thing that makes the problem even stranger is that when I ask my housemates to download the file from their machines, they were able to do it successfully without any issues and we share the same Internet connection. Can anyone suggest a possible solution or even report that they experienced the same problem?

Solution

If you are using IE7 or 8:

Close IE, Clean out your user temp folder, this should be done once a month as maintenance. http://pcsupport.about.com/od/maintenance/ht/manualtempxp.htm

then reset IE

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/923737

After the browser reset is done, close IE and reopen IE and do the following Go to Tools > Internet Options > Advanced Tab, Tick "Empty Temp Internet Files Folder When Browser Is Closed" Hit OK.

.

Have you scanned for malware lately?

Please follow the order given to properly clean a PC of malware.

(1) Make a boot AV disc then boot from the disc and scan the hard drive, remove any infections it finds, I prefer the Kaspersky disc myself.

http://www.techmixer.com/free-bootable-antivirus-rescue-cds-download-list/

Then:

(2) Install free MBAM, run the program and go to the Update tab and update it, then go to the Scanner Tab and do a quick scan, select and remove anything it finds.

http://download.cnet.com/Malwarebytes-Anti-Malware/3000-8022_4-10804572.html

(3) When MBAM is done install SAS free version, run a quick scan, remove what it automatically selects. http://www.superantispyware.com/download.html

These last 2 are not AV softwares like Norton, they are on demand scanners that only scan for nasties when you run the program and will not interfere with your installed AV, these can be run once a day or week to ensure you are not infected. Be sure you update them before each daily-weekly scan.

Comments

[Moab]

Try a download manager, it can resume the download when it gets cut off....freedownloadmanager.org/download.htm

[methon.dagger]

I tried that, but it won't progress any further, even when I stop and resume the download. It just stops at the 72% mark.

[methon.dagger]

I'm not using IE7 or 8. I did this on IE6 and the latest version of Firefox. And it couldn't be malware either, because I recently formatted and re-installed the OS and I've only installed a small amount of applications so far - just the Firefox browser and download managers. This issue was happening prior to the OS re-install and afterwards.

[Moab]

Have you tried different network drivers?, it could be a bad network card that needs replaced. You never said if it was ethernet or wireless.

[methon.dagger]

Hmm ... that is an interesting thought. I did it on a wireless so far but maybe I'll try it using an Ethernet cable and see how that goes.

[methon.dagger]

Thanks Moab. I think that might be the issue. I changed to a cable and was able to download the file successfully. Maybe I'll try switching the wireless adapter with another one when I get the chance and really confirm if the one I'm currently using is ill.

[Moab]

Wireless eh?, change the wireless channel in the router to another channel, try several different channels until you get a stable connection.