Unable to make new torrent connections.

[lagado]

I am running UTorent 1.8.2 on XP sp3 with DSL.

Its been smooth sailing for me since I downloaded UTorrent, 1.8.2 a few months ago, good speed up and down, many connections running both ways simultaneously. Suddenly, UTorrent is either unable to make new connections (audio files) or unable to begin file transfer, and old torrent downloads are stalled or moving extremely slowly. New Torrents that are not immediately rejected try and connect, remain at 0.1k/sec for a short time and then abandon their attempt. When the torrent is rejected Utorrent displays a message reading "The system cannot find the path specified" Uploading has not been affected. It is as though I can no longer make mulitple FTP connections.

The only recent events that might be important 1) I downloaded Explorer 8, and 2) After loosing my connection to the internet, I contacted my DSL server who after taking me through a series of diagnostic protocols told me that the problem was with my local phone service, too many subscribers on the network, he said they would be contacting me shortly, in the meantime try connecting every hour. I have no idea if there is any real science in that explanation. Since that time Utorrent has not worked.

Any help would be greatly appreciated thank you

Lagado

[dtjohnst]

I'm not sure I understand. This is only happening with Audio Files?

[lagado]

New torrent audio files are rejected with the message "The system cannot find the path specified" then they are flagged red with and error message "invalid download state try resuming". Other files are not rejected but they remain at 0% indefinitely. If I force start them they attempt to connect, then display the number of peers, the speed is indicated at 0.1k/sec, and then they return to an inactive state, attempting without success to connect every few minutes.

My DSL connection is 100Mb/sec , presently there are two torrents downloading and uploading that were initiated before I began to experience this problem they are moving at roughly 50k/sec both up and down.

[Switeck]

Your connection between your computer's network card and your modem or router may be 100 megabit/second down and up, but I am certain there are MULTIPLE bottlenecks past that which push speeds way down.

Upload speed, which most of uTorrent's settings are set off of, may be under 1 megabit/second.

[lagado]

Thanks for your help I'll go through the tests and guides you have provided,

So far both slackware and open office failed to download, the slackware file actually begins to download, getting up to 27k/sec and .01% before cutting out and displaying the red flag with error message. Yes obviously its not just audio files, I don't why some new files stop and display the error message while others just sit there stalled at 0%. Meanwhile downloads I started a few days ago are racing along at top speed.

[Switeck]

Hostile (commercial?) software on your computer?

(Process Explorer and HijackThis! to spot stuff AV and antispyware miss!)

[lagado]

Here is the hijack log, I dont see any spies or saboteurs, but if you supsect this is the problem the best way to find out would be to install utorrent on another computer and see if I experience the same problems.

UPDATE:

You were right its on my computer, utorrent fonctions perfectly on another computer on the same network, The only possible difference that i can see between the two computers is the firewall configuration, but i disactivated the firewall to test torrent.

Thanks for your help , I think I'm due for a format of drive C

StartupList report, 30/03/2009, 9:56:28 AM

StartupList version: 1.52.2

Started from : C:\Program Files\Trend Micro\HijackThis\HijackThis.EXE

Detected: Windows XP SP3 (WinNT 5.01.2600)

Detected: Internet Explorer v8.00 (8.00.6001.18702)

* Using default options

==================================================

Running processes:

C:\WINDOWS\System32\smss.exe

C:\WINDOWS\system32\winlogon.exe

C:\WINDOWS\system32\services.exe

C:\WINDOWS\system32\lsass.exe

C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe

C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe

C:\WINDOWS\system32\ZoneLabs\vsmon.exe

C:\WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe

C:\WINDOWS\ATKKBService.exe

C:\Program Files\Bonjour\mDNSResponder.exe

C:\Program Files\Pinnacle\MediaServer\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL$PINNACLESYS\Binn\sqlservr.exe

C:\WINDOWS\system32\nvsvc32.exe

C:\WINDOWS\system32\slserv.exe

C:\WINDOWS\system32\Wacom_Tablet.exe

C:\WINDOWS\system32\WTablet\Wacom_TabletUser.exe

C:\WINDOWS\system32\Wacom_Tablet.exe

C:\WINDOWS\Explorer.EXE

C:\Program Files\ClamWin\bin\ClamTray.exe

C:\Program Files\Common Files\Real\Update_OB\realsched.exe

C:\Program Files\Pinnacle\Shared Files\Programs\USBTip\USBTip.exe

C:\WINDOWS\system32\RUNDLL32.EXE

C:\Program Files\Zone Labs\ZoneAlarm\zlclient.exe

C:\WINDOWS\System32\M-AudioTaskBarIcon.exe

C:\WINDOWS\system32\ctfmon.exe

C:\PROGRA~1\Druide\Antidote\Gestionnaire Antidote.exe

C:\Program Files\uTorrent\uTorrent.exe

C:\Program Files\VersionBackup\VBackRun.exe

c:\program files\pinnacle\shared files\programs\mediaserver\pmshost.exe

C:\WINDOWS\system32\wscntfy.exe

C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe

C:\WINDOWS\system32\wuauclt.exe

C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe

C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe

C:\Program Files\Trend Micro\HijackThis\HijackThis.exe

--------------------------------------------------

Listing of startup folders:

Shell folders Common Startup:

[C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\Startup]

VersionBackup.lnk = C:\Program Files\VersionBackup\VersionBackup.exe

--------------------------------------------------

Checking Windows NT UserInit:

[HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon]

UserInit = C:\WINDOWS\system32\userinit.exe,

--------------------------------------------------

Autorun entries from Registry:

HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

NvCplDaemon = RUNDLL32.EXE C:\WINDOWS\system32\NvCpl.dll,NvStartup

nwiz = nwiz.exe /install

AudioDrvEmulator = "C:\Program Files\Creative\Shared Files\Module Loader\DLLML.exe" -1 AudioDrvEmulator "C:\Program Files\Creative\Shared Files\Module Loader\Audio Emulator\AudDrvEm.dll"

ClamWin = "C:\Program Files\ClamWin\bin\ClamTray.exe" --logon

TkBellExe = "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Real\Update_OB\realsched.exe" -osboot

USB2Check = RUNDLL32.EXE "C:\WINDOWS\system32\PCLECoInst.dll",CheckUSBController

USBToolTip = "C:\Program Files\Pinnacle\Shared Files\\Programs\USBTip\USBTip.exe"

NvMediaCenter = RUNDLL32.EXE C:\WINDOWS\system32\NvMcTray.dll,NvTaskbarInit

QuickTime Task = "C:\Program Files\QuickTime\qttask.exe" -atboottime

ZoneAlarm Client = "C:\Program Files\Zone Labs\ZoneAlarm\zlclient.exe"

M-Audio Taskbar Icon = C:\WINDOWS\System32\M-AudioTaskBarIcon.exe

--------------------------------------------------

Autorun entries from Registry:

HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

CTFMON.EXE = C:\WINDOWS\system32\ctfmon.exe

Gestionnaire Antidote.exe = C:\PROGRA~1\Druide\Antidote\Gestionnaire Antidote.exe

uTorrent = "C:\Program Files\uTorrent\uTorrent.exe"

--------------------------------------------------

Autorun entries in Registry subkeys of:

HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

[AdobeUpdater]

=

--------------------------------------------------

Shell & screensaver key from C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM.INI:

Shell=*INI section not found*

SCRNSAVE.EXE=*INI section not found*

drivers=*INI section not found*

Shell & screensaver key from Registry:

Shell=Explorer.exe

SCRNSAVE.EXE=C:\WINDOWS\system32\logon.scr

drivers=*Registry value not found*

Policies Shell key:

HKCU\..\Policies: Shell=*Registry key not found*

HKLM\..\Policies: Shell=*Registry value not found*

--------------------------------------------------

Enumerating Browser Helper Objects:

(no name) - C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 6.0\Acrobat\ActiveX\AcroIEHelper.dll - {06849E9F-C8D7-4D59-B87D-784B7D6BE0B3}

(no name) - C:\Program Files\Real\RealPlayer\rpbrowserrecordplugin.dll - {3049C3E9-B461-4BC5-8870-4C09146192CA}

(no name) - C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 6.0\Acrobat\AcroIEFavClient.dll - {AE7CD045-E861-484f-8273-0445EE161910}

--------------------------------------------------

Enumerating Download Program Files:

[shockwave ActiveX Control]

InProcServer32 = C:\WINDOWS\system32\Adobe\Director\SwDir.dll

CODEBASE = http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/director/sw.cab

[system Requirements Lab Class]

InProcServer32 = C:\WINDOWS\Downloaded Program Files\sysreqlab_srl.dll

CODEBASE = http://www.nvidia.com/content/DriverDownload/srl/3.0.0.0/srl_bin/sysreqlab3.cab

OSD = C:\WINDOWS\Downloaded Program Files\sysreqlab.osd

[MySpace Uploader Control]

InProcServer32 = C:\WINDOWS\Downloaded Program Files\MySpaceUploader.ocx

CODEBASE = http://lads.myspace.com/upload/MySpaceUploader1006.cab

[WUWebControl Class]

InProcServer32 = C:\WINDOWS\system32\wuweb.dll

CODEBASE = http://update.microsoft.com/microsoftupdate/v6/V5Controls/en/x86/client/wuweb_site.cab?1234922399109

[MUWebControl Class]

InProcServer32 = C:\WINDOWS\system32\muweb.dll

CODEBASE = http://update.microsoft.com/microsoftupdate/v6/V5Controls/en/x86/client/muweb_site.cab?1234922384765

[Creative Software AutoUpdate Support Package]

InProcServer32 = C:\PROGRA~1\Creative\SHARED~1\SOFTWA~1\CTPID.ocx

CODEBASE = http://www.creative.com/softwareupdate/su2/ocx/15102/CTPID.cab

--------------------------------------------------

Enumerating Winsock LSP files:

NameSpace #4: C:\Program Files\Bonjour\mdnsNSP.dll

--------------------------------------------------

Enumerating ShellServiceObjectDelayLoad items:

PostBootReminder: C:\WINDOWS\system32\SHELL32.dll

CDBurn: C:\WINDOWS\system32\SHELL32.dll

WebCheck: C:\WINDOWS\system32\webcheck.dll

SysTray: C:\WINDOWS\system32\stobject.dll

WPDShServiceObj: C:\WINDOWS\system32\WPDShServiceObj.dll

--------------------------------------------------

End of report, 7,178 bytes

Report generated in 0.031 seconds

Command line options:

/verbose - to add additional info on each section

/complete - to include empty sections and unsuspicious data

/full - to include several rarely-important sections

/force9x - to include Win9x-only startups even if running on WinNT

/forcent - to include WinNT-only startups even if running on Win9x

/forceall - to include all Win9x and WinNT startups, regardless of platform

/history - to list version history only

[Switeck]

Zone Alarm is KNOWN to cause problems:

ZoneAlarm Client = "C:\Program Files\Zone Labs\ZoneAlarm\zlclient.exe"

Only a complete uninstall can remove its corrupting influence.

Always a good idea to test uTorrent without "unknowns" running...so try running without this:

Gestionnaire Antidote.exe = C:\PROGRA~1\Druide\Antidote\Gestionnaire Antidote.exe

[lagado]

No change after uninstalling Zone alarm and disactivating Antidote.

I am curious about what kind of interferrence would explain why utorrent would be able to operate with torrents initiated before a certain date and not after? Perhaps focusing on the distinction the software is making might help to localize what process is being afftected, and then possibly what might be responsible.

[Switeck]

Are your trackers being blocked?

Old torrents might still remember peer and seed ips and get more peer ips from them.

[DreadWingKnight]

Also, the hijackthis log you generated is from a VERY old version of hijackthis.

[lagado]

Ok I have resolved this issue. I am embarrassed, but I owe it to you to let you know what it was, and perhaps if ever someone else makes the same mistake it will be on record. After getting the disk full flag I reconfigured the download directory to another disk, (something which of course only affects new torrents), only I forgot that the network drive in question was password protected.

Thanks for your time and consideration.

[Switeck]

Good to hear. Us troubleshooters are often "flying blind"...and some of what we're told makes no sense because we CAN'T see all the details.