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After downloading a file "Scanning for viruses" in Downloads never completes

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  • 17 have this problem
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  • Last reply by cor-el

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When I download a file, in the Downloads window, instead of completing normally, I get a green bar that says "Scanning for viruses" that never stops (so even after several minutes those files continue to be scanned (or it looks like that's what is happening), and double clicking doesn't open the downloaded file or folder, instead it opens the folder that contains the file or folder.

This happened

Every time Firefox opened

== 7/15/10 (I think when I installed the most recent Firefox update)

When I download a file, in the Downloads window, instead of completing normally, I get a green bar that says "Scanning for viruses" that never stops (so even after several minutes those files continue to be scanned (or it looks like that's what is happening), and double clicking doesn't open the downloaded file or folder, instead it opens the folder that contains the file or folder. == This happened == Every time Firefox opened == 7/15/10 (I think when I installed the most recent Firefox update)

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It is possible that your anti-virus software is corrupting the downloaded files or otherwise interfering with downloading files by Firefox. You can try to disable the real-time (live) scanning of files in your anti-virus software temporarily to see if that makes downloading work. Do not forget to re-enable the scanning in your anti-virus software after you are finished with downloading and installing. .......... See also http://kb.mozillazine.org/Unable_to_save_or_download_files (Disable virus scanning in Firefox preferences - Windows)