Frequent NSIS Error

This is similar to a previous post (http://forums.winamp.com/showthread....ght=nsis+error). I seem to be having the same sort of problem.

I keep getting the following error on many different files I've tried to install:

<quote>
NSIS Error

The installer you are trying to use is corrupted or incomplete. Thes could be the result of a damaged disk, a failed download or a virus.

You may want to contact the author of this installer to obtain a new copy.

It may be possible to skip this check using the /NCRC command line switch (NOT RECOMMENTED).
</quote>

The first time it happened was trying to install the latest version of Azureus. I downloaded an older version, which installed fine, had it auto-update, and that worked.

The next was rarx. I can't remember how I got it to eventually install, but I did finally get it to work.

I've gotten this error trying to install new drivers for my Philips Shoqbox.

Most recently, and frustratingly, I get this error with DefilerPak and vlc. (I can listen to my .avi files, but I want to watch them too.)

Every file I download, I scan with Avast(hey, it's free) to make sure it's virus free, so it shouldn't be that. The first couple times this happened, I was willing to believer there was some sort of corruption somewhere, even when I tried downloading the file multiple times from multiple mirrors.

Now it's getting to the point where I think there must be something wrong with how my 'puter interacts with NSIS files. I ran a Kaspersky virus scan (from their website) in addition to my Avast. All clean. I ran Microsoft Antispyware and found nothing. Finally, I ran chkdsk. No problems there.

Could it be some sort of decompression issue? When I was trying to install Defiler and got the above error message with the self-executable, I tried downloading a .zip version of the installer. When I used the windows 'extract all' command on it, I got this error:

<quote>
<title>Compressed (zipped) Folders Error</title>

Error reading the file
</quote>

Once again, same problem from multiple downloads and multiple mirrors. Also, I just uncompressed a large batch of files I had archived with no troubles.

Sorry if this isn't the right place to post this problem, but I've tried a few other places, and no one seems to have any advice beyond what I've already tried.

Any of you have any ideas?

thanks,

You might want to check out your RAM - memtest is a useful tool for that.

This is your awnser:

The installer you are trying to use is corrupted or incomplete. Thes could be the result of a damaged disk, a failed download or a virus.

Chances of Azureus installer was corrupted during uploading, downloading, even virus by the developer are also pretty high.

Yeah, if it had only been Azureus, I wouldn't have worried about it. It's when it started being a consistant error that I started to think something was wrong.

I downloaded MemTest, and I've been running it for about an hour now with no errors found. I'll go ahead and let it run for a few days just to make sure, but it doesn't look like a memory problem. Thanks for the tip Rob.

Does anyone else have any ideas? Any input would be greatly appreciated.

Try using Free Download Manager to download the file. I have had a few download corruptions in the past and this little program prevents corrupting the file during download.

Funny thing Jason. I tried downloading the download manager manager you suggested, but when I tried to install it, I got an error message:

"The setup files are corrupted. Please obtain a new copy of the program."

I'm assuming it uses NSIS like every other piece of software that has an installation procedure. I tried downloading a couple times from the site. I couldn't find any mirrors, and I couldn't find older versions available for download, so I wasn't able to try those.

Seriously, I think there is something weird going on with winxp that is making it so it won't play nice with NSIS. Does this sound at all plausible? I don't know how it interacts with the OS. I still think it's some issue with how NSIS compresses/decompresses the data.

Thanks again everyone for your help.

Have you scanned for viruses?
If so, what antivirus software do you have installed?

This has happened in the past where antivirus software has falsely detected a virus in an NSIS installer and 'repaired' the executable making it corrupt.

Here's an idea: Download and install NSIS from the nightly build Zip: http://nsis.sourceforge.net/nightly/nsis.zip
Run NSIS\makensisw.exe and open one of the example scripts in the NSIS\Examples folder. Then click Test Installer. If the same error occurs then my assumptions would be correct.

-Stu

Actually, Free Download Manager uses Inno Setup for its install program.

Do you use Internet Explorer to download files?

-Stu

Stu,

Avast! antivirus (the free one)
&
Firefox for all my internet needs.

I haven't tried out your idea yet, but when I get a chance I will.

btw, I did successfully install fddshow yesterday. I don't know if that tells anyone anything.

Thanks again.

Here's an idea: Download and install NSIS from the nightly build Zip: http://nsis.sourceforge.net/nightly/nsis.zip
Run NSIS\makensisw.exe and open one of the example scripts in the NSIS\Examples folder. Then click Test Installer. If the same error occurs then my assumptions would be correct.

I tried it out, and it said that everything worked fine. No errors. I guess I was just having bad luck or there's some weird corruption somewhere in my OS. I've been thinking about reinstalling winxp anyways, so if the problem persists and gets annoying enough, I'll just do that.

Thanks again for all your help.

As you are using Firefox, what happens if you use Internet Explorer to download a file?
It could just be a Firefox issue...

-Stu

As you are using Firefox, what happens if you use Internet Explorer to download a file?

