Windows 7 - opening zip files security message

[BearUK]

I'm a new Windows 7 user and have encountered an annoying problem.

I'm downloading some drivers that are in a .zip format. If I save the zip file I can open and extract the files without problem.

However, I usually open the zip file and then copy the contents of the zip file to a folder on my hard drive. When I try to do this I get the following message.

Windows Security
These files might be harmful to your computer
Your internet security settings suggest that one or more files may be harmful. Do you want to use it anyway?

There's a technet article on zip files over a LAN intranet, rather than the internet that didn't really help.

I did try some crude changing of IE8's security settings. I set the default level to medium, the lowest it will go, then tried setting 'launching applications and unsafe files' to 'enable (not secure)' and my ie windows and action center went crazy - and I still received the windows security message.

How can I disable this message? I'm quite prepared to live with the consequences of disabling the security, as long as I don't receive constant reminders that I've disabled the security.

 

[JackMDS]

When you do it over LAN the Zip file is opened at the source and the individual files are copied to the destination.

When you do it from the Internet Nothing is opened through the Internet, what actually happens is that the ZIP files are downloaded to the Internet Temp. folders and are unzipped there.

What do you save? You save the need for manual delete of the File after you use it.

What do you lose? When the unzipping is done through the busy Temp. folders the extracted file can end up being corrupted in the process, and you have No recourse if you find out later that a File is corrupted.

I do not think that there is a security setting to eliminate the security just for Unzipping. It might be that general reduction/elimination of security might help, but I do not really see the point to comprise in security for saving one press of the delete button.

 

[BearUK]

I see it differently.

If I open the zip file the contents are in the temporary internet folder. Deleting the temporary internet files presumably removes them automatically.

If I save the zip file it means I have to manually delete it later. Not a big deal, but an extra step and something to forget. I've never had a file corruption because of a 'busy' temp. folder. If I did it wouldn't be a big deal, I'd download the file again.

The point is that in Windows XP (and I think in Vista, although I didn't use that for too long) I never had a problem with the operating system nagging me about security for opening zip files downloaded from the internet. I switched off UAC in Vista completely because of it's constant nagging.

I'd like to use my computer the way I want to without having pop-up security notices or being forced to change the way I work. If I can't eliminate security just for unzipping, can I eliminate security for all downloads without the operating system nagging me about it? I am quite happy to compromise the security of my OS and accept the responsibility for what may happen. Its not a case of malware or viruses compromising my system, these are files I have specifically requested to download!