edit - resolved: difference in "main" case download initiated via callback cycle, , in "test" case initiated through server side button click function. guess download request , callback cycle interfered each other, both stopping download , causing page become inactive (as described below). when rewired download on main page start submit instead of callback, did initiate download. this in vs2013 ultimate, win7pro, vb.net, websites (not projects),iisexpress. i built test site develop functionality creating openxml pptx , xlsx memorystreams , zipping , downloading them using dotnetzip. got work fine. merged code "main" site. both sites on same machine; can run test site , main site @ same time. main site processing more complicated, in terms of accessing , downloading more files. however, zip , download function (below) works fine in test site, exact same code doesn't work in main site (with or without test site , running). there'...