Applications downloaded are consistently "damaged or incomplete"?

Question

Level 1

0 points

Applications downloaded are consistently "damaged or incomplete"?

For the last few days, I have tried to download some simple applications from the web. Unfortunately, I broke down and bought an Android Tablet for myselft, (the wifey gets the ipad II) and I am trying to get some file transfer applications between the tablet and my mbp. Dropbox, doubletwist, etc. Everytime I try to download any of these applications for my macbook, i get the error message that the application cannot be opened due to it being damaged or incomplete. I was expecting the problems to be with the Android tablet, not my Mac! Could this be due to the terrible bandwith im working with right now? (Less that 1 mbps) Or could this be a bigger issue with my mbp? Im running Lion on a 13".

MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.7.3)

Posted on Mar 2, 2012 1:52 PM

Reply

Answer 1

Best reply

Ralph Landry1

Level 8

41,850 points

Mar 2, 2012 1:56 PM in response to Back Cut

If you have a very poor and noisey internet connection that will surely corrupt files when transfered. Can you get on a better connection somewhere and test to see you get good downloads?

Reply

Answer 2

Back Cut Author

Level 1

0 points

Mar 2, 2012 2:15 PM in response to Ralph Landry1

hmmm. Worth a shot. What kind of speeds do you suppose would be sufficient enough for the 20 mb downloads?

NOTE: I've never had a problem with the connection until now. Download plenty of music and what not usally.

Reply

Answer 3

Shootist007

Level 6

16,703 points

Mar 2, 2012 2:19 PM in response to Back Cut

Although downloads can be damaged and or corrupted during downloading it is rarely caused be just a slow internet connection. Back when everyone was on dialup, ungodly slow compared to any boardband connection today, poeple downloaded all kinds of files and never had them corrupted.

If the other devices in your home, connected to that same internet connection, are downloading and they don't get corrupted then I'd say it is something on the Mac. During a download for every packet sent there is a check to see if it got recieved correctly if it doesn't then it is resent. Something is telling the servers you are downloading from that everything is OK when in fact it is not.

Reply

Answer 4

Back Cut Author

Level 1

0 points

Mar 2, 2012 2:51 PM in response to Shootist007

I think Shootist is right. I tried unscuccesfully to download the app again with a slightly higher mbps. Any idea how I would go about fixing this?

Reply

Answer 5

Shootist007

Level 6

16,703 points

Mar 2, 2012 2:55 PM in response to Back Cut

I only know of one way to MayBe correct it. That is to wipe the hard drive and reinstall the OS.

Reply

Answer 6

Back Cut Author

Level 1

0 points

Mar 2, 2012 3:18 PM in response to Shootist007

That seems pretty invasive. Am I really the only one who has expierenced this problem? ( I searched to forums) And is wiping my HD really needed? There has got to be a better way.

Reply

Answer 7

Mar 2, 2012 4:38 PM in response to Back Cut

Before you even consider doing anything like erasing and reinstalling Mac OS X, you need to try attaching to a strong, clean wireless signal. Find out what that does to your transfer of data. Do you have the ability to connect to your router via ethernet? If so, try a wired connection and see what the data transfer is like.

You very well may be getting signal interference at those low transfer rates, especially if you have a lot of other signals and interfering devices in the area. If nothing helps your transfer rate, then it is more likely there is a fault in the AirPort card in the MBP.

If you can control your router, switch to a channel where you don't see other wireless signals, or if it is an n router, switch to the 5 GHz band were there are wider channels and less interference.

Reply

Answer 8

Mar 2, 2012 4:41 PM in response to Back Cut

In addition, read through the following:

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4199

http://support.apple.com/kb/TS1398

and see if that information helps.

Reply

Answer 9

Shootist007

Level 6

16,703 points

Mar 2, 2012 5:42 PM in response to Back Cut

Back Cut wrote:

That seems pretty invasive. Am I really the only one who has expierenced this problem? ( I searched to forums) And is wiping my HD really needed? There has got to be a better way.

I had though I posted a reply to this but it's not here.

If you are using WiFi then connect the MBP to your router with a Ethernet cable and turn WiFi off. Then do the download. If it is still being corrupted then it is something on your MBP. Especially if other devices in your home can download files without then getting corrupted.

If you are now using a Ethernet cable connected to your router then unplug it and switch to WiFi for the download. Does that also get corrupted? If so then again it is something on your Mac that is causing it.

Reply

Answer 10

Back Cut Author

Level 1

0 points

Mar 2, 2012 7:20 PM in response to Shootist007

Thanks for the ideas folks. Unfortunately I did all the tests you recommended and it looks like its on the MBP, not the slow internets fault. I am able to download just fine with the my Mini on the same internet connection. I also noticed that I cannot access any thing off the APP Store as well. I can open the store, however I cannot down load anything. I also noticed while doing the tests between the two Macs, that my MBP behaves differently when I do the ol' put the icon into the Apps folder. The desktop goes blank for a second, and there is no confirmation (or progress bar).

So..... Can I ask if you know where to start researching on how to reinstall the OS w/o loosing years of collecting and hard work? From what I understand, I shouldnt use Time Machine because it may get me right back to the same issues? ( Like a fool, I never used it. My only backup would be with the buggy OS I have now). Also, what do think caused this to act up today? I use my mbp everyday and dont want a repeat because of something I have done, or do regularly.

Thanks Again.

Reply

Answer 11

Shootist007

Level 6

16,703 points

Mar 2, 2012 7:30 PM in response to Back Cut

There is not reason to lose year of collected data. Just copy it all to an external drive or to your other Mac over your LAN.

That is all your music, images, ducuments (of all types) and the download folder tha has all your downloaded programs and the like.

Then boot to the Recovery HD and erase and re-install.

Some major bugs going on with this forum. Son you may not see my post in the forum but you should get all of it in the email notification.

Good Luck.

Reply

Answer 12

Back Cut Author

Level 1

0 points

Mar 2, 2012 7:40 PM in response to Back Cut

Oddly Enough, I can still download songs off itunes!

Reply

Answer 13

Back Cut Author

Level 1

0 points

Mar 4, 2012 10:28 AM in response to Back Cut

UPDATE: I was prepared to wipe the drive and reinstall from a back up, but lucky for me, reinstalling Lion over the existing one worked! Whew, what a load off!

Reply

Answer 14

Shootist007

Level 6

16,703 points

Mar 4, 2012 10:49 AM in response to Back Cut

Glad you got it sorted out.

Reply