Avatar for Username

Search Support

Avoid support scams. We will never ask you to call or text a phone number or share personal information. Please report suspicious activity using the “Report Abuse” option.

Learn More

This thread was archived. Please ask a new question if you need help.

Firefox will not actually download or save any file

  • 2 replies
  • 3 have this problem
  • 2 views
  • Last reply by ausher8

ausher8
ausher8
more options

Firefox will show that it is downloading and saving a file, but it is not. The file will show in the downloads window but will not actually be saved anywhere on my computer that I can find by navigating to a folder manually or by search.

I have tried numerous fixes including clearing the download history, changing where the file downloads, whether it should ask me every time, resetting the download folder under about:config, resetting actions for file types, opening in safe mode, all extensions and plugins disabled, trying in a new profile, and even resetting Firefox. Nothing works.

Files download perfectly in other browsers.

Firefox will show that it is downloading and saving a file, but it is not. The file will show in the downloads window but will not actually be saved anywhere on my computer that I can find by navigating to a folder manually or by search. I have tried numerous fixes including clearing the download history, changing where the file downloads, whether it should ask me every time, resetting the download folder under about:config, resetting actions for file types, opening in safe mode, all extensions and plugins disabled, trying in a new profile, and even resetting Firefox. Nothing works. Files download perfectly in other browsers.

All Replies (2)

cor-el
cor-el
  • Moderator
  • Top 10 Contributor
more options

It is possible that anti-virus software is corrupting downloaded files or is otherwise interfering with downloading files.
Try to disable the real-time (live) scanning of files in your anti-virus software temporarily to see if that makes downloading work.

See:

ausher8
ausher8 Question owner
more options

I've been through everything on http://kb.mozillazine.org/Unable_to_save_or_download_files more than once. Anything that did work was temporary.

I use Zone Alarm. I tried snoozing the anti-virus and firewall for 5 minutes. All the files I had downloaded suddenly showed up right where they were supposed to be. I was also able to download new files perfectly. Of course the anti-virus and firewall came back up. The files were again gone and I'm back to not being able to see what I'm downloading.