Running software downloaded from the internet

[Borderlord]

Hi all, hoping you can save my sanity.

Trying to run a piece of software downloaded from the internet. File name is: VBAR1-3.rar. Downloaded easy enough, but each time I try to open it I get two dialogue boxes opening.
Both are headed 'file download'.
The first says 'Getting File Information' and shows pieces of paper flying from a globe to a folder. However, nothing is being transferred.
Bar graph never moves and Estimated time left, Download to, and Transfer rate are blank.
The other asks: Do you want to Open or Save this file?
If I click 'open' both boxes disappear and the screen goes blank.
If I hit 'Save' it goes back to the 'downloads' folder, where there is a copy already.
You may notice I am no computer expert. My machine was running slowlly, so I took it to a local shop, who suggested wiping the hard drive and re-installing a new OS.
Didn't speed the computer up at all, but lost a large amount of vital data I had collected over the years. This is the first stage in getting my computer back to where it was. Lots of similar battles ahead I think.

Hope you can help.

Jeff.

BTW, I understand that .rar is a compressed file, so I downloaded 7--Zip as well.  Doesn't do anything.

[DaveLembke]

Where is this .rar file downloading from and what is it?

Do you have a up to date antivirus on your system and do you scan downloads for malware/virus's before decompressing and running downloads?

[Borderlord]

Hi Dave, thanks for the quick reply.

The software is to change and monitor the settings on a gyro unit I use on my model helicopters. The download came from a shop in the far east who actually sell these units, and passed to me from a friend on a helicopter forum.
The shop has been in business for years and has a good reputation.
The source I originally used to download this is no longer available, and this is the only alternative I could find.
I have AVG anti-virus installed. Must admit I would not know how to scan downloads, and would assume AVG would do this automatically.
Given I have recently had a clean copy of the OS installed, and no end of issues since, I would guess this is an problem with my machine, rather than a virus. Then again, what do I know??
Oddly enough, I was about to reply to one of your posts on another topic, Microsoft Scare Tactics.

Thanks

Jeff

[Borderlord]

Hi Again

Don't know if this helps, but I am trying to install a second piece of software for a very similar purpose to the first.
Came from a completely different source, but I have exactly the same issue with this.
Second file is: ZYX-S 4.01EN.rar

Does this help?

Jeff

[Salmon Trout]

The rar extension means the file is a Rar compressed archive (like a .zip archive). You can't do anything with it until you extract the files from the archive. If you have no extractor software associated with the .rar extension, you will need to install something. Many people use Unrar, free from Rarlabs, who invented the rar archive format.

http://www.rarlab.com/rar_add.htm

[Borderlord]

Hi Salmon, thanks.

I have downloaded 7-ZIP, and that installed ok. Will that do the job, or would you recommend Unrar instead?

Jeff

[Salmon Trout]

7-Zip opens Rar archives. and is a good all-round archiver and unarchiver, that has the advantage of working with a number of other formats as well, such as Zip, and its own 7z archive type, so you don't really need anything else.

[Borderlord]

Hi Guys

Sorry I haven't been in touch for a while, things got a little more interesting.
While battling to get this software working, my hard drive decided not to play ball any more. Cue a visit to my local computer store to have a new HD fitted.
One thing led to another and I came out with a new ( to me) computer. Faster processor, more RAM, better graphics. All round improvement, but it is running Windows 10.
This is new to me, been using 7 for years now, so there might well be some questions on that.
Meanwhile, the loss of the HD led to a loss of loads of data, so I am slowly trying to reconstruct that.
Anyway, back to the original issue.
The download appears in a 7-Zip folder, so that's a stage further than I was before. I can expand the file and look at the components.
However, when I click on this one 'ZYX4.0_EN.exe' I get a message saying 'this program can't start because AppFaceDLL is missing.
Click on AppFaceDLL and I get the message 'this file does not have a program associated with it. Please install a program or, if one is already installed, create an association in the default Programs control panel'.
I am so new to Windows 10, don't even know where the control panel is.
Sorry for what might seem to be basic questions, as a computer geek I make an excellent plumber. Guess you've already noticed that.
Anyway, with so many new things to play with, I'm a little bit lost.
Your thoughts?

Jeff