Having problems installing/running anything!

[DacadeXI]

Hello everyone. I'm here because I'm having a big problem. I have two computers, both Gateways, both the FX series, one's the Laptop, other's a desktop. Both have Vista installed. The laptop has the 64-bit ultimate edition, while the desktop has the 64-bit home edition. I've had little to no problems with the laptop, and I've had no problems with the desktop....until now. I tried to download winrar, and when I went to install, it said that some files were not able to install and that I should restart my computer and try again. I did so, and same problem came up. I noticed the second time around that the file it was having problems with was the .exe file.

I really needed something that could open a .zip file, so I tried to download 7-Zip instead, and came accross the same problem. I'm pretty decent with computers, so I tried to fix the problem myself. I ran 2 different virus scans (McAfee and Norton), 2 different registry cleaners (cclean and eusing), and I tried running a few adware removers including Hitman Pro, and other than a few small registry errors, nothing shows up. I still have the same issue, but now I noticed I can't install any .exe files and some .exe files won't even run. Now I'm having problems connecting to the internet with that computer. I've done everything from going through the registy myself and trying to run msconfig and stop all programs and services from starting up that arn't Microsoft, and still have the same issue. I tried to run everything as administrator as well, nothing....

I want to try to fix this problem without completely wiping everyting out and starting from scratch, but I don't know what else to do. I've tried to shut off windows defender and UAC and still same issue. This is getting very frustrating.

 

[DacadeXI]

Ok, update. I wanted to change my OS on my laptop from the 64-bit version of Vista back to 32-bit (less problems with 32-bit when running some programs). I did so, and pretty much had a new computer. I got online and downloaded McAfee from Devry University (because I'm currently going to school there, and it's a free download for students). When the download finished, it asked me if I wanted Normal or Strong protection, and since I currently live in an apartment with a wireless network, I picked the stong protection...big mistake. That's when I started having problems with my Laptop doing the same thing as my Desktop, (not letting me install anything or change anything, or pretty much letting me do anything). After thinking about what's going on, I decided to try to lower the security that McAfee offered (even though I shut McAfee off before and still had the problem). When I lowered the security, everything went back to normal. I suggest anyone having the same issue I had should check their virus protection, as it may be causing more problems then good. I've fixed both my computers now, and everything is ok.

 

[IMiteBable2help]

I had the same problem with winrar (and lots of other apps) on Vista 64 bit. Are you sure you were using the 64 bit version installer of winrar? If you just got the same installer you were having trouble with, to install now that you have 32 bit windows, then that's the problem. You weren't using the 64 bit installer. Anyway, I know people who bought PC's with Vista 64 bit and it's pretty useless. Can't run anything that we want to on it. The worst thing is, they had no particular reason to go with 64 bit. Unless you have a need for a massively excessive amount of RAM, or some other specific reason to go over the limitations of 32 bit, then stick with 32 bit. Only downside is that if your computer already has more than 4 GB of RAM, it won't make any difference, you will be limited to 4 GB. Still plenty however.

When I saw the title of your post, I thought to myself, "probably got 64 bit Vista, just to be 'cool' and now can't run anything" My friend's 64 bit Visa machine gives me the same "some files were not able to..." all the dang time. It's pathetic. He has 8 GB of ram, (twice the maximum for 32 bit) but has yet to even use 3 gig of it due to the fact that hardly anything will install OR use that much ram even if it did install. The most pathetic part of all, is he has a decent, newer quad-core and his machine is soooo slow compared to the one in my sig. I mean slow. He bought it thinking more cores=better. more ram=better. 64 bit=better than 32 bit. Well I hate to break it to you but...