OMG! 😱

I downloaded the exact same file from the exact same place using IE, and it installed fine. 🧟

That really makes absolutely no sense to me.

Thanks for fixing my problem Stu. I never would have thought of such a simple solution on my own. I still wish I knew what the hell Firefox was doing that screwed it up.

Thanks.

Essemar - I am having the exact problem as you on a brand new computer that is a mere few hours old. I scanned for virii and malware and the like, did a chkdsk, and the whole shebang. Still get the error on all downloaded install packages.

When I switch to downloading from MSIE, everything is FINE.

How does this NSIS script interpreter function exactly? Does every PC have it installed or something? I downloaded the nightly build and I still get this problem but, again, only from Firefox (v1.5.0.1).

I am at a loss for what causes this.

/Kafka

Kafka,

I don't know what's going on, and I was pretty shocked when using IE made everything A OK.

I did submit a bug report to Bugzilla, and you probably should too. Someone else there has experienced the same problem.

No PC has anything like NSIS interpreter installed. All NSIS installers are completely self-contained. In fact, as essemar has shown, it doesn't happen only with NSIS. Everything he downloaded was corrupted, including ZIP files and Inno Setup installers.

I really doubt this is a Firefox bug. I use Firefox and I've never had a corrupted download. It might be a problem with your connection, a bad Firefox extension or some program running in the background and interrupting, maybe even a bad driver.

Thanks for your reply, kich... obviously, I have no idea if its Firefox per se. If its systemic as you suggest (eg. bad driver, bad connection) then that would affect MSIE as well, wouldn't it?

Also note that my entire install is absolutely pristine - brand new hardware across the board that passes every test I give it. The only observation that I have is that downloads work 100% in MSIE, and near zero percent in FF (including NSIS installers, zipfiles and the like).

/K

Well, it could be something that only happens with Firefox and a driver, or a transparent-proxy on your ISP which acts weirdly with Firefox. But I seriously doubt such a noticeable problem with Firefox on its own goes undetected for so long by so many.

Well I have the latest version installed and I've never had a corrupt download (of any file type).

-Stu

I've used FF on a zillion other PCs without ever seeing a problem (which is why I'm so surprised at this one).

You're probably correct in pointing out a compatibility issue between FF and something else. Likely not anything ISP side, as I have FF on other PCs in my house.

Thanks for your responses...
Cheers,
K

It may be something wrong with your Firefox profile. If you move the profile folder under Application Data\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles (.Default User) then it should create a new one with default settings.

-Stu

You guys might be interested in taking this conversation over here:

Originally posted by essemar
OMG! 😱

I downloaded the exact same file from the exact same place using IE, and it installed fine. 🧟

That really makes absolutely no sense to me.

Sorry, my English is very very poor.

In my experience about firefox. If you used an extension called "Down Them All" to download an execute file then you might got an broken execute file. So I droped it. I suggest you download it by other download manager, like Flashgot.

Kafka47, are you using Avast Antivirus by any chance?
What firewall software are you both using (if any).

-Stu

Standard WinXP firewall and I'm behind a LinkSys router with its firewall turned on.

i get the same NSIS error with about 50% of all zip files and install files i donwload.

i have tried to scan for virus with Avast Antivirus and AVG antivirus, and found non. i have also tried to download files with both IE and Firefox but i still got the NSIS error

***
Installer corrupted or incomplete

This could be the result of a failed download or corruption from a virus

If desperate, try /NCRC command line switch (NOT RECOMMENDED)
***

can anyone help?!!?

I'm waiting to see if Kafka47 is using Avast Anti-virus as well. snne23 is using it so there may be a correlation here.

-Stu

Turns out that the driver installation for my integrated nVidia NIC included a firewall that, although completely disabled, still munged downloads from Firefox.

I had disabled it immediately on setting up my system, but even in the disabled state it was still doing *something*. Once I removed this piece of crap everything returned to normal.

On a side note, I did use Avast - but only after I had started seeing the problem.

I'm going to give feedback to nVidia on this issue. Their NIC driver suite includes some pretty bizarre stuff (including an integrated CLI) and most of it is totally shoddy. Stick to graphics, nVidia, lol. 🙂

Thanks everyone for the support - sorry to bring this problem into your forums.

/Kafka

I have the ASUS A8N-SLi motherboard which also has an onboard nVidia NIC and nForce 4 chipset. During the installation of the Ethernet drivers, you can choose not to install the firewall software with it (a message box will appear).

So if you have to uninstall the drivers to remove the firewall software, you can safely re-install the drivers later.

-Stu

I have the same problem, It would never let me install Mozilla after it was downloaded.

I have used multiple HDD's. Still the same problem (one sata one ide).

I think I always installed the NVIDIA FIREWALL, and then turned it on and off, is this what is causing this error on different downloads.

When I DL Ares, and install it works.

When I DL AIM, Winamp, an ingame download of a patch for Warcraft 3, nvidia grapics driver it DOESNT WORK.

PLEASE HELP ME!!!!