trouble opening/installing plot patch A2K

I suddenly starting getting fatal errors during printing today and, sure enough, it was the one that indicates that I need the plotpatch - which I already have. I tried to reinstall it, but got an error message saying that it could not locate a file in order to start the exe. file.

I uninstalled all A2K and all existing plotupdate files. I then reinstalled A2K and tried to download the patch to find the same inability to start the exe. file.

I have run Ad. ware on my computer. I have run spybot as well.

I know that I need more ram (256 PC800 RDRAM current) because of my Norton AntiVirus, and that I need to get rid of Windows ME, but that shouldn't influence my ability to run the plotpatch, should it? And if so, why would it work for a while and then not?

My comp. specs are:
Compaq Presario 2000
Pentium 4
80 GB hard drive
64 MB Nvidia graphics card

 

I also wanted to add that every time it unsuccessfully launches it leaves a strange file on my computer. These files cannot be erased, have odd names like $~f_C.. etc. They have 0 KB and the computer says that it cannot find the file to either move it or erase it. Furthermore, I am able to successfully plot to file for my remote reprographics service just not to my in-house, 1220 HP. Any help is much appreciated.