How do I step back from uTorrent 1.8 to a previous version?

I've recently (inadvertently) updated to version 1.8 (11813) from what was (I think) version 1.7.7.

All torrents that were in place / running etc are still there, but I'd REALLY like to have my earlier version of uTorrent back in place, rather than version 1.8.

I still have the original installation file for the previous version ... is there a way I can reinstall this to replace version 1.8, without losing torrents / data etc that are currently showing in 1.8 ... a bit like the 'update' only in reverse?:-)

System restore comes to mind, but maybe there is an easier way?

There's a fair chance that uTorrent v1.8 made changes to the data files that track what uTorrent has opened/torrented in such a way that the data files are no longer fully compatible with uTorrent v1.7.7. v1.7.7 may see them as corrupted or they become corrupted if v1.7.7 tries to work with them.

You can try installing uTorrent again (either version) in another folder, using new settings.

Hmm ... guess the way forward (or backward?:-) ) may be to let all activity terminate in version 1.8, then uninstal and reinstall 1.77 .....

Why do you wanna downgrade?

You do realize that 1.7.7 has some nasty security holes, right? All you need to do is open a single malicious torrent and you're screwed.

There are some (private?) trackers that take a "wait and see" approach to new updates and may still not allow v1.8. Doesn't make them right or wrong...just slow.

That's a perfectly respectable position (even if it may slow down detection of any potential tracker communication regressions -- if any exist anyway).

At the opposite end of the scale stands those tracker administrators who fabricate stories. Thankfully, I haven't seen a whole lot of that for 1.8 (they must've learned after the FUD-storm that came and went for 1.7.x ).

May make them slower to adopt the minimum tracker update scheme...and make uTorrent v1.8 look bad for their own foot-dragging.

I'm pretty sure uTorrent ignores fields it doesn't understand in any case. The data may need to be rechecked due to the way in which the saved state is stored though.

You really don't want to downgrade though especially if it works for you. (Some people come on here demanding a downgrade because their system "broke" due to various issues...) My main reason for suggesting people upgrade is it's more stable, and has indeed run for over a month without requiring a system reboot or to close it due to resource usage climbing (a nasty bug squashed from 1.7).