Firefox downloaded files missing

[Resident]

OK, this is for a friend of mine. She has a laptop with Vista and uses Firefox for her browser.

Now she's been downloading some files from work and when she downloads them all seems to go fine, until she tries to open the files. In the Downloads dialog box the files appear greyed out as though the files have been deleted, despite the download only just completing. When she manually checks her download folder it's empty.

Can anyone suggest a possible cause and/or fix?

I believe it's Vista Home Premium she has.

 

[Resident]

Sounds a like an over agressive Anti-Virus/Anti-Malware app is auto quarantining downloads. Try switching off security like Panda/McAfee/Norton etc. and trying again.

Alternatively try downloading in a different browser to elminate Firefox as the issue, or change it's settings to default downloads to Desktop.

I'll get her to try this

As above. Update Java & apply the Windows Updates immediately (yes, I'm looking at the tray icons )!

Could also run Firefox without addons and see if that helps too: http://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/forum-response-starting-firefox-safe-mode

Her laptop also seems to be crying out for an update as well ... that's one cluttered notification area!

She claims she's let it do all the updates. I can't confirm this as she's living in Wales and I'm 'up norf'

 

[Resident]

It's very possible that she's been using the "open with" option rather than "save as" which would mean it'd be downloaded to her browser's temp folder.

That was the first thing I checked with her, she's adamant that she selected save.