Before starting on the list below...back up anything of value....files, jot down personal preferences, make sure you have any saved passwords you may need for later, ISP dialup numbers if they apply, email, etc.
* Did this just start one day or has it always been this way?
* Which operating system? Windows ME by chance? Was Windows ever upgraded from another version (without reformatting the hard drive)? Windows XP has a reset-tool that allows one to reset the computer settings to a previous date.
* Was IE upgraded from IE4 directly to either IE5.5 or IE6 directly?
* MSN dialup connection or a broadband connection with MSN as the ISP?
* Temporarily uninstall Norton Firewall. It does a good job, but it is very capable of blocking connections, even when you choose 'disable.'
* Proxies...I'm guessing that all proxies should be empty and your ISP checked that already. But if you have a proxy setting listed on the FTP line when there shouldn't be that could do it. Or if you need proxy settings (kinda rare for a home connection) and the setting isn't there, that could do it too.
* Right-click on the AR15.com logo above and choose "Save Picture As.." and see if that gets you anywhere.
* Right-click on a link (try a link and not a "button") and choose "Save Target As.." and see if that lets you save a file.
* Depending upon which site your trying to download from...are they trying to place a cookie before downloading? In IE6, temporarily go to TOOLS>INTERNET OPTIONS>PRIVACY then move the slider bar down to the bottom to 'Accept all cookies' (or just leave it there if you don't mind the cookies).
* Also on the Internet Options, clear all cache and cookies, then set Security to 'Default' then go to the Advanced Tab and click on 'Restore Defaults' there too.
* Any other programs at all that could cause this? Yes, a very general question, but a program can do this. To temporarily get rid of them, you can end all extra processes (on Win98/ME hit CTRL-ALT-DEL one time then End Task on everything on the list except for 'Explorer', 'SysTray' and if you have a broadband connection, you may need whatever program that controls the broadband connection, but I wouldn't know the name of it.
* Virus? Basically another type of external program, but as long as your antivirus program has the latest update do a full virus scan, then we can mark that one off the list.
* If you're on a dialup connection, change the dialup numbers to see if that is a factor.
* If you're on a dialup connection...uninstall the dialup service and reinstall it (which is basically getting rid of your dialup settings and then putting them back in again, you may need some numbers, user ID's, passwords written down before doing this).
* Use an FTP program to connect to an FTP site or use Explorer and type in ftp://ftp.microsoft.com/ in the Address field, then see if that connects...if it does, open up a folder and try to download something.