I followed the instructions in the readme.txt file, but I get a message that the files are corrupted when I run setup.exe.
Specifically, the message is "The archive is either in unknown format or damaged."
Advice?
Thanks.
can't install Paragon Backup & Restore Compact
(20 posts) (8 voices)-
cyraxote
MemberTHe main page advises using the forum for a quick response, but I see no response. I'd be willing to bet that either I will get no response or that the response will come too late for me to be able to take advantage of this offer.
Of course, I don't know whether to blame GOTD or Paragon for this, so I ultimately have to assume that both are at fault in some way. So, users who have a positive GOTD experience are likely to 1) come back and 2) extend that positivity toward the software developer. Those of us with bad experiences may have the opposite reaction: is the poor experience something I would have to look forward to if I were a paying user of the developer's software?
Posted 12 years ago # -
cyraxote
Member153,662 MB.
Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit
Microsoft Security Essentials.
I downloaded the file 3 times. Same results each time. To be clear, the message is part of the software. That is, it's not a pop up window. It's in a box in the WinRar archiver that is part of the Setup program. I could upload a screen cap, but it needs to live on the web and I don't have a place to put it.
Posted 12 years ago # -
File size (right click>properties) for me is showing as 157,349,037 bytes. I don't know if trying a different browser would help.
Posted 12 years ago # -
It's important to clear the download cache before you re-download a file.
The use of a download manager prevents corrupted downloads.
A good choice for a download manager (freeware) ishttp://www.freedownloadmanager.org/
Never try to run setup directly out of the zip file, always extract all content of the GOTD zip file to one (the same) folder.
Check if the security software deletes some parts of the files, if so, make an exception rule.
Don't try to open the .GCD file.
More info:http://www.giveawayoftheday.com/faq/
graylox
15.11.2012
Posted 12 years ago # -
mikiem2
ModeratorNot sure what's happening.
Downloaded again - md5 = f437f7ecce4851c8fd79203eac9fb90f
And you're right, size I have for the .zip file = 157349037If another browser doesn't help I think I recall White Rabbit posting several times about clearing the cache as well, but I could be mistaken. Too tired at the moment to be much use, maybe WR added it to the FAQ or searching the forum would bring up the exact posts? I've never had it happen to me so no personal experience to draw on.
Posted 12 years ago # -
cyraxote
MemberOK, first: 153,662 MB = 157,349,037 bytes. They are the same. (1 KB = 1024 bytes; 1 MB = 1024 kB)
Second: I have 600+ GB free, so I don't think that's the issue.
Third: Any software that's this complicated to install isn't worth it, even for free.
Finally: You guys need to stop assuming that people trying to get these deals are computer-illiterate. I can install software on my computer, and I can count bytes. Also, why are you responding after the deal is over? Even if your solution would have worked, it won't now.
Posted 12 years ago # -
mikiem2
ModeratorSorry you've had problems & feel that way cyraxote...
It's not supposed to be complicated, & normally isn't -- download the GOTD offer, normally a *.zip file, expand it [I use 7-Zip], double click the included setup.exe [or right-click -> run as admin], & follow directions in the readme.txt file & the GOTD pop-up message to register the app or offer. In the case of yesterday's Paragon offer, running setup.exe loaded the files it uses/needs into RAM as usual, ran the WinRAR self extractor, & put the needed Paragon setup files in the system's Temp folder -- that WinRAR self extractor is what you posted a picture of. I don't think anyone knows for sure why it failed for you -- it appears the WinRAR self extractor couldn't expand the needed files but don't know why.
Sometimes the problem has been reportedly caused by an incomplete download, which is why BentlyTCow posted the value from the zip file's properties & I posted the md5 [both so you could verify], & why graylox posted the link to the FAQ etc., where hopefully you'd find something that worked for others might work for you. Sometimes the problem is security software deleting files temporarily stored in RAM, though normally Security Essentials isn't a problem. The Paragon GOTD was more demanding of system resources, with ~150 MB needing to be stored in RAM & up to 1 GB disk space, so goodgotd posted a reminder in case that helped. I'm sure no offense was intended by anyone as they tried to help without really knowing your level of knowledge or experience cyraxote -- the problem you had really isn't common so all anyone could do was try to be helpful & guess [I don't know how many downloads/installs they had but normally it's in the many thousands, & Paragon is more popular than most -- did not see a rash of complaints].
"Also, why are you responding after the deal is over? Even if your solution would have worked, it won't now."
We're just ordinary folks who check the forum from time to time. I think the Paragon GOTD would have still been active when goodgotd posted -- I know it was still alive when I posted ~3 hours earlier since I re-downloaded the GOTD to get the md5. And sometimes threads continue a little bit... someone might post something that might be helpful in the future, or in the case of this post, I wanted to explain in case that was helpful to you or anyone else reading this thread, today or months from now. Since you did miss the GOTD offer perhaps the free EaseUS backup app would work for you, &/or some hard drive manufacturers have a version of Acronis available free if you have one of their products in your PC/laptop.
Posted 12 years ago # -
Bigun
Member@cyraxote
I hope that at least one or two of my general comments and answers to your questions can provide you some assistance. I had some more problems to yours with yesterday's GiveawayoftheDay offer, i.e. Paragon's backup program. I did not post concerning the problem because I knew what the outcome would be.
As helpful as many people would like to be, relegating technical questions and the pointed responses of those that wish to help you with your problem The current system of asking questions and receiving answers on the forum seldom works. Occasionally good suggestions will come in, but as you noted in your post they come in too late to help you acquire the product that you post refers to. Some suggestions such as "turn off your firewall" may work for some but the suggestion has never worked for me. I never write a post and less I have already tried to download and install the daily offering with the complete antivirus program uninstalled. The firewall has never been issued me because I have already tried downloading the GOTD the offer for the day without any firewall installed. It is far from the end of the world if I get a virus on my computer that I'm using to initially try a product from GOTD. There sandboxes and virtual drives that can be used for many if not most of the offers they come through GOTD. But not all products will install going through virtual installations. Those products I have a variety of other things I can do.
When you post on the GOTD front page and often times in the forums you often set yourself up for ridicule. It seems that you always get some posts from passersby whose experiences are limited to personal computers and one operating system. I carefully read responses to my questions that have been written by individuals that I know have understanding of the subject being discussed as well as consider post that may border on the ridiculous. When it comes to getting something accomplished and getting past the problem I have no pride. I have benefited from poorly written suggestions from people of questionable expertise. I would have missed those opportunities if I let pride filter the comments that I read.
Even if GOTD cannot extend an offer beyond 24 hours I believe that users and developers (and possibly GOTD alike) could benefit from discussions continue beyond the 24 hour limit. It is easy to see that happen on some of forums that I visit where there is no time limit and occasionally no offer just a question shared by others needing an answer. Extended forum areas might serve as an acceptable proving ground for these discussions.
Bigun
Posted 12 years ago # -
Bigun
MemberDue to a disability, it is necessary for me to dictate most of the things that I write. I only have the use of one hand so typing is quite difficult. Unfortunately it is common for the dictation program that I use to continue to edit a document after I have finished typing and proofreading it. Plus, with my deteriorating vision there are times when I just do not catch some of the errors that the dictation program makes. A common mistake is for the program to insert the words "will" or "him" randomly throughout a document. In the past week, Dragon has selected another word that he seems to be fascinated with. Like the word "will" the word "that" has become a fetish for Dragon.
You may find words sprinkled in inappropriate places in any document that I write. Occasionally nonsense sentences (sometimes they're quite funny) will also pop up in my dictated e-mails.
Please allow me to apologize ahead of time for any mistakes. And also for occasionally publishing an explanation of my writing circumstances. Part of swallowing my pride let's letting these things go except for about once a year. It would take me even more hours to write a simple and short document if I became more obsessive collecting and re-correcting my dictations. The fine tuning that I must go through before I submit an article for peer review takes most of the fun out of publishing an article. I spend hours doing my own proofreading following which Dragon NaturallySpeaking thinks that the article needs Dragon's personal touch and the last step usually involves dictating to a human. Your forgiveness please.Posted 12 years ago # -
cyraxote
Member@Bigun: You write/type better than many people who have no reason to do so poorly.
I think I was just frustrated with the whole situation. I seldom have these sorts of problems with installing software.
@mikiem2: thanks for your suggestions. As I said, my ire was a product of frustration.
Posted 12 years ago # -
rrodken
BlockedNot trying not to be negative about this site or any of the moderators, but I have tried everything everyone has mentioned here (and all related posts) and more but I have not been able to install anything for well over a month. I keep ckecking to see if there is any further advice but it's always the same over and over again.
If anyone is looking for free quality software that does install when they can't get the software here to then head over to bitsdujour and you won't have any problem! That site has now become my go to site for quality free software. I do still check out this site but it's always been a disappointment every time I try to install and is now expected. Maybe some day they will actually correct this problem, but the way it seems as of now is that it's your problem and they aren't interested in fixing it.Posted 12 years ago # -
mikiem2
ModeratorJust FWIW...
While it obviously doesn't *directly* help anyone having problems, maybe this is or will be useful tempering their frustration [perhaps even anger] at other GOTD visitors &/or GOTD forum members... Any problems are suffered by a really pretty small percentage of people. I've only missed a few GOTD offers since before win7 was in beta, & while there has been the occasional broken app [normally re-released later on], with those exceptions, I've never, ever had any issues installing & registering a GOTD offer. By far the vast majority of people share the same experience, the same lack of problems.
You might argue that many more people have problems than report them, & to some extent that might be true, but when a GOTD is broken the comments fill up with folks saying so. And then there's plain old common sense -- if something doesn't work & you try it several times, you give up... AFAIK the numbers of people downloading GOTD offers has not dramatically decreased, so logically you can & would expect that it works for them.
Now I really don't intend to make light of anybody's problems, & there are loads of people here in the GOTD forum, &/or the GOTD crew themselves, that really wish you didn't have problems, wish that we could help out, but it's really, very, very hard, especially as many have noted there's just a 24 hour window of opportunity for any offer. If the same advice keeps popping up it's because there are few things that have been proven to *maybe* help. At the same time requests for help don't say for example that the user's already searched the forum & read the FAQ & tried A, B, & C -- obviously if that was part of their post no one would suggest A, B, & C again. Likewise the same sort of info you're asked to provide when asking for support from a soft or hardware company can help here too -- support forms I've filled out ask for hardware data, Windows version & so on.
It might be that no one that can help is signed in to the forum for large portions of the day, so basic stuff like searching the forum, reading the FAQ, giving more info to start with, all reduce the odds that you'll need to post additional info, wait for a response, post your answer etc., which can help push things beyond the end of the GOTD period.
At any rate, that's the flip side of the coin, & as I started, just FWIW. When someone says: "... the way it seems as of now is that it's your problem and they aren't interested in fixing it." they're 1/2 right [the 1st 1/2}, & I don't mean that in a mean or nasty way... it is pretty rare & may require a lot of work on your end to try & figure out why, simply because no one else can sit at your PC/laptop & spend the time/effort to track it down. If you can't or don't want to that's fine, but please realize that's your choice & only yours.
Please realize too that not everyone is nice when they post a problem, not everyone apologizes, & some in the past have been a bit rude to folks who were after all just trying to be helpful the only way they knew how. When their sole motivation is trying to be nice, a couple of rude posts is all it might take to persuade them to do any good deeds elsewhere.
Posted 12 years ago #
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