Magick Posted March 16, 2017 Report Share Posted March 16, 2017 I'm completely lost as to what's going on and how to solve this issue. I've had it for a while now, maybe a couple of years, but it's been sporadic and tolerable to some degree. The issue is while internet-ing, apparently at random, my browser will try to download a file instead of opening the page. Not to be confused with "I clicked on a file and wanted it opened, not downloaded." That's not the issue. We're talking about "I go to theforsakenlands.com/community/index.php and it downloads (or attempts to download) a file called index.php and keeping my browser screen blank." Most times, anyway. Now the issue in the past has been irregular, infrequent and more or less managable. I'm not entirely sure what's kicked it up a notch as seemingly every page I try to go to over the past 24-48 hours does this now. It's extremely aggravating. Google comes up with similar issues for Chrome that span (from what I can tell) as far back as 2011. There's little else through my Google Fu that I can find. Here's what I do know, though: It's not my AV. I've run several scans, nothing's turned up malware/virus wise. Not my firewall(s). It happens in both Chrome and Firefox - both are the current versions and have been throughout this issue. Specifically for Chrome, I do not have Internet Download Manager or similar program Firefox DL box says something about it being an application/octet-stream It's not my extensions/addons. I've turned them all off and the problem persists in both browsers. It's not my cache/cookies/history. It's not my ISP - there's been a change and the problem persists from one to the other. Though the change happened yesterday, I'm chalking things up to coincidence at the moment as far as the increase in frequency is concerned. It's random sites, be it a regularly visited site like the FL forums or a site the wife goes to. The internet is unhelpful concerning this problem. My Google Fu is strong, but I'm coming up nada. Apart from doing a full restore on my PC (which I'd really, rather not do), I have no idea what this is, how it came about or how to fix it. Ideas, suggestions and general assistance appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Celerity Posted March 16, 2017 Report Share Posted March 16, 2017 https://productforums.google.com/forum/#!msg/chrome/_cA0qdJ4LHI/mXVnnd1xOVMJ Try to google "browser tries to download php file"...lots of info. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magick Posted March 16, 2017 Author Report Share Posted March 16, 2017 The suggestions there amount to "It's IDM" or "Clear your...". In fact, most of the 'solutions' out there are IDM related. Additionally it's not limited to .php extensions, but .htm, .com, etc will try as well. I did mention that I don't have IDM, so that's obviously not the case. So ... been there. Done that. No dice. I've already been through every link in the first 3 pages of several different search results before I posted here. As I said, the internet is currently unhelpful. Other suggestions/insight? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mmm Coffee Posted March 16, 2017 Report Share Posted March 16, 2017 Does it happen on other browser-enabled devices in your network? If it's unique to your system, and there aren't any public solutions, it sounds like you're better of re-building. Or open a support case with Microsoft. One thing I would try: uninstall all browsers and install Oprah browser. If the problem persists, it's obviously something lower in the stack - a registry setting or proxy setting. I'm not savvy enough to troubleshoot that layer but rebuilding would probably be faster at that point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zavero Posted March 16, 2017 Report Share Posted March 16, 2017 What operating system are you running? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magick Posted March 16, 2017 Author Report Share Posted March 16, 2017 30 minutes ago, Mmm Beer said: Does it happen on other browser-enabled devices in your network? If it's unique to your system, and there aren't any public solutions, it sounds like you're better of re-building. Or open a support case with Microsoft. One thing I would try: uninstall all browsers and install Oprah browser. If the problem persists, it's obviously something lower in the stack - a registry setting or proxy setting. I'm not savvy enough to troubleshoot that layer but rebuilding would probably be faster at that point. I think that's why I moved over to Chrome as that was happening with FF and I got fed up with it there. When the problem persisted, ended up sucking it up. I've thought about Opera and I'll give it a shot, but my hopes aren't high. If it happens to two, it's as likely to happen to three. I, like you, aren't savvy enough to troubleshoot the reg layer, hence my plea. But to answer your question, it doesn't happen on my tablet, so the problem appears to be local in that aspect. Though I'd rather not, I've been wanting an external and housecleaning will give me an excuse. @Zavero I gots me a Windows 7. Didn't want me none of that 10 thing-a-ma-jig. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zavero Posted March 16, 2017 Report Share Posted March 16, 2017 Do you have the same issue with IE? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magick Posted March 16, 2017 Author Report Share Posted March 16, 2017 I haven't even opened IE since installing this OS, honestly. Though in the interest of science ... Hit a couple sites in a quick test, none did the auto-download thing. A number of times it did state that the page can't be displayed. Following the troubleshooter, it couldn't find the problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lloth Posted March 16, 2017 Report Share Posted March 16, 2017 Post your chrome, FF and IE settings and i will look through. Chrome imports settings from other browsers. IE does not. Hence why your problem persisted with Chrome but not IE (it just added its own). My guess is that when you're downloading pages, it's because of some developer setting you enabled by accident in FF. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magick Posted March 17, 2017 Author Report Share Posted March 17, 2017 Chrome does import settings from other browsers, but aside from bookmarks, passwords, search engines, home page and history, I'm not sure what Chrome would have brought over to do this. And speaking of settings, in the form of screenshots @Lloth? My brain isn't thinking properly at the moment. DL'd Opera. Imported no settings. It's doing the same thing, so I'm thinking it's not likely to be any of the browsers. Which leaves the PC itself or something outside my control. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zavero Posted March 18, 2017 Report Share Posted March 18, 2017 Honestly, without access to your PC and being able to see exactly what is happening plus your various settings it will be very difficult to pinpoint the issue unless it's an issue you can pan out via google search. You said you have already exhausted that method of diagnosis... and just from some basic searching it could be a number of things. Problem is we don't know exactly all you've done so far. So... I personally would start with the native browser and get its issue panned out. You said some websites wouldn't load using IE? Try to change the compatibility settings and see if those pages open afterwards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fool_Hardy Posted March 18, 2017 Report Share Posted March 18, 2017 Avoid custom security setting unless you are familiar with what to turn on and off. The first step is to remove obstructions your pc creates, if that works, turn those restrictions back on one by one, testing as you go. I suspect your being parental protected big guy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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