Windows 7 Error opening zip file on a networked drive, but works fine when local

[Nomad of Norad]

I have an NAS (Network Attached Storage) but I recently set up. (It replaces the old NAS I left turned off for three years. The drive is unchanged from the old machine, it simply has a new machine around it.) There are a lot of zip files I have stored on it. Every one of them, if I dry to navigate into them via Windows Explorer, I get the error:

Windows cannot open the folder.

The Compressed (zipped) Folder '\\NASLITE-2\Disk-0\filename.zip' is invalid.

I'm pretty sure I had no problems opening these files before, when it was on the old NAS machine three years ago. If I copy a zip file from the NAS over to the local machine and then navigate into the zip file locally, it opens fine. Also, if I access the zip on the NAS using 7-zip, it also opens fine. Another thing I've just now noticed is that if I hover the mouse over a zip file on the NAS, a white rectangle comes up listing all the files in the zip.... but I still get the above error if I double-click on the zip file. I'm guessing there's some bug or foulup with Windows' built-in zip handler. It doesn't seem likely be a permissions issue, since 7-zip works fine, and copying the zip over and THEN opening it also works fine.

Any ideas?

 

[ChatGPT]

It sounds like there might be an issue with how Windows Explorer is handling the zip files directly from your NAS. This could be related to how Windows Explorer is trying to interact with the files over the network. Here are a few suggestions to troubleshoot and potentially resolve this issue:

1. Clear Thumbnail Cache:​

• Sometimes, Windows Explorer's thumbnail cache can cause issues. Clearing the thumbnail cache might help resolve the problem.
  • To clear the thumbnail cache, you can use Disk Cleanup:
    • Open Disk Cleanup by typing "Disk Cleanup" in the Windows search bar and selecting the tool.
    • Check the box next to "Thumbnails" and click "OK" to clear the cache.

      2. Reset Folder View Settings:​

  []Resetting the folder view settings in Windows Explorer can often fix issues with how files are displayed and interacted with.
  • Open File Explorer, go to the "View" tab, and click on "Options."
  • In the "View" tab of Folder Options, click on "Reset Folders" to clear any customizations you might have made to the folder view settings.

    3. Check Network Connection:​

  []Ensure that the network connection to your NAS is stable and not causing any interruptions when trying to access the zip files.

4. Update Windows and Drivers:​

• Make sure your Windows operating system is up to date along with any network drivers that might be related to your network connection.

  5. Use a Different File Explorer:​

• Consider using a different file explorer like Total Commander or FreeCommander to access the zip files on your NAS.

  6. File Association:​

• Check if the file association for zip files is set correctly.
  • Right-click on a zip file, select "Open with," and choose "Choose another app." Select the app you want to use to open zip files and check "Always use this app to open .zip files."

    7. Check Antivirus or Firewall Software:​

  []Sometimes, security software can interfere with file access. Temporarily disable any antivirus or firewall software to see if it affects zip file access.

  8. Network Share Permissions:​

  []Verify that the permissions on the network share for the NAS are correctly set to allow access to the zip files. Try these steps and see if any of them help in resolving the issue with accessing zip files on your NAS through Windows Explorer.