Problems with zip files

Hello.
This is my first post in the forum and I joined because I dont know how to solve the problem after reading tutorials and trying a few things.
I have VIsta Business 32 bit DELL Optiplex computer. I am not a newbie at computers but I am not a tech genius or anything like that. I am usually able to solve problems by going online an trying things. This time I think it might be a registry problem and I am too scared to go in there.

I recently purchased some software - english songs, mp3s and some pdfs for my english classes. I received them in zip file format.

THey downloaded from IE no problem and I saved them in the file in my documents where I wanted them.
Vista automatically unzips the files for me. I double clicked on the folder in the zip file and then it opened onto the documents in the folder. I then tried to open each pdf or mp3 file but nothing happens. I then deleted everything and went through a tutorial from this website on how to sort out zip file issues, downloaded zipfix_vista merged it and then tried again but the same problem is occuring.

I get the same problem happening with any attachment that comes to me in my windows live mail account but overcame that problem just by forwarding the messages on to my own gmail account and opening them there.

Can anyone give me advice on how to fix the issue? I am based in Japan so please understand time differences and me not getting back to questions asked promptly.

Regards

gimango

Hello Gimango, and welcome to Vista Forums.

Did you extract (drag and drop) the files out of the ZIP file before trying to open them?

Hello Brink

Thank you for your reply. I tried a couple of things

WHen IE asked me where I wanted to save them, I chose the destination in "my documents". The zipped file went there. First of all i just double clicked and opened up and found the final files in there and couldnt open them. Then the person who i bought the software from asked me to drag and drop the zip file onto the desktop to see if it would work and i did. It didnt work. Then I drag and dropped the folder in the zip file and when I open it, its empty. Then I tried dragging and dropping the pdf files onto the desktop and they wouldnt budge.

I used to be able to open zip files no problem, without even thinking how it was done and I dont know what would have changed whats happened.

THanks in advance.

See if downloading and merging the .reg file for the listed ZIP option in the tutorial below may help.

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/233243-default-file-type-associations-restore.html


Normally when you download a ZIP file to one of your user folder locations, you should be able to "extract all" contents, then be able to open the extracted files.

Hello Brink. sorry i took a while to get back to you. been offline for a while. Anyway I have just followed the tutorial and i have run into a similar problem. I saved the zip file to the desktop, then opened it and extracted it to the desktop but there is no file or folder even showing in there. It says "this folder is empty"

so where to from now?

The download for the zip option there is a .reg file. Try downloading it from here instead.

View attachment 27741

HI Brink. I am still finding nothing in the folders when i open other zip files. My computer has been acting up for a while now. I have problems with opening attachments in windows live mail too and in mozilla, whenever I download something I cant find it or get access to it so thats why i use IE for downloading now. i just bought reg pro clean though because my system has got so slow. that has helped a bit but some settings are unusual - like whats happening with my zip files now. where to from now?!

What AV program do you have installed?

It may be blocking them.

Personally, I would reinstall Vista to have a fresh start.

Brink said:

What AV program do you have installed?

It may be blocking them.

Personally, I would reinstall Vista to have a fresh start.

Click to expand...

I have AVG 2012, paid version. It seems that any zip file that I used to be able to access now doesnt allow me to open files at all. Reinstall VISTA??? that sounds scary. I just found my Reinstallation DVD that I got from Dell when I purchased this computer back in 2007 (yes my computer is old! but its been working fine till now!) I am currently doing a complete PC backup to an external hard drive. I chose to back up C drive only. well that option was checked and I didnt check the D drive option - what is on the d drive anyway?! Is it quite easy to reinstall all my previous programs and things like the webcam, printer, my avg av, microsoft home student edition, skype, regpro clean and a bunch of other stuff just from that back up? It just seems so daunting and I have a lot of work on the computer that i would be very scared to loose!

Thanks in advance Dr Brink!

Just as a test, temporarily disable AVG to see if you are able to extract files from a ZIP file, then open them.

Hi Brink. I did and it didnt help. Just to see if you notice anything strange, I took a screen shot of the files that are in the zip folder that I cannot open. I thought that the part that says "METHOD: Deflated" shows that the actual file is not in the correct format to open. But then again i am not an expert!

View attachment 27753

Could you also post a screenshot showing the file in the folder with all details showing to see if that may help?

I'll ask again just to make sure, but are you extracting (drag and drop) these files out of the ZIP folder before trying to open them? Files will not always open from within a ZIP folder.

HI Brink

Thanks for getting back to me. I did do the dragging and dropping. I double clicked the zip file to open it, then dragged the folder to the desktop. Nothing would show in the folder in some cases, and in other cases it was unclickable. But now, these folders shown below are in my documents since when I dragged and dropped, nothing showed up in the folder. This particular zip file set was mp3 song downloads. The other zip file had pdf documents and the last is software which I am currently downloading again - it takes about 30 minutes to download. I will try the software extract again by dragging and dropping but for now here are the screen shots from the mp3s. Ok just an update. I downloaded the zipfile to my desktop, opened it and then dragged and dropped that folder to the desktop again, it copied it over. But when I clicked on it, it says that the file is empty. The same location of the file shows as "archive root directory" is that where the problem is?

View attachment 27754 View attachment 27755

Thank you

"archive root directory" means that it's still in the ZIP file. You didn't extract the file folder our of the ZIP file.

HI Brink. But when I do that, then there is nothing in the folder. Look at the screen shot below

View attachment 27758

either that happens or the files that are in the extracted folder are not clickable.
so must i try another type of zip file extraction software instead?
if so what do you recommend?

I doubt that it will make a difference but try hitting the unblock button shown in your second screenshot. Also there are alternatives to using windows explorer for zip files. One such program is winrar. Is it only this zip file that isn't working? If so perhaps it is corrupted.

In addition to what townsbg suggested, the free 7-Zip program is a good one.

townsbg said:

I doubt that it will make a difference but try hitting the unblock button shown in your second screenshot. Also there are alternatives to using windows explorer for zip files. One such program is winrar. Is it only this zip file that isn't working? If so perhaps it is corrupted.

Click to expand...

Hi townsbg. I used to be able to access zip files no problem. DId it without even thinking how it was done. NOw when i click on other zip files, they dont open properly either. I did unblock by the way, and then the files showed but then when I click on them, it says to extract them, and when I do, then they disappear! So I dont know whats up. So if i download winrar or the other one brink suggested do i have to download the zip files from scratch again and then try to reopen them or can I just download the zip file software and go from there?

Ok, just downloaded 7zip and extracted the files from the zip folder and the files are now clickable. At least one is. The others are SWF files which my computer doesnt recognise but I will contact the guy i got the software from and find out how to access it. WHy on earth would the vista zip file extract component stop working suddenly???? I guess this thread is solved. Thanks for your help and patience.

Let us know. As for SWF try this page: SWF File Extension - Open .SWF files

It's not listed (except in a comment) but VLC media player should also work.