Ask Greg: weird download window pops up on forum posts

Diana

Hi Greg,

This morning, I've noticed that every time I open a forum post, I am getting a download window asking to download a file called "afr.php". It appears to be empty as it says it's 0 bytes in size. Any idea why I am getting this? I am using Firefox v. 17.0.1 on Mac OS 10.6.8. It doesn't seem to appear if I use Safari as my browser.

Screenshot below.

ETA: This has happened intermittently to me for a while now, but this morning it is doing it on every single post.

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13 years ago

Off Topic

6 replies

Latest reply was from Greg

Greg

Administrator

Hi Diana,

criteo.com provides some of the technology that our ad networks use to deliver the display ads on YLF. I imagine that they are causing some sort of error in Firefox.

Angie has the same combination as you and I can't reproduce the same problem on her Mac, so it might be something specific about your setup. Do you have any Firefox extensions installed? Are there any changes to the default Firefox settings that you know of?

Feel free to send me this info in a PM. Apologies for the inconvenience.

Also, is anyone else seeing this problem?

Greg

13 years ago

Inge

(website)

Moderator

No problems here, Greg.

13 years ago

Diana

Veteran

Hmm, the only non-standard firefox add-on I have here is the Evernote Web Clipper. Otherwise I just have things like flash, quicktime, java, etc that everyone else has too.

I have a second computer with the same (I think) set-up at home, so when I get home tonight I'll let you know if it's doing it on that machine too.

I'm getting the download window sometimes when I'm just looking at the forum overview as well now. (So not clicking on any specific threads).

Thanks, Greg!

13 years ago

Greg

Administrator

I have confirmed that this is related to ad delivery. The advice I can find about solving the problem suggests that you clear your browser cache and delete temporary Internet files.

In Firefox on the Mac, the option to do this is "Clear Recent History" under the Tools menu.

Let me know if this works.

13 years ago

Diana

Veteran

It worked!!!! Thank you, Greg! You are a rock star!

13 years ago

Greg

Administrator

Awesome. Thanks Diana.

13 years ago

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