LW will NOT open/run with new Java 7/FX installed. Must delete and run Java (TM) 6, Update 33. Can LW be modified to run newest Java?
 

6/15/2012 -
Re: Java (TM) 7, Update 5/JavaFX 2.1.1, and Limewire version 5.6.2:

A new problem has arisen with the newest download of Java (TM) 7, Update 4 (and now Update 5), and JavaFX 2.1.1: I tried installing both Limewire v.5.6.2, and v.5.6.16, separately, and neither will even open with this new Java 7/FX installed on my Windows XP Professional SP3 32-bit OS desktop PC (I am assuming LW won't run with Java 7/FX installed on Windows Vista or Windows 7 computers either, but that should be tested). Limewire v.5.6.2 has been running perfectly on my PC with previous, version-6 Java Runtime Environments (JRE) installed, up to and including the last one, Java (TM) 6, Update 33, which I currently have installed. However, even if you have this Java RE (Runtime Environment) 6 installed on your PC - if you ALSO have any newer version of Java installed as well (which would be Java TM 7, Update 5, that also includes a separate download of the new "JavaFX 2.1.1" program [both are listed in Control Panel's "Add/Remove Programs" after you install Java 7, and you must uninstall them separately] - Limewire will not open. When you click to run it, you get an error message box saying Limewire needs Java Runtime Environment 6 or newer to run, and an inquiry as to whether you want to be redirected to the Java download webpage to install the newest version. If you click "Yes", your browser will indeed automatically open to Java's newest-version download page. However, installing the new Java 7/FX causes LW not to see a usable version of Java Runtime Environment in order to run. You must be running Java RE 6 ALONE. Then you can use LW v.5.6.2 without any problems, as before - but that leaves you with Java (TM) 6, Update 33 ONLY on your computer. Running an older, outdated version of Java like this leaves one's PC open to security threats, as well as to the possibility that other things will have problems when trying to open and run with an old version of Java installed as time goes on. Also, Oracle assigns an end date to the "lifetime" of a particular version of Java, so Java (TM) 6, Update 33, is already scheduled to end in the coming months since it's an outdated version.

I am hoping someone can create a modified download of a useable version of Limewire that will run with whatever the newest JRE is that Oracle happens to release, now and in the future (i.e., indefinitely), so we can continue to enjoy using Limewire no matter what else is installed on our computers. Thanks to everyone involved for creating this modified download of Limewire. Please let us know when it is available to install.

Set Java 6 as the default via the Java control panel. :) This solved the issue for me on Windows 7. In that way you can have both versions installed.

At this point, Java 7 has not yet become the default Java to download from the Java site. I do wonder why and whether it is fully developed.
Why LimeWire will not run with it I do not know, one guess is the program was only set to use Java 6 and not 6+, a silly oversight. Presumably a mistake by the original LW 5 developers.

I will ