Customers having issues with downloading ZIP files

Question

Hello,

I sell digital downloads of educational resources and I use AWS Amazon S3 to provide customers with a download link of that resource after their purchase.   I've been receiving a lot of complaints lately that people are unable to download SOME ZIP files and it has been different scenarios - but most are receiving error messages when clicking on the download link (and not even able to download the ZIP file to their desktop), or they are able to download the ZIP file to their desktop but unable to unzip the folder.

Some error messages they get are:
-Zip file is invalid
-Error code 79

When I test out the download myself, I have no issues  - so I am thinking it is some sort of issue with the computer they are using perhaps?  If I download the file and email it to them, they are then able to open the ZIP folder, but it won't open if they download through Amazon S3.

I've tried suggesting (but it doesn't seem to help):

-Make sure your computer has the latest update
-Make sure your computer has enough space to download large files
sometimes people have success trying the download link a second time. re-downloading the file again and make sure you have a good internet connection while doing so, 
-If you have an older Windows/Mac system, it has a hard time opening files with long names or symbols.  -After you click on the link to download and the file is in your downloads folder (or desktop), try renaming the ZIP folder to something shorter and without symbols or numbers before you unzip/extract it

Any suggestions on what the issue might be so I don't have to email the file to each customer every time this comes up?

Accepted Answer

Hello.

Is it random which OS the problem occurs on?  
For example, is the problem only occurring on special versions of a specific OS?  
Have you tried it on other PCs or devices?  
It may be possible to solve the problem by having the file unzipped using ZIP-specific software.  
https://www.7-zip.org/

> but most are receiving error messages when clicking on the download link (and not even able to download the ZIP file to their desktop)

Also, if you can't download a ZIP file from the URL, isn't it because the user's security settings are blocking the download?

Answer

Hi spedaulting,

It seems like a complex issue, particularly because it's not consistent across all users. A couple of factors could be at play here. File integrity during upload and download is crucial, and any interruption in this process can lead to corruption of ZIP files. Additionally, different browsers and download methods might handle these files differently, which could explain why some users are encountering issues.

Compatibility with various operating systems and the specificities of ZIP file formats might also be a factor, especially if older systems are involved. Simplifying file names and keeping an eye on file sizes could help mitigate some of these issues. It's also worth checking the S3 bucket permissions and the configuration of any pre-signed URLs you might be using.

Considering that emailing the file resolves the issue for most, the problem might be more related to the downloading process or the users' local environment, rather than the file itself.

Hope this helps!

Customers having issues with downloading ZIP files

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