Teen Geek's solution will, of course, work but you'll then be forced to use a 3rd party program for Zip files from now on instead of the functionality within Vista (which is easier to use). Also, WinRar is shareware whereas 7-Zip is freeware so you may
want to choose the latter. You may want to fix Vista's zip functionality instead (or in addition to):
Chances are good that some system files in Vista have become corrupt.
Then let's check some of your system files:
Go to Start / All Programs / Accessories / Command prompt and right click on command prompt and click run as Administrator.
Type sfc /scannow and enter and let it run. It will scan and try to fix some of your system files. Hopefully it will complete with no corruption it could not repair (if there is such corruption post back here or try to analyze it to find the problem file(s)
using http://support.microsoft.com/kb/928228.
While in Command Prompt, type chkdsk /f /r and enter and let it run. It will scan and try to fix any corruption or bad sectors on your hard drive and mostly remove that as a cause.
If that doesn't work, then please post any repeating error messages from the Event Viewer concerning zip files (Start / Control Panel / Administrative Tools / Event Viewer). Here's how to use Event Viewer:
http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/topic40108.html.
If that doesn't work, we'll need to do a system repair/upgrade using the genuine Windows Vista Installation Disk (one you own or one you can borrow from ANYONE). Here's the procedure:
http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/88236-repair-install-vista.html along with the upgrade from an earlier version of Windows
section of the following: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/918884. Although this will not affect your data, settings, or programs, you should still
backup your data before starting just to be on the safe side. If the other procedures don't work, THIS one is almost certain to work. You may have a lot of updates to re-install (including any service packs you had to remove). If the version on the system
cane with SP1 or SP2 pre-installed and the disk is an earlier version, then you'll need to make a slipstream disk as follows:
http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/151606-vista-sp1-slipstream-installation-dvd.html.
Hopefully one of these procedures will resolve your problem. If not, post back and we'll try something else. Post back in any case so we'll know how it turned out.
Good luck!
Lorien - One - MCSE/MCSA/Network+/A+
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