2 torrents, different hashes

[average joe]

Here's the scenario: I have been downloading a large torrent (over 5GB) from a semi-private tracker. There are only a few seeders and seem to go offline often. So I googled the name of the torrent in hopes of finding some seeds on other trackers. I found one that appeared to be the same (had same name and file size), but had a different hash.

This probably was stupid, given the different reported hashes, but I added the .torrent file and utorrent did the add torrent dialogue. It ended up listing it as a separate torrent, and then it started checking (in the "done" tab) and came to the same percentage as the original. I let it download for a few minutes and then got worried and stopped it. I checked and saw that both downloads are combining into the same folder. I then stopped the original download and did a force recheck. So I guess the original is ok.

So, I guess I don't know how this works. Will the two torrents be alright downloading to the same folder? What was that file checking action that happened as I added the second torrent?

Forgive me if this has already been addressed but I didn't see anything that matched in the forum search.

[Lord Alderaan]

No. You should select a different folder for the second torrent.

You can copy over the files from the original and do a hashcheck to see it can use something from the original torrent. But don't let two different downloading torrents write to the same files.

[average joe]

So, when I added the second torrent, it did download for a few minutes before I stopped it. I then did a force recheck on the original. That would have caught any discrepancies right?

And if I want to remove the second one how do I do it without damaging the original (since they are both download to the same set of files)? Remove and delete .torrent or remove and delete .torrent + data?

[Firon]

That will prevent any issues. Just download with only one torrent until it's completely finished, then recheck the other.

Only use remove and delete .torrent. + data will trash all the files.

[average joe]

Ok, and just one more question. When the second torrent was added, it did the check process and matched the percentage done with that of the original. Does this mean that up to that to that point both torrents are exact matches, hash and all?

Thanks for all your help.

Joe.

[Ash123]

It checked the data that was already there and found most of the chunks had already been download, hence you kept the same percentage.

Basically you can use either torrent but only use one at a time. I guess the one with the most seeders.

[BlueDragon]

@ average joe

You might be interested to read this post. (I will reply to it soon but first I want to do some further testings.)

IMO your initial idea was good. The problem is that the information regarding this hash topic is very scarce, I don't know why because it can be really helpful to avoid downloading a lot of data redundantly.

Anyway I'd say that there are basically 2 approaches when a torrent seems (or is) dead, almost dead and / or you are stuck with 99% of 8 GB for instance...(it can be real, I experienced it!):

A) You do a hash search and try to locate additional working trackers which will lead you to potential peers.

You do what you have described above.

If one tries the way I would advise still to downlaod it in separate directory. Than you should copy what has already been downloaded from the original dl directory to the new one, thus ending with twice the same data in different download locations. So if one torrent gets additional data you will see it (after a force re-check if needed for instance just after you copied the data over) and so you can try to get both torrents in parallel. If the data is unusable then the force re-check will discover it else not. Of course if both torrents are being downloaded at the same time than you might download redundant pieces.

If you want to remove only one of the torrents in your initial scenario don't remove the data as it will of course remove it for both the torrents in this case (use an undelete program if you already did it).

Does this mean that up to that to that point both torrents are exact matches, hash and all?

Yes if you talk about the (internal) file / directory hashs but no if you talk about the metainfo .torrent file hash...