i have win xp, w/ T1 speed.

mine is set at 2 per/5-9 total, (total varies depending on speed of up-loads.) (and is limited for speed.) the only time i ever saw "up-load limit reached" & "banned greedy" was when i was on dial-up. then i had 1per/ 2total.
i used to watch searches, don't now. i don't see any difference in browsing, chatting, up or down loads.

Sonnet, i was prob the host you killed. lol. i download albums, which means i download from 5-63 songs at a time. since alot of people have albums, generally they will come from the same host. (then it takes half a day listening to, editing and moving the album.)

i have never been able to D L more than (3) songs at a time from the same host. my up-loads are set at 12-16, (for multiple hosts.) actual songs D L are only about 8-9 at a time. don't have probs finishing the albums.

p.s. i've never used I-Tunes, but when i up-graded it and pulled it up my L W library was all there.
my question is: why do you need it running while on L W? since all songs go there anyway?