I have been running Windows XP Home SP1, Outlook Express 6, IE6, for several years. I tried upgrading to SP2, some months ago, and had the problems listed below.  Uninstalled SP2 (back to SP1), and all is OK. I did this a couple times.  I attribute the problems below to something in the SP2 update, am I wrong??
1. I CANNOT download a program from the internet, such as a software program.  I get the dialog box ASKING for RUN, SAVE,..., select SAVE, the Downloading Progress dialog box comes up and shows  the download progress; upon completion, that' it, the file never shows up where I said to save it. ??
2.  I  CANNOT open or save attachments (jpg, doc, xls, or any type) from an Outlook Express Email.  Select to OPEN the attached file, and nothing happens. Select Save Attachments, and I get a SAVE ATTACHMENTS ERROR message:    
"There was a error saving one or more of the attachments. Please check your disk free SPACE and try agin"  There is 103GB of free disk space.  Outlook Express is set to:  "Allow attachments to be saved or opened that could potentially contain a virus"
I have been all over the forums reading problem solutions, nothing has solved the problems. ??
There must be some setting or table in SP2 that is preventing file saving/download.  This has been an ONGOING problem, and the only reason to go to SP2, in this case is to update to IE7.
Thanks for your help,
Don
[email protected]
I really wouldn't consider just IE7 as a reason for installing SP2 but there are plenty of reasons besides IE7 to install SP2.  You do not have SP2 installed now, right?

Do you use any adware/spyware removal tools?  What firewall are you using?  Do you periodically run Disk  Cleanup?  Or, use a third-party cleanup tool such as CCleaner?  

Have you tried another browser, such as Firefox? ruckmn  ......  Is this the way your outlook express is set under the security Tab ?

dl65   ruckmn........  Does your XP sp1 ...... pass the WGA test ?

You really do require SP2 as it contains many fixes and security updates....


dl65  SP2 is required before we can resolve this, I am afraid. Do you have a real Windows CD to reinstall if neededHi all,
Let me try to respond, and perhaps provide more info.
soybean,
Yes, SP2 is important, and IE7 is not the only reason; I have been running SP2 on MY computer for years, this update to SP2 is on my wives computer.  I use Adaware SE, and keep the computer clean, including diskcheck, defrag,....
dl65,
Yes, those are the setting in OE security.  Not sure what WGA test is ??
GX1_man,
Yes, SP2 is installed, and YES, I have the Windows XP Home CD.

Let me reiterate, that if I uninstall SP2, as I have done in the past, all those functions work, with no changes to security.
Now, I use PC-cillin 2006 Firewall, real time scanning, and have turned off POP3 Email incoming scan (hopefully temporarily).
Windows Firewall is OFF.

I think I have her computer configured like mine (this one), only I have XP Pro.

Don



Have you tested this with your firewall disabled ? ?patio,
Thanks, YES, I knew I had done that in the past, but just disabled the Firewall, and disabled the Anti Spam Filter in PC-cillin.  PC-cillin gets all excited about not having a Firewall active.
Still same as DESCRIBED above.

DonWhat is your default download directory set to ? ?
How much free space do you have on your HDD's ? ?patio,  Thanks
Default download directory  When downloading, the download dialog box asks: RUN, SAVE....  If SAVE is selected, you then specify the download directory, same as with SAVE ATTACHMENTS in Outlook Express.
Hard drive has 103GB free space.

I am about ready to start eliminating "Processes' from Windows Task Manager (Ctrl,Alt,Delete) one at a time.  Most of (not all) those processes are not needed for the system to run, and maybe I'll get lucky, that one of those processes is not functioning properly or id out of date.

DonI would be careful about shutting down processes as you might render that machine un-bootable.

Have you considered a repair install of XP?

If done properly it will repair XP and retain all your data...

Repair Installpatio,
WOW, THANKS for the site, I have not seen that one before.  Yes, I have/had considered a reinstall (repair) install, but was considering that somewhat of a last resort.  I will need to study the contents of that Repair Site.
I need to be gone now for a few hours, so will not get to that step until later today.
If anything else comes to your mind, PLEASE continue to share

Later,
DonThe only thing i would add to his excellent advice would be to print out a copy of the directions first and read them to become familiar before proceeding.

And be patient and take your time...patio,
Yes, I will print out the instructions so as to have them in front if me.

Gone......

DonYou might want to remove your e-mail addy from your sig so the spambots don't bury your inbox with *censored* and phony Rolex offers...Patio,
Ya, did remove Email address from Sig.

After reading and studying the Repair Install instructions, I concluded that it was too complex and involved too many possibilities for failure for me, such as having to make the boot device the CD in the Bios,..........

So I took the step I have done in the past and Uninstalled SP2 (reverts back to SP1), installed all the updates as Windows auto update prompted me to do, and now all the above failures work again (my wife is happy).  I can Open and Save Outlook Express attachments, and download and save files (programs) from the internet.  I think I need a MS guru to sit down with the computer, and determine why the simple update to SP2 from SP1, renders those functions not operational.  

I really don't want to give up on this, so if there are any, any, possible fixes, patches, or similar problems, PLEASE let me know.

patio, perhaps you have some other tricks up your sleeve.

Thanks to all who responded, and as of now, like I said, my wife is happy (that's good) with the computer running properly, albeit with SP1.

Don

One possibility...when you install SP2 where is it coming from ? ?

You can order a fresh CD from the Mothership for a small shipping fee...patio,
The SP2 update came directly from the MS Update site.  After it checks a valid Windows, and that SP2 is not already installed, etc. it then allows the download.  I would expect the download site to be as update as a CD ??

DonI was thinking more along the lines of a corrupted download...

I'll find the ordering link for you.