Welcome to JustAnswer. My name is XXXXXX XXX I'll be helping you.

Let me know when you're ready to start this chat.

Thanks, inside Chrome, if you press CTRL on your keyboard and J together, does it show the downloads window?

Try to click the show in folder link, does it open anything

This means that downloaded file is no longer on the computer, and Google cannot find it locally - can you redownload it again?

Then, go to the downloads page this way and then try to open the download directly

Sure thing

That's fine, go ahead and click that square once it is done downloading (you'll see a green circle progress ring)

Ok - when the download box popped up in the lower left, did you click the save button?

That will start the download - until you start the download you won't see this green ring loading up

Once it's done downloading, then click on the square where the file name is XXXXXX XX try and open it

ok

Sure

Ok good - that's what you want

Now keep an eye on the bottom left corner, that little box, it will tell you when it's done downloading

Just leave it there, it seems to be initializing

Give it about 15 seconds

When it's done, it will just show the file name and nothing else

Is it with just this particular pdf download, or anything you try?

Press CTRL + J

Get back to the download screen

The files, do they show there?

Try opening them from there

You just press on the files listed

The title of them

For example, I downloaded this adobe reader setup, then, I would want to click on the blue link that shows the name of the download

Oh I see

Just the pause and cancel still, this means it's just not downloading at all

Does the same thing happen with downloads in your Internet Explorer? Can you open that as a separate window and try to download some stuff in that?

I'd like to rule out whether this is just Chrome, or something else on the computer

I see

Which antivirus program are you using?

I see, thanks for all this info, it helps very much - some antivirus programs can block your downloads because they try to scan them in real time, and when there are 2 trying to do this (hp and trend) at the same time, it can cause issues.

Before I have you disable those as a test (it will not hurt the computer), lets try one thing with IE:

Try resetting the browser, open Internet Explorer, then click the tools menu (press ALT if you don't see it) > Internet Options

Click the Advanced tab > Click the reset button > Press the reset button again > Click close, ok > Restart Internet Explorer and see if it works now for downloads

I see, lets try this - Press Start > Run > In the run box, type inetcpl.cpl > Press ok

Does it bring up an Internet Options window?

Great - Click the Advanced tab > Click the reset button > Press the reset button again > Click close, ok > Restart Internet Explorer and see if it works now for downloads

I see - it should give a reset button but if it's a really older version it may just say restore defaults, yes please try that

You'll want to try Internet Explorer

Since we reset it - try IE and see if that works

I see, what is the error it gives you?

Thanks for your patience - can you explain the XP repair, did the computer crash or did you get a virus?

Or was it an attempt to fix the download issue

I see, ok thanks, this doesn't appear to be Windows corruption, either it is a corrupted profile, or a program conflict - please add this page to your Chrome favorites so that you can return to me after trying these steps, I'll standby in the chat:

Restart the computer and start tapping F8 on the keyboard immediately, try logging back in with Safe mode with networking and log back in. See if Internet Explorer will open then.

If not - Click the Windows Start button > Control Panel > On the left, IF you see switch to classic view, click it > Choose User Accounts on the right > Select create a new account > Make a Computer Administrator account

Log off your current account and try to log in with this account and see if Internet Explorer still acts up. I'd like to rule out that it is your Windows User profile that has become corrupted.

Press CTRL + D on the keyboard. Then to see the bookmark when you are back > Press the little wrench icon in the upper right > bookmark manager

Oh great, very good - hopefully that will run correctly, go ahead and do that and I'll stand by

Great, try to redownload Chrome - and then uninstall/reinstall it.

Also - can you download Firefox as well, just to test it

Actually - Chrome is the fastest, but Firefox 4 has caught up in speed and stability, and I use Firefox as my main browser

Internet Explorer in my opinion is the worst of the bunch

Chrome can be a bit unstable sometimes

Yeah - I think, uninstalling/reinstalling Chrome should do the trick, but I switched from Chrome to Firefox just because Firefox is almost just as fast (almost can't tell), and it has much less issues than Chrome - I think Chrome is just a little too minimalist, it's hard to find stuff sometimes. Firefox strikes a good balance.

Give Firefox a try and hopefully we can see if Chrome works as well

Please add this page to your IE favorites by pressing the star in the upper right corner, then add to favorites. Additionally you can return to this session by using the link in your email from Justanswer, or going to this web address: http://tinyurl.com/3qfdm3c

Alright thanks, talk to you soon