I WANT to run multiple instances (as different users)

[HillJack]

I have 3 disjoint DSL connections, all coming into a single Windows 2000 Server server w/3 NICs. I'm running build 427.

Now that uTorrent binds to IP's properly, I'd like to replace Azureus with a second instance of uTorrent (the 100MB+/- of RAM usage isn't an issue, I have 3GB - it's the constant 15%+ CPU usage that bugs me). Right now, Azureus is bound to 192.168.1.2. I also run uTorrent on 192.168.2.2. I'd like to replace Azureus with uTorrent and have two instances of uTorrent running at any one time.

The 192.168.2.2 instance runs as a regular user w/o problems. The second instance (that I would like to run) would "Run As" another user (to store its data in a separate Application Data folder), be run from a separate Program Files directory, and be bound to a separate IP. However, I just can't get a second instance of uTorrent to load (nothing at all; no errors, no nothing). Even attempting to launch a second instance as the same user as the instance already running does nothing.

I don't browse/download torrents with that box, both Azureus and uTorrent are set to automagically load torrents from specific (separate) dirs, placed there from boxes on the LAN, which they both do, and as a result, torrent files are not associated with any program - they will never be "executed" on that box.

Is there something I'm missing? Help me out here!

[Ultima]

Create a shortcut and add the /RECOVER parameter? If you want a separate copy utorrent.exe along with the configuration files into a new folder, use the /RECOVER parameter when running (shortcut), and reconfigure to bind to whatever IP you want.

[HillJack]

Hmm, well that got it to load once, but it won't load again without that /recover parameter.

[Ultima]

Yeah, the /recover parameter is needed to load any extra instances. Remember, if you want to bind to separate IPs, each utorrent.exe has to have its own settings.dat, meaning each one has to have its own folder, with its own torrents, etc.

[HillJack]

So I need to redo all my configuration every time I launch the second instance? Does uTorrent specifically deny additional instances?

Remember, if you want to bind to separate IPs, each utorrent.exe has to have its own settings.dat, meaning each one has to have its own folder, with its own torrents, etc.

Yes, I know that - read my original post... Each instance is run using a separate user name...

User-specific settings for each instance are stored in the appropriate ...\username\Application Data\uTorrent folder automatically, and uTorrent obviously knows the username used to launch it (because it puts the settings.dat, etc files there without my intervention) - so why is it not letting me launch the second instance (and not have to reconfigure it every single time)?

[Ultima]

You don't have to reconfigure. Like I said, copy the settings.dat over to the new folder.

Lemme explain more clearly how to use multiple instances.

1) Create a new folder

2) Copy utorrent.exe into that folder

3) Copy the .dat files from %appdata%\uTorrent into this new folder

4) Create a shortcut for this utorrent.exe in this folder

5) Edit the shortcut's target by adding /RECOVER to the end of the Target, outside of any quotation marks, and separated with a space.

6) Open this shortcut. Your settings should be retained, just edit the IP and/or port you want to bind to

Repeat for each instance you want.

I realize you're talking about running µTorrent using the Run As function in Windows. For the moment, this will work. I'm not sure if ludde took "Run As" into account, but we'll find out sooner or later (when someone reports this thread to him, or he notices himself ;P).

[HillJack]

Ooooooook, I got it now! Thanks for your help!

I hope ludde does take this into account - or add a /multipleinstance command line arg or something.. this is nasty!

Now I just have to keep track of which tray-icon is which interface

[Firon]

You'll basically need multiple folders with multiple copies. They'd all have unique settings and resume data.

[HillJack]

Firon, that's exactly what I have - each instance of uTorrent runs from a unique folder (like c:\program files\utorrent.user.a and c:\program files\utorrent.user.b, etc...). Each utorrent.exe is also set to "Run as different user", which requires me to enter a username (unique) and password pre-execution, and subsequently, all the settings.dat, etc files for each instance are put (automatically, by uTorrent) into the associated c:\Documents and Settings\user.a\Application Data\uTorrent and c:\Documents and Settings\user.b\Application Data\uTorrent, etc...

I'm thinking uTorrent itself has some sort of self-checking thing going on that when launched, if it detects another instance running, regardless of the user using it, it will deny the additional instance(s).

[Firon]

Did you add /recover to the command though? It should work properly even with Run As... if it doesn't, do tell. (I think it doesn't from what you said, but I'm not sure)

[HillJack]

I am running both instances now with the /recover command line argument on both. Both instances are using "Run as different user" and both are launched with unique user names.

If I use /recover on only one instance, if I launch that instance AFTER the non-/recover instance, it'll load. If I launch the /recover instance THEN the non-/recover instance, the non-/recover instance won't load.

Without recover, even with "Run as different user" enabled, additional instances will not load.

[Ultima]

Yeah that might be an oversight then =T

[Joes]

Yes, thank you. Works like a charm :-)

[sonic]

I'm sorry, I'm far from an expert with computers but how do you add /RECOVER to the end of the shortcut target?

I followed Ultima's instructions up to step 5.

I right clicked the shortcut icon, then went to properties. In the target box, the shorcut points to the utorrent.exe.

But when I try to type /RECOVER at the end of this text, I get a message explaining that the destination in the target box is not valid and to make sure the path and file name are correct.

Can someone please explain what I'm doing wrong?

Cheers!

[HillJack]

The /recover option should be put outside of the quotation marks; you should have something like this in the Target box: "C:\Program Files\uTorrent\utorrent.exe" /recover

Windows only gives me that error if I put /recover inside the quotation marks.

[Ultima]

Indeed, just clarified step 5 now.

[leerees]

Can you not just team the 3 nics together and connect them to a load balancing switch?

Then create 1 virtual ip using the bandwidth of your 3 dsl connections!

That's much easier than having 3 instances of utorrent all with there seperate torrent folders etc.

[ren_hoek]

I have different skins, complete with different system tray icons to tell each of my running instances apart. I do use "run as" on one of them for the (slight) password protection it offers... However, both shortcuts (normal user and runas) refer to the same µtorrent.exe file!

Thanks heaps for the "/recover" tip! It was the missing piece of my puzzle

[Honeyfrog]

<deer in headlights stare>

....OK, let's make that big heap'um easier in 1.8 or 1.9, shall we? Something like permitting multiple port connections in the same running instance of uTorrent, with each extra open port assignment carrying its own list of torrents, download locations, etc., with as much of it automated by defaults as possible. (This also makes fussing with global UL settings a less onerous chore.)

(If HillJack doesn't mind, we could move the thread to Requests.)

[Ultima]

Um. BitTorrent clients moving away from multi-port cores toward single-port cores was supposed to be a Good Thing™... Why would we want to move back in the opposite direction...? It doesn't really seem all that relevant in the context of multiple instances either, as each instance need to use their own ports.

[Honeyfrog]

Um. BitTorrent clients moving away from multi-port cores toward single-port cores was supposed to be a Good Thing™

I confess to not being that familiar with the history of BT client development.

It doesn't really seem all that relevant in the context of multiple instances either, as each instance need to use their own ports.

Well, it would reduce the overhead of having multiple instances of the client being launched as opposed to having one instance do everything.

[Ultima]

Bah, µTorrent's overhead is next-to-nothing anyway

Seriously, though, per-port options doesn't sound like a clean solution (IMO), and it sounds like a horror to implement for very little gain (to save the ~4MB RAM that µTorrent itself might utilize in overhead).

[Switeck]

I STILL say that different functions of µTorrent probably should be on different ports for bad ISP reasons. Having DHT, encrypted connections, and unencrypted connections all on the same incoming listening port just makes it EASY for bad ISPs to throttle your BitTorrent speed.

[Honeyfrog]

per-port options doesn't sound like a clean solution (IMO), and it sounds like a horror to implement for very little gain (to save the ~4MB RAM that µTorrent itself might utilize in overhead)

Well, having multiple instances all stumbling over each-other's preference settings, unless the user delves into the arcane minutia detailed above, isn't a clean solution either.

I'm imagining (fantasizing?) a really clean solution looking something like this:

File > Launch additional uTorrent instance (click-select)

...a second uTorrent window pops up, and a dialogue pops up over that, informing me of a default-selected port number of +1 or -1 over the main instance's, and of a default-selected download location of (folder nested inside main instance's). The pop-up presents the opportunity to modify and of that stuff, and also reminds me to adjust my firewall settings.

In Documents and Settings, there's an additional layer of "instance" directories, the first of which, /instance1/, is the main. If the user opens a second instance, then an /instance2/ subdirectory is created, and the appropriate settings files are created or copied into it.

...If additional instance had been created from a previous session, their windows will all appear when uTorrent is launched. The user would have the option to collapse all instance windows into tab-access from one window (much as individual torrents are all listed on a single pane now, whereas each required a separate instance of BitTornado in Ye Olde Days).

[jewelisheaven]

It's not minutae. /recover is not for the newbie to bittorrent. It is a power-user function which allows (for ex: testing right now on the 1.8 line while still being able to keep private trackers going on the accepted b.4602 version).

As far as other extra stuff... I'm not sure whether or not per-label functions will be added before 1.8 feature freezes. As it stands I'm looking forward to the Logging redesign/customization in 1.9.

Also, uT has no problems with multiple instances. Usually the problem is a PEBKAC relating to a mis-understanding of functions.