Solution:
For better or worse, the Internet is a dynamic entity. That means links get updated, files are moved (or removed) constantly, and Web pages don't always keep up with all of the changes. This leads to a lot of errors, such as the one described above, and makes them much tougher to unravel. The potential causes go far beyond the few suggestions provided by the error message.
In most cases, the error is generated when the file you are attempting to download no longer exists at the location to which the download link points. The file itself still may be around; it just isn't where the link says it is.
The first thing to check is whether you can access the site that purportedly contains the file. Use your mouse to highlight the link, expand the Edit menu, and click Copy. If the full link is not listed, meaning it uses plain text in place of a link, right-click the link and select Copy Shortcut from the menu that appears.
Open a new browser window and clear the contents of the Address bar, making sure the blinking cursor is the only thing visible. Expand the Edit menu and click Paste. Now edit the link so only the main Web site is listed in the Address bar. For example, if the link says http://www.smartcomputing.com/files/file.exe, edit the text so it just says http://www.smartcomputing.com. Press ENTER and see if Internet Explorer displays the home page for the site. If it does, the site itself is working, which means the file you're looking for has been moved or deleted or the link is pointing to the wrong place. Try to search from the site's home page or contact the site's Webmaster to see if he can help you locate the file.
If the site itself isn't working, it may be down for maintenance or because of an unanticipated problem. It's possible the site's been removed permanently. Check back every day or so to see if things are restored, and the file download link may work once the site reappears. If you're attempting to download a popular file, the site you are trying to download from may be overwhelmed with requests; it might be locking out latecomers until the people who made the initial requests are accommodated. In this case, you can wait it out or look for a mirror site that contains a copy of the file. Mirror sites, such as Tucows (http://www.tucows.com), are excellent places to visit when you are looking for a popular file.
Occasionally, a typo or another problem with the link is responsible for the error. When you copy the link into the Web browser's address bar, look closely for odd characters, such as the percent sign (%), that look out of place (http://www.smartcomputing.com%/files%/file.exe, for example). Remove the extraneous characters and press ENTER to see if the link works. Sometimes (very rarely) you can find the file manually by backing up one level at a time and working your way back down by clicking links. For example, if http://www.smartcomputing.com/files/downloads/utilities/file.exe is broken, copy the link into your browser and delete everything after the last forward slash (/) so it reads http://www.smartcomputing.com/files/downloads/utilities. If the site lets you into the Utilities folder, you can look for File.exe and download it from there.
Usually, you'll get an error saying you're not authorized to view the page. If that happens, back up one more level (http://www.smartcomputing.com/files/downloads, for instance) and try again. Repeat this until you get to a level where you're granted access and try to find a link that leads you back where you wanted to be in the first place. In the examples given, if you are able to view the Downloads folder, look for a Utilities link and try to find the file.
Finally, this error message sometimes appears when the security settings of certain programs restrict you from downloading attachments, pictures, or other files. For example, Microsoft Money users sometimes get the error message listed above because their IE security settings are a little too restrictive. A generic way to fix the problem is to open IE, expand the Tools menu, click Internet Options, and select the Advanced tab. Scroll down to the Security options and remove the check from the Do Not Save Encrypted Pages To Disk box. Click Apply and the error message should appear less frequently. If you're using a program other than IE or Microsoft Money when the error message appears, you should contact the manufacturer, take a look on its Web site, and/or look at the documentation to see if the Internet security settings are too restrictive.
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