Is this at any site or some sites?

Firefox should treat EXE files just like any other file.

Start Firefox in Safe Mode {web Link} by holding down the <Shift>
(Mac=Options) key, and then starting Firefox. A small dialog should appear. Click Start In Safe Mode (not Refresh).

Is the problem still there?

restarting in safe mode had no change. and it appears to be all sites. ive attempeted .exe downloads from well known trusted sites like www.java.com and adobe flash.... etc..

Start your Computer in safe mode with networking. Then start Firefox. Try Safe websites. Is the problem still there?

Starting The Computer In Safe Mode;
Free Online Encyclopedia

thanks again for the reply I am unable to start this computer in Safe mode. it is an IT manages system and bitlocker data encryption is enabled, and will not boot in any other mode without getting key codes from IT to enable other options. I have confirmed that there are no group policy items specific to firefox or downloading .exe.

I asked for Safe Mode because I suspected your protection programs. Have your IT check this out.

I have checked with IT, and they have confirmed there is nothing browser specific configured. (im able to download EXE's with IE and Chrome on this machine) I am also able to download exe's from other machines running firefox in our office, just not on my primary machine, and cant for the life of me figure it out. Are there any other suggestions? (in the mean time i will try to get into safe mode to confirm.)

i am also able to download exes from other machines running firefox in lab

Ask your IT to disable your protection as a test. What programs are you using for protection?

getting closer. we have Semantic Endpoint protection enabled.(still attempting to get IT to disable this short term to test) I found a log file that shows that, even thought my "downloads" directory is set to C:\Users\<user>\Desktop the initial download is attempting to go to c:\Users\<user>\AppData\local\Temp\. and this appears to be a protected directory.

Why is it attempting to download here first and not the designated download directory?

Tell your IT about that. Endpoint may be blocking this.

When you choose to look at, view, or download a file, first it is downloaded. If you are just viewing the file, it is downloaded to a temp folder, then opened from there.

Otherwise, it is downloaded to your chosen folder for later use.

Your system may be downloading to the temp first, then moving the file to the chosen folder after.

will9875 said

I found a log file that shows that, even thought my "downloads" directory is set to C:\Users\<user>\Desktop the initial download is attempting to go to c:\Users\<user>\AppData\local\Temp\. and this appears to be a protected directory.

Why is it attempting to download here first and not the designated download directory?

Firefox always uses the Windows temp folder to start the download in the background, it has started as soon as you see the Open/Save/Cancel dialog.

Can you use Open, for example, if you are launching a download such as PDF that has a well established handler?

If Open works but Save does not, there may be a permissions issue moving the EXE to the destination folder. Something like that came up a long time ago, but I haven't heard of it recently.

non executable files download just fine for me. I have changed settings to "always ask me where to download" I still get a "failed" download before it even asks me open/save/cancel.

is there a way to maybe change the windows temp location firefox uses? IE and Chrome do not have this problem on this computer and use different locations

In the past, some users have created a new environment variable, using a batch file, to point Firefox to a different temp folder location. I haven't tried that myself. Here's an example thread from another site about that:

[SOLVED] Force Folder "mozilla-temp-files" to a Ramdisk? • mozillaZine Forums

Thanks, Changing the environment variable made a difference. Symantic was blocking exe's in the default TEMP folders. following this:

http://forums.mozillazine.org/viewtopic.php?f=38&t=2950121

%USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Temporary Internet Files\

I redirected TEMP and TMP to point to the IE temp folder, restarted firefox and the download worked.

Thanks again everyone for the help!