Files get corrupt all the time AFTER 100%

[Kovensky]

My downloaded files get corrupt all the time after they finish downloading or corrupt finished parts on current downloads.

Sometimes, when I force re-check, the "bad" pieces get "good" and previous "good" pieces get "bad". Another recheck, and another switch happens. With further rechecking, I get either a completely good file, a file with random incompleteness, or the same bad blocks.

I've downloaded a file recently, and when I tried to extract it (a zip file), it gave me a CRC error. According to uTorrent, the file is good, until I recheck it. I let it download again the missing parts, and tried to extract it again. More CRC errors. Re-download, and more CRC errors. I had to download it 5 times until it got "clean".

Right after the Fedora 7 download DVD was added to the list, I forced re-check of every download on the list. Many completed downloads failed the check, a near-complete download passed the check, and the Fedora DVD actually gained 5 MB of completed pieces after the check. I don't think this is 5 MB of pure 0 bytes or that exactly the missing content of the other file was 0 bytes either.

How can I fix this mess?

[DreadWingKnight]

Sounds like failing RAM, hard drive controllers or hard drives to me (in order of likelyness).

[Switeck]

Do you have an indexing service running on your computer?

Is your media player program set up to autmatically change MP3 tags on media files?

Either one could in theory (the second DEFINITELY...but only for MP3s and video files with MP3 data) corrupt your downloads.

[Kovensky]

I have Nero Scout. Disabled that one.

Now the corrupt file is Conquer Online. Download finished, installed cleanly. When I began re-checking the downloads, CO was with a few corrupt pieces. Finished download, recheck was clean. A second re-check gave a clean file. Today, I did a third re-check on all downloads, and Conquer was corrupt byt 512 kb.

[Switeck]

Get Process Explorer and/or HijackThis!

...You have something very strange going on...on your computer.

And it may be "commercial software" causing these disasters, so don't trust antivirus or antispyware software ALONE to find the problem.

[Rechinica]

I have the same problem on two machines.

First on my main rig running Vista x64(this one is brand new, so it's not a hardware problem), no AV installed, fresh install and the i have 5-6 archives failing CRC on every torrent.

Re-checking does not help, i have to download the torrent in a different location and select only the corrupted archives.

Same problem on a Vista x86 machine, that worked just fine in XP.

BTW: using utorrent 1.6.1

[5618]

First of all, start using µTorrent 1.7 since 1.6.1 never was fully Vista compatible.

[Rechinica]

Today i've updated to 1.7 .. will be back with details.

UPDATE:

Same problem with the new version ... i''ve just tested it: 4 torrents from 8 got CRC failed errors.

Force Recheck DOES NOT help ... utorrent detects faulty downloads ... redownloads the corrupt parts ... but still i can't get them to unpack, i have to manually download the corrupt archives.

Got the same torrents with another BT client ... and they all worked just fine, so it's not a hardware issue.

It's so frustrating, cause i just love this little-big program

[chiefs]

Do you have an indexing service running on your computer?

Is your media player program set up to automatically change MP3 tags on media files?

Either one could in theory (the second DEFINITELY...but only for MP3s and video files with MP3 data) corrupt your downloads.

Those are interesting theories. I've had problems with mp3 corruption in torrents for about a year now- does not happen in any other kinds of torrents. Torrents I've 'finished' have to be re-downloaded later- torrents I upload show huge chunks of data missing within hours and must be nuked. I tried to seed a torrent today I created and it showed within a few hours that nearly 50% of the data was missing- though the folder size was unchanged.

First Ii thought it was because I was playing the files- but now i take the precaution of not even opening the torrent folder once the torrent is created- but still corrupts. I've gone down the hardware theories - replaced RAM, hard-drive and reformatted- still same problem.

I've noticed there is very small changes in the files sizes- by a few bytes in some the mp3's. I will try turning off indexing - can't imagine it's by media player changing tags as like mentioned I don't even open the folder once the torrent process is underway.

I've resorted to Winrar'ing mp3 torrents I create - which never have any problems- which would also indicate hardware is not an issue. Been very frustrating- as I've chased down about 25 different theories on this and every time I think it's resolved, another corruption occurs. I'll see what turning off indexing does- nearly 100% sure is not a torrent client issue.

[Tedricks]

I seem to have the same problem as you Chiefs..

Torrents will dl to 100%, but when re-checked or when uTorrent is restarted, -some- will revert back to 0% or even in the 99% range.

The files themselves are still fine, they'll work but have the extension .ut! instead.. Once removed they're perfectly functional, but try rechecking again, and they'll receive the .ut!

[Switeck]

µTorrent is just acting on what it sees, by the sounds of it.

But if I were you, I'd still worry about what hostile software is actually changing your files.

Have you checked the file's dates/sizes to see if they're actually being changed after µTorrent finishes downloading them?

(This may not help if they're silently being changed the MOMENT they're downloaded!)

You may also have either bad ram, bad hard drive/s, or bad hard drive controller. Subtle hardware failures can be painfully hard to diagnose too.

[chiefs]

Not sure about the others guys- but I'm virtually 100% sure it's nothing hostile nor any hardware issues causing the very subtle changes to mp3 files.

Another thing I'm looking at as a possibility is a virus-scan putting some kind of marker in the file- anyone else have McAfee virus scan run having this issue?

As discussed before an mp3 player or some Windows process the others.

[Fantasia]

Im having the same problem as this guy

[tribaldoc]

I have this problem too, on two computers running windows xp. On large files over 1 gig, it reaches 100% but there are crc problems unzipping or unraring them. When I force recheck, it says 99.7% - 99.9%. I have to force recheck several (10+) times in order to get a complete download and then I can unpack it. I do not have indexing or media checking programs. I am not making changes to any files. Even after the initial 100% complete, if I force recheck immediately, it'll say 99.9%. It happens even after I reformat and have nothing else installed. It happens if I have no other downloads or other downloads going too.

[Firon]

This is generally because of bad RAM or a damaged IDE/SATA cable.

[tribaldoc]

Well, I tried it on separate hard drives on one computer (ide and sata) so I don't think its the ide or sata cable. I haven't checked the ram but i don't have any other problems on my computer that have popped up yet. I've also replaced the ram a while back because my old ram DID have problems. I have also tried it on another computer and it gets the same problem. I can try it on more computers.... And it happens on larger files, small files are fine. It seems like something is happening over the course of downloading. I have also noticed this happening within this past year. Didn't have this problem before. I have also been using the same router for the past 3 years and it has been working fine before.

[chiefs]

Since turning off file indexing and shutting off McAfee virus can on my music folder, I've not had any issues yet. And I've even tried everything to corrupt the folders since- played every song, cut and pasted back the files, etc- but so far the torrents still show at 100%. I was only having issues with mp3 torrents though- some above are having issues across about every torrent type. I'm not 100% sure I've solved the problem- but early tests are good.

I wish there was some common magic elixir for all of us that would fix the problem- but most of us will probably track it to something different. Yes rule out bad RAM, a virus, or bad hard-drives first- but most of us have already done that.

[Fantasia]

I also only get this type of error on very large files. (28 GB+) but for small files (200 mb) they work fine

Update: my hard drives are fine. i think uTorrent 1.7.4 was bugged.

1.7.3 and 1.7.5 allowed me to download large torrent files without any errors

[totyfox]

i have the same problem with need for speed prostreet i was using utorrent the last edition but now i try azureus to finish it but it have the same problem and i dont know why ? my ram and hard is fine i dont think this is the peoblem with this devices

[Firon]

Your hardware is not fine. You have defective hardware.

[ajones81]

Use Memtest86+ for testing your RAM... Leave it on overnight.

[nixnrd]

I'm not so sure it's a hardware issue at all. I have download an iso once for Ubuntu. All 5 times I downloaded it with Torrent in Windows, it would be corrupted. The MD5sums would never match. I hated all that wasted bandwidth.

So, one day, I fired up my older Ubuntu LiveCD and started the same download to my secondary hard drive (which is the once I download torrents to in Windows) and the first download was perfectly fine. Did a MD5sum check, and they matched up.

In Linux, I've never had a problem with corrupted downloads, so I think it may even be a Windows issue. Maybe certain net configs or something similar. I doubt the problem will be easy to find, as I know so many people who have this same issue.

If I need to download a larger file, I use my Linux install, but for the small stuff, I stay with Windows. Though having to re-download one torrent multiple times gets to be a pain in the arse.

[Switeck]

You could rescan the old download and probably just redownload the corrupted parts.

Also, have you scanned your hard drive/s for errors?

It sounds like your windows install has become slightly corrupted or has hostile (commercial?) software in it!

[yianniscy84]

Hello,

i registered just to reply to you...

I feel you pain. I had the same problem for a week until I found the problem yesterday.

My problem is that I forgot to install my motherboard's drivers for SATA/IDE controllers.

In my case was the NVIDIA nForce drivers and the JMicro controller drivers.

After the installation everything works fine.

I hope it works for you.

Regards,

Yiannis

[samIwas]

I was having the same problem with has checks failing randomly with my torrents, I tried various fixes.....Changed the RAM in my laptop.....tried a different Harddrive. Nothing seemed to work. I must mention that this only happened with my Music torrents also....the same problem chiefs was having......I removed every instance of media software and then finally, I got rid of windows media player. Since getting rid of media player....I have had NO problems. Maybe firon was right in some instances of this problem, it could be a hardware issue...but when it only affects Music torrents....its logical to assume something is tampering with the files.......I did do one other thing at the same time i got rid of media player...I always switched the slot my ram was seated in.....There is a SMALL likelyhood that this was the problem. But the latter seems a more reasonable choice.

Thanks, samIwas