"%1 Is Not A Valid Win 32 Application"

This is the error message I get when I try to download and install Firefox 1.0.1

I had uninstalled the previous version and this problem is driving me mad.

At Microsoft support it said to go into Safe Mode, regedit and find if one of the registry settings was infected with Sircam. It came up clean...but I still cannot get the 1.0.1 Firefox.

Any suggestions as to what to do?

 

U could post your concerns over here,

http://forums.mozillazine.org/

The support over there is very good.



snowbound

 

I had done that...I got not one reply!!

 

Anniel,

Are you using a download manager? That error message could be a parameter problem between two programs (the browser not using the right name to invoke your download manager perhaps). If the problem occurs as you start downloading, try instead right-clicking on the webpage download link and selecting "Save As" (or a similar option). If it occurs when the download is finished, then the downloaded file is likely present on your system (the error message then likely being a failed call to an anti-virus scanner) so you should be able to install the file.

If the message only occurs when you run the installer (i.e. the download was successful) then that suggests something more seriously wrong with your system. More information as Ronjor requested (e.g. Windows version, security software in use) would be needed to be able to offer any further help.

 

This problem is known to happen with downloading through Internet Explorer with “Passive FTP” usage with the rare few ftp sites, if you “used” Internet Explorer try disabling Passive FTP. But if you downloaded with another browser or with a Download Manager software, try disabling it's Passive FTP feature and see if that’ll help get the complete download from the ftp you were trying to download Firefox off of.

 

First, I am graterful for your advice. I am not skilled in technical matters so excuse my ignorance.

1. I use XP Home SP2 and once I had removed the Firefox, I had only IE6 to use.

2. Re Download programmes. They are not used by me, although my student grandson did install at least one when he came at Christmas...he has his own section on my PC. I have never had any trouble with them, though.

3. I use Avast 4.6 Home edition AV and have the following protection:

Spybot latest
AdAware SE
SpywareGuard
Microsoft Antispyware
SpywareBlaster
Sygate Firewall
System Mechanic 4


I was able to download the programme to my D drive Downloads folder.

The problem arose once I tried to open the download to install the programme. It partly extracted and then the error message came up. I tried more than once on different sites in case I had a corrupted download and had to go into Safe Mode to get rid of the detritus left by trying to install the programme.

4. I have run my AV, McAfee Stinger, SpyHunter and tried to use Trend Scan (but it would not download onto my PC..error)

Re the suggestion to disable passive FTP....Can you tell me how to do it?

I am hampered by my lack of technical expertise and you can imagine my ignorance is a source of great frustration!!

I await your suggestions and thank you all very much.

 

I managed to disable passive FTP and tried again. Once more the same nmessage. This 7.Zip error box....I cannot find this download programme as an .exe file on my PC, although there are some compressed files relating to it.

Does this info help?

 

Are you using “Save” or “Open” when you click on the ftp d/l link?
If you using “Save” and this happens do what Paranoid2000 had mentioned and right click on the download link and select “Save As”, problem still persists?

Are you downloading from http://ftp.mozilla.org/pub/mozilla.org/firefox/releases/1.0.1/win32/en-US/Firefox Setup 1.0.1.exe ?

 

I have been trying to get the application from the Mozilla site.

My method is to click on download and when the box (file download) appears, I always click on "save" rather than "run"

Then when the save box appears, I save the download in my D drive in the downloads folder (saved as application)

The problem arises when once I have completed the download, the error box appears whenever I try to run set up..

I think Paranoid2000 is correct when he says the problem is quite serious.

I can use my PC OK (although it seems a bit slow). I just cannot install Firefox.

I was thinking of trying to download some other application to see if the same thing happens, or if the problem is only with Firefox, but i won't do that unless advised.

Thank you all for your help...I feel quite miserable as I think Firefox is better than Maxthon, which I am using temporarily.

 

These symptoms can be sign of major problems, but I not like to start making assumption towards what the possibilities can be until we ruled out couple of things.

I would suggest downloading some software and see if it can be only executed, if you don’t run into same or similar problems with the download program or programs you can cancel without proceeding with the Installation for most softwares.

You don’t have to download anything from places you aren’t known to, for instance try downloading from official sites belonging to software you use and love.

 

Phantom:

Downloaded a programme called Diagnose. OK until I tried to run/install.

This time the error read:

Error 193

Unable to execute file in the temporary directory. Set up aborted. Error 193.

I think Error 193 is associated with %1 is not a valid win 32 app.

I read further and ran the Symantec Sircam worm remover...but nothing was found.

Looks like I am in deep doo doos!

I just wish I was smarter!!

 

Anniel, when said you earlier:

Are you sure you allowed Trend-online to download an activeX component?, in SP2 they are blocked default, and you have to allow it (the onlinescanners need it to function properly) when using an online scanner in SP2 you will be promted with a yellow bar at the top (almost) of IE/Maxthon (see screenshot) if you don't see it, then you need to enable it in Maxthon: options > Maxthon options > Download > allow activeX. Links to online scanners are in my signature.

You could also try System File Checker; place your Windows CD in the drive, click start > run type in CMD, when the black window opens type in "sfc /scannow" (SFC is a part of Windows File Protection) this will replace any changed/damaged system files with a clean copy. SFC may not solve every problem, but it's a good start that anyone can do.

Hope this helps.

 

What is the actual link to this Diagnose file ?

Also....and I don't want to stray you from the direction you are heading....but I'd like to go back to this Firefox download. The one in Phantoms post....is that one of the downloads that's causing this ?

The reason I ask is because the exe file in the link from Phantoms post shows as 72s.sfx as it's Internal Name via properties. You also mention 7.zip in one of your posts...."This 7.Zip error box". When I see sfx and 7.zip....my first thoughts are a compression utility problem or a registry entry dealing with opening of or extracting sfx type files ?

 

Phantom very sensibly suggested that I should try to download and install another application to make sure it was not just Firefox that was affected by the error.

So I chose Diagnose, which is a utility programme, purely as a guinea pig to see what would happen. I was unable to install it. So now we know it is a general problem and not just with Firefox.

I am unsure about your question about Phantom's link. I am sorry, but I do not understand what you mean.

I do hope we can get it sorted.

Thanks

 

Anniel,

The steps you have taken have narrowed the problem down - basically downloading is not a problem but running installation files is. Bubba's suggestion about the problem being a compression utility related one is the most likely in my view.

Given that you have mentioned 7-zip, I would suggest checking to see if it is listed in your Control Panel Add/Remove programs section. If so, try uninstalling it. If the problem continues, check for other compression utilities (e.g. Winzip, WinRar, WinAce, ZipGenius - for that matter Zip(anything) ) and try uninstalling those also (Windows XP can handle .zip files without extra software so you should still be able to open them when necessary).

 

I have just checked my add/remove in CP and none of the programmes are mentioned there. I am at a loss to understand where the 7 Zip came from.

I have no such programmes at all.

Thanks for the help...I do hope this problem can be solved.

 

I decided to have a look in Regedit and searched for Firefox. the following were found...I have not deleted them and this is after only ONE search:

ab (Default) REG_SZ (Value Not Set)

ab 000 " programs

ab001 " program file

ab002 " 7-Zip

ab003 " program folder

ab004 " 7-Zip

ab005 " firefox


Does this show up any problem?

I had uninstalled and deleted all firefox files before, but had not been in the registry as I know better than to muck around without knowing what you are doing.

Should I bite the bullet and deletethese and any others I find under Firefox?

I am worried about there being programs, program file and program folder.

 

As was suggested in an above post...."What is the actual link to this Diagnose file ?
". This could possibly help determine if you are experiencing a software compression issue.

 

According to Microsoft KB 279625, two possible causes are Internet Explorer being damaged or not installed properly and MDAC (Microsoft Data Access Components) not being installed properly.

For IE, try following these steps (given in the KB article):

To repair your installation of Internet Explorer:

1. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.
2. Double-click Add/Remove Programs.
3. Double-click Microsoft Internet Explorer version.
4. Click Repair the current installation of Internet Explorer, and then click OK.

For MDAC, download and install MDAC 2.8 from the Microsoft Data Access Components (MDAC) 2.8 page (although MS ask you to authenticate your copy of Windows for this, it is optional).

 

Note: if you do download MDAC, make sure you download Security Patch MS04-003 and install that afterwards.

 

My next step would have been to determine if the download is entirely being downloaded, so I would go-to http://digestit.kennethballard.com/download.html and download “MD5 for Win32” (a small little user-friendly utility) and install and then go-to the download location containing the firefox download file and right click and select “Hash File” in the Menu.

And post the MD5 Hash you see there…

 

Tonight I managed to rid myself of the problem.

1. I bit the bullet and deleted the items in Regedit, after reading a lot about what I was doing and being very careful.

2. I used Tune Up Utilities to search for any references to Firefox in the registry. Two were found. I deleted them.

3. I had a programme on my desktop called XPFix and ran that.

4. I then ran crap cleaner to empty all the rubbish files that might be there.

5. I shut down the PC and rebooted.

6. I then downloaded Firefox 1.0.2 and miraculously it installed and all is well.

I would also like to tell you that in the middle of all this in the afternoon, Avast alerted me to a virus attack on my PC....it was called SDFE ZhugeLiang-4784. It was all dealt with efficiently, but it gave me a scare. I have not been able to find out anything about it.


I have made notes of all I have done in case it happens again.

I would like to thank you all most sincerely for holding my hand. I can tell you I was at my wits end. I had even rung my son in Australia who is an IT specialist and we agreed that we would spend an hour or so on the phone next Sunday using Net Meeting so he could take over my PC and try to find out what his naive mother had done.

I will be a regular visitor to Wilders so I can try to pick up some tips.

If there was any general advice you would give to dimwits like me....what would it be?

 

Along with the other requests....would you also attempt to install the Mozilla download again....and after downloading....attempt the install. If it gets to the extraction part and doesn't complete....do not close out any error boxes or install boxes until you look for a file named install_status.log on your Hard drive....and post the contents of that log file to a post in this thread Please. It possibly will be in your....D:\Documents and Settings\user signon\Local Settings\Temp\ns_temp folder.


BTW....is this you also---> anniel

Edit:

Glad you were able to resolve your problem

 

Anniel,

Glad to hear your problem's resolved and thanks for posting an update.