So you cant download another type of browser
try and see www.mozilla.com
Legendary stability of IE impressive

What exactly happens? You click on a link to a .zip file and it goes to a "Page cannot be displayed page" or it pops up a window that says "Internet Explorer cannot download the file" ?

If you get the first, then that file doesn't exist. If you get the second, then again, the file may not be there as in the link to that file isn't valid.

Does it happen with everything you try to download?

when i click to download the file download box appears,saying getting the file informationwith the image of paper going into the folder.after a minute or so it says unable to open the internet site either unavailable or not found.this is with zip file and jpeg but can save the j pegs as target.with mpgs windows media says after 5 mins unable to find site check url spellings .bearing in mind everything was perfect until a few days ago when i ran spybot.could spybot of deleted some files or registry.
cheers geoff.b

geoff.bQUOTE:bearing in mind everything was perfect until a few days ago when i ran spybot.could spybot of deleted some files or registry.
cheers geoff.QUOTE:
Did you use spybot search and destroy or a spy bot?Remeber when using registry tools RTFM read the fine manual

i used searh and distroy and like an idiot didnt read the help files
geoff.b

XPcontrol panel add/ remove on the side(left) its says add remove windows components unistall IE then down load that crapp again

cheers mate
geoff