Cannot download EXE or setup files

Hello All,

I noticed this as a problem yesterday on my newly built MacBook Pro - Mac OS X 10.6.3 (all updates) only when the Java update kept failing in Windows 7 Ultimate VM running on Parallels 5.0. Lots of hints online about this issue, but no solution, so I decided to at least figure out root cause.

So here's what I did and the cause, at least for me, was Symantec's Norton Anti-Virus For Mac 11.1 (both before and after running Live Update).

First, I boot my MacBook Pro from my external FireWire drive that has my emergency backup/restore boot image, and contains no anti-virus or virtualization software. Just a vanilla Snow Leopard image. Downloading executable/full-size EXE files in Safari worked. So nothing to do with routers or DHCP or network adapters.

Next, I boot my MacBook from current Mac OS install on internal HDD which includes Mac OS X 10.6.3, all Apple updates, Norton Anti-Virus, Live Updates, and finally Parallels 5.0 (which is the order in which they were installed). And as suspected, EXE downloads do not work in Mac OS or in the Windows VM. However, if I change Parallels to use Bridged instead of Shared Networking, the VM will download properly. This pretty much indicated to me that it was something to do with Mac OS or Anti-Virus, since Bridged essentially bypasses the Mac OS and anti-virus.

Next, I uninstalled Parallels and manually removed all files, folders, and plists that remained. Mac OS still wouldn't download EXE files correctly. Interestingly, the corrupt EXE files still showed Parallels icons, due to a rogue plist file. Once deleted and reboot, EXE files no longer showed up as Parallels-associated icons.

Next, I uninstall Norton Anti-Virus, and hunt down remaining folders and plists. Mac OS downloads EXE files in Safari again! Success! I even copy the EXE over to Windows machine to make sure they actually execute.

So at this point, I decide to re-install Parallels BEFORE re-installing Norton. I want to see if Parallels is guilty of any mischief. I install the latest Parallels (downloaded by the installer) and configure settings to use Shared Networking. Boot the VM and IE8 in the VM can successfully download EXE files again! Success!

Now I have a Mac OS X 10.6.3 system with Parallels 5.0 and Windows 7 Ultimate+IE8 in a VM and both download EXE files properly.

Finally, I reinstall Norton Anti-Virus and run Live Update. To my dismay, Mac OS X and Parallels once again no longer successfully download EXE files. Uninstall Norton Anti-Virus again, and now I can download EXE files successfully again.

At least for me, it clearly is an anti-virus issue, and Norton/Symantec in particular. I've messed around with settings, even turned all settings in Norton OFF/DISABLED and as long as it is installed, I have the problem with EXE downloads.

Not sure if all Anti-Virus are an issue but I need to work on finding a fix for Norton or try a different anti-virus package.

Hope this helps and/or gives others some possible hints and possibly lead to a solution (at least for Parallels+Symantec combo - must be a setting or plist or combination I would think).

Daniel
 
possible fix for some

Just stumbled on this thread have an explanation for some of the problems reported here. One of the integration features that Parallels introduces is called "Shared Profiles". when turned on, this feature will mirror certain user folders such as My Documents, My Music, My Desktop, etc. It allows you to store and access all of your files from both the host and guest Operating systems in one central repository. While the files are accessible from both the Mac and the Windows side simultaneously, they physically live on the Mac side. So, the installer files that appear to be downloading and saving to the Windows desktop for example are actually being saved to the Mac desktop and only sym-links are being saved to Windows. Try opening up the configuration editor and turning off "Shared Profiles" or at least un-check the shared Desktop part of the feature
 
I have found this a problem with Firefox downloads, but not Internet Explorer.

Firefox seems to truncate the file at random points in the download. Each download of a file produces a different file size, and the file is not executable. Internet Explorer downloads the full file, with no problem.

There was no improvement after setting the network controller to bridged mode.
 
Shared Profiles Was the Problem for Me

Thanks to the post by David Spackman, on April 27, 2010, I can now download the exe or setup files in the Windows 7 Guest OS. As soon as I turned off the shared profiles, I was able to download whatever file I needed. Yeah, baby! Parallels support had me trying all sorts of fixes, but none of them worked. Here are a few things they had me try:

1. Switch to bridged networking
2. Turn off my firewall and anti-virus
3. Try fixes from this post:

I don't really mind not having the "Shared Profiles", but the issue should be taken care of. Way to go, David!

Here is his quoted post:

"Just stumbled on this thread have an explanation for some of the problems reported here. One of the integration features that Parallels introduces is called "Shared Profiles". when turned on, this feature will mirror certain user folders such as My Documents, My Music, My Desktop, etc. It allows you to store and access all of your files from both the host and guest Operating systems in one central repository. While the files are accessible from both the Mac and the Windows side simultaneously, they physically live on the Mac side. So, the installer files that appear to be downloading and saving to the Windows desktop for example are actually being saved to the Mac desktop and only sym-links are being saved to Windows. Try opening up the configuration editor and turning off "Shared Profiles" or at least un-check the shared Desktop part of the feature."

Glenn
 
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