Strange Google Chrome Problem

[Deozaan]

The past day or two I've been getting "plaintext web pages" instead of HTML. Often including javascript, CSS, and other stuff (like Apache server responses).

There seems to be an issue with the encoding. See image below for an example:

[attachthumb=#]

If I reload the page enough then it will sometimes show the HTML, but more often then not it just shows the same thing. Anyone know what might be causing this?

[MilesAhead]

The only time I noticed anything similar is when I try to look at a pad file on my site. It's jumbled text like that. I don't know what causes it.  You might find something here:

http://www.chromeplugins.org/google/

[Deozaan]

Thanks! I found someone else having the same problem and the solution!

http://www.chromeplugins.org/google/chrome-troubleshooting/chrome-downloading-strange-files-instead-displaying-web-pages-9878.html

I had recently installed a download manager called Internet Download Manager which I hated so much that I uninstalled it already anyway, but it was the culprit!

[rgdot]

<Blatant thread hijack>

Every Windows session where I use Chrome my power settings stop working. Even when I close Chrome completely (and make sure via task manager and other process apps that it and all (that I can see any way) dependencies are killed). Only remedy is when I restart PC or go to power setting and 'reapply' the Turn Off Monitor and other settings. It has been happening for so long (various plugins have come and gone) that I am sure it can't be anything else, only thing in common is when Chrome is used.
I have never tried to post about it in Chrome forums or groups or whatever...because I suspect I will get 'Chrome can't possibly do that' line

[MilesAhead]

Thanks! I found someone else having the same problem and the solution!

http://www.chromeplugins.org/google/chrome-troubleshooting/chrome-downloading-strange-files-instead-displaying-web-pages-9878.html

I had recently installed a download manager called Internet Download Manager which I hated so much that I uninstalled it already anyway, but it was the culprit!

I tried IDM for awhile myself.  I ended up going back to Free Download Manager after using GigaGet for a long time.  I have to manually drag the download link onto the target, but it runs full speed and works with just about everything as long as the download link is a direct link.

I liked GigaGet but it's too annoying. If I update anything in Firefox and it's not running, I end up having to reinstall.  It's no longer developed in an English language version.  No chance of an update.

[MilesAhead]

@rgdot what OS do you use?

Generally these sites are pretty good for the respective OS:

for XP

http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/forum56.html

Vista

http://www.vistax64.com/

Seven

http://www.sevenforums.com/

and for W8  

http://www.eightforums.com/

edit: the Vista and Windows Seven forums both have a subforum for "browser and email" problems where you could ask about Chrome issues.

btw if the guy on the Chrome site hassles you, just tell him the reason you hate Chrome is it doesn't have a plugin that does what xxxyyyzzz in Firefox does.  That pisses them off big time!!

[Deozaan]

Uh oh.

I uninstalled IDM and have rebooted my computer but this problem is still rearing its head. I can't even get Twitter to load (blessing in disguise!).

I get the same kind of thing. A server response, some cookie info, and then some garbled text (gzipp'ed server response?).

Content-type is set to text/html... I don't know what's wrong.

HTP/1.1 200 OK
Date: Wed, 21 Jul 2010 22:47:08 GMT
Server: hi
Status: 200 OK
ETag: "dce91303caacc0d3e463008474f29153"-gzip
Content-Type: text/html; charset=utf-8

[rgdot]

@MilesAhead Thanx, it's happening on XP SP3 desktop

I will try your suggestion and say the thing you said next time too

[MilesAhead]

@Deozaan do you have updates set as automatic?  Maybe Chrome browser updated to a version with a bug.  I'm using the Development channel.  I did get one version with some funky, so I turned off automatic update and installed an older version until the next update came out.  On development channel it's been ok since then. I'm using 6.0.466.0

(Funny but when I just checked the number, it tells me there's a new one! Oh oh!!)

edit: now I have 6.0.472.0

[Deozaan]

I have Chrome version 5.0.375.99.

I used to be getting the betas, but then I decided to try out the Dev for Chrome 6.0 previews and it was all messed up so I went back to the normal "stable" releases.

[zridling]

My Chrome problem is that it crashes every time I try to attach a photo or file in a forum. Tried everything on the googles with no result. Running latest stable 5.x version. Truly blows.

September 21st update: Stable 6.0 version continues the same problem. Who does Google think they are, Canonical (Ubuntu)?

[MilesAhead]

I have Chrome version 5.0.375.99.

I used to be getting the betas, but then I decided to try out the Dev for Chrome 6.0 previews and it was all messed up so I went back to the normal "stable" releases.

The dev channel has been running pretty smoothly for me.  It might be worth a try.  Just see if all the badness goes away. I think if you do a restore point(if you use them) in case of disaster, it should set you back up on the stable channel without having to do any settings.

[Deozaan]

So I found out that my problem was caused by Internet Download Manager (IDM). Even after I uninstalled it, it apparently hadn't cleaned itself up very well as the problems persisted. I did a format and an OS reinstall about a month ago and haven't had trouble since.

IDM sucks!

[sajman99]

IDM sucks!

Deozaan, very sorry to hear of your problems with IDM. I've frequently used IDM for 8 years, like it, and never had any significant issues. But I can certainly understand your frustration.

If you recall, could you please tell if you had enabled IDM's "advanced browser integration"? Just curious if this may have been a factor.

[Deozaan]

Deozaan, very sorry to hear of your problems with IDM. I've frequently used IDM for 8 years, like it, and never had any significant issues. But I can certainly understand your frustration.

If you recall, could you please tell if you had enabled IDM's "advanced browser integration"? Just curious if this may have been a factor.

I can't remember for sure if I did or not. Either way, it should have cleaned itself up when I uninstalled it.

[sajman99]

Fair enough. The reason I asked is because I vaguely remember reading way back when I purchased IDM that "advanced browser integration" was somehow dangerous. To this day I've never enabled that feature; the program works just fine without it.

I was just now briefly searching and found this page with the following quote regarding IDM...

The "Advanced browser integration" provided by this program makes substantial changes to WinSock2 settings in the Windows registry, which can be highly dangerous. Use this feature with extreme care!

Anyway, glad you're back up and running stable.

[rgdot]

Update if anyone cares, see my post above:

Every Windows session where I use Chrome my power settings stop working. Even when I close Chrome completely (and make sure via task manager and other process apps that it and all (that I can see any way) dependencies are killed). Only remedy is when I restart PC or go to power setting and 'reapply' the Turn Off Monitor and other settings. It has been happening for so long (various plugins have come and gone) that I am sure it can't be anything else, only thing in common is when Chrome is used.
I have never tried to post about it in Chrome forums or groups or whatever...because I suspect I will get 'Chrome can't possibly do that' line

I searched and asked and there actually were a few similar complaints about Chrome messing system power setting. No solutions that I could see just hopes that newer versions will fix it somehow. This is still not solved, at least not on my somewhat antiquated XP SP3.

A stranger thing did happen though, the last couple of days I am having another problem with Chrome. Using it I sometimes lose wireless connection and to my shock it is also not only me (google "google chrome wireless connection") In this case some people blame routers and my reaction is of course... no matter how cheap my router may or may not be I don't think I should base it on the browser I use. So for now it's back to Firefox...

This sounds very non-technical but .....Chrome is interfering a lot with the system basics and it's unacceptable