755 MT, cache issues and corrupt downloads

There are so many things it could be, and ways to troubleshoot it.

Have you tried running this mystery "MP3 website" from another computer or laptop? Meaning, are you sure the problem is even on "your side"? While their website is the obvious problem, your ISP (remember, Net Neutrality is abolished), your router, etc. are all possible candidates.

You are using Windows-7 which is very old. At least 3 versions of Windows behind.
You are running Windows-7 64bit which is not only old but rare. Not sure why you expect everything to work fine.

You are going the wrong way with IE and your browsers. IE-11 is basically abandon-ware. Since you can't run Edge, you should be running (latest) Chome or FireFox.

There are well-known and established procedures for checking a machine's ram, HDD/SSD, NIC, etc.

I've seen problems like yours before:
1. Customer with old Dell could not download any files properly. It was a piece of OEM Trend Micro Anti-Virus that would not uninstall (even with their removal tool).

2. Long ago I had a computer doing similar random things online. It was a bad NIC. How the error-checking wasn't catching it, I'll never know.

3. Not to long ago, on an old Windows-7 computer ... files getting corrupted. Turned out to be a (new expensive) bad SanDisk flash-drive. Windows could not tell files were getting corrupted on writing to it. The flash-drive's controller was masking-it somehow. Needless to say, I never buy SanDisk anything any more. IIRC, I used this program called FastCopy (to track it down) because it VERIFIED every file write. Very easy to see problem.

Like any other complex computer/network problem ... you minimize environment and find something that works 100%. Then, you slowly more forward. Keep good notes.

You might need to rollback your SSD to a 256 GB model.  I'm impressed you got an Optiplex 755 to take an SSD; though SSD's aren't listed in the manual.  Optiplex 755 Manual

I checked on Dell Precision's 3500 & 5500 due to their large capacities, including multiple HDD's.  While they can take HDD's in the TB's, the max listed for SSD is 256 GB.  The spec. sheet for a 7500 didn't list a max SSD, though SSD is mentioned.

I've experimented with exceeding max capacities for storage and ultimately my device froze.  Yours appears to be in some working order, but is giving you a lot of problems you didn't have before.

My suggestion is try a 256 GB SSD instead of 500 GB.  If you're still having problems, going back to HDD(s) might be your best bet.

Please continue to post as to how it goes.  Best of luck!! :)

I have tried downloading from the "mystery mp3 site" using another computer. A dell D530. This is fed from the same modem and the same ISP. The only difference is that the link between the modem and the D530 is wireless whereas the link between the modem and the 755 is wired (CAT 6). The mp3 site plays just fine in the D530. In addition I tried accessing it from a mobile phone (cell phone) running android and it works just fine there too.

So it does seem that the problem is "my side". But not my ISP or my router - as both serve the D530 with no problems. And that leaves the computer.

It is true that Win 7 Pro is very old, and 64 bit rare, however that is what was running before without the problems I have stated above. So that suggests it is not the old, rare operating system.

I do not normally use IE at all. My main browsers are Firefox and Chrome. The version of Chrome is always up to date, but with Firefox I keep to an older version that I specially like. This older version did not cause any problem before the upgrade, and in addition it causes no problem on the D530 which I have it running on as well. So that suggests it is not the browser/s I am using.

I am not aware of the procedures for checking a machine's ram, HDD/SSD, NIC, etc - I would be interested to find out about them. The NIC is (I think) intrinsic to the motherboard so it is unlikely that has changed. Of course the HDD/SSD and the RAM have both been changed so those might be likely causes.

I notice from the post by bradthetechnut that the problem might be the capacity of the SSD (too high) so that might be another pointer in that direction.

I've seen problems like yours before:
1. This was a clean install, so there cannot be any remains of previous Anti-Virus.

2. The NIC has not been changed, and is intrinsic to the motherboard. So the chances of that having become defective seem very small to me.

3. Maybe it is the new SSD. It is something that has changed, plus of course the comment from bradthetechnut as referred to above.

Looking at the above I think the first thing to try might be reverting to the original hard disk drive which was a Seagate 250GB. It will be exactly the same one that was removed from the computer before the upgrade. Unfortunately the software on that became completely **bleep** up when I tried to get rid of Kaspersky Anti Virus and therefore it will need to be another clean install. That means that it might not be possible to exactly replicate the software situation that existed previously.

Thank you for your time and effort helping me.

Thank you for your suggestions. I will try a clean re-install on the original hard disk drive. Unfortunately the files on that became **bleep** up when I tried to uninstall Kaspersky Anti Virus.

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@geoff.yates wrote:

1. I have tried downloading from the "mystery mp3 site" using another computer. A dell D530. This is fed from the same modem and the same ISP. The only difference is that the link between the modem and the D530 is wireless whereas the link between the modem and the 755 is wired (CAT 6). The mp3 site plays just fine in the D530. In addition I tried accessing it from a mobile phone (cell phone) running android and it works just fine there too.

2. So it does seem that the problem is "my side". But not my ISP or my router - as both serve the D530 with no problems. And that leaves the computer.

3. It is true that Win 7 Pro is very old, and 64 bit rare, however that is what was running before without the problems I have stated above. So that suggests it is not the old, rare operating system.

4. I do not normally use IE at all. My main browsers are Firefox and Chrome. The version of Chrome is always up to date, but with Firefox I keep to an older version that I specially like. This older version did not cause any problem before the upgrade, and in addition it causes no problem on the D530 which I have it running on as well. So that suggests it is not the browser/s I am using.

5. I am not aware of the procedures for checking a machine's ram,

6. HDD/SSD, NIC, etc - I would be interested to find out about them. The NIC is (I think) intrinsic to the motherboard so it is unlikely that has changed.

6a. Of course the HDD/SSD and the RAM have both been changed so those might be likely causes.

7. I notice from the post by bradthetechnut that the problem might be the capacity of the SSD (too high) so that might be another pointer in that direction.

8. I've seen problems like yours before:
1. This was a clean install, so there cannot be any remains of previous Anti-Virus.

9. 2. The NIC has not been changed, and is intrinsic to the motherboard. So the chances of that having become defective seem very small to me.

10. 3. Maybe it is the new SSD. It is something that has changed, plus of course the comment from bradthetechnut as referred to above.

11. Looking at the above I think the first thing to try might be reverting to the original hard disk drive which was a Seagate 250GB. It will be exactly the same one that was removed from the computer before the upgrade.

12. Unfortunately the software on that became completely **bleep** up when I tried to get rid of Kaspersky Anti Virus and therefore it will need to be another clean install. 

13. Thank you for your time and effort helping me.

 

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1. Perfect, good troubleshooting

2. Agreed

3. Sometimes you just have to move forward. Sometimes to fix strange problems. You have to move forward eventually anyway, and when clean-installing a new HDD/SSD ... it's as good a time as any.

4. You were stuck on IE for some reason and going backwards. Was just trying to say "Run a currently supported browser (not IE-11)".

5. Machine's (long) ePSA is good. www.MemTest86.com is even better. Not a single error should appear in 2-consecutive passes.

6. It's trivial to disable on-board NIC and drop-in a spare PCIe NIC.

6a. Correct

7. This is because SSDs were expensive back then, and that is what Dell sold. There is no 256gb limit. However, that in no way means the new SSD is good.

8. It was just an example of how something hidden can effect downloads. Uninstaller-tool was used and there were no (visible) browser plugins left either.

9. See above. You can weigh probabilities now, but keep it in mind for later.

10. You can test SSD with:
a. SMART status - Crystal DiskInfo is favorite. His DiskMark is a good stresser. Passmark has a free SMART tool also.
b. Manufacturer supplied diag-suite
c. Copying files around drives with that FastCopy util (with Verify on).

11. Yes, a different disk since SSD was new and then the problems started. Likelihood of new SSD being problem depends on above testing.

12. That is strange, but Anti-Virus digs-in deep now-days (it has to). When you move to Windows-10 64bit, stock/free Windows-Defender is good.

13. You are welcome. I like a good puzzle challenge. I'm just glad it's not one of the system I use or support. :Smile:

#7 by Tesla1856 I believe is referring to:  There is no 256 GB SSD limit listed for the Optiplex 755, as the manual doesn't refer to any SSD's or capacities.

If a 256 GB SSD limit seems strange as it's not "250 GB," that's straight from the spec. sheets for Dell Precision's as mentioned.

If an item exceeds storage capacity, it doesn't have to be full to cause problems.

Back to the 755 - You are right on with 8 GB being the max capacity for RAM.  Max speed being 800 MHz.  667 MHz was another option for it.  You said you installed brand new memory, so all the chips should be exactly the same and not causing any trouble.  If in doubt or if you want to check it out, a memory test can still be ran as Tesla1856 suggested in #5.

Going a little newer, but staying in the Optiplex family, a pointer or a little fyi I thought you'd like to know - Optiplex's 7010 & 9010 list an SSD capacity of 128GB.  Those are at the upward end of that generation of Optiplex's.  An Optiplex 390 doesn't list an SSD.

Hi everyone and sorry for the delay in replying.

After much experimentation and wasted time it does indeed turn out that the problem was the SSD. Unfortunate that Crucial claimed it to be compatible with the Optiplex 755 when it seems that it is not!

And thanks for the mention of Crystal Disk Info. I tried fitting a second-hand conventional hard disk drive and tested it with Crystal. The result was 'caution' or something like that. So I took that out and then fitted a brand new conventional hard disk drive. So all seems to be OK right now.

One good thing about Dell is this community forum. More than once I have come here and found solutions to problems. A big thank you to everyone that has helped on this occasion!

You're welcome! :Smile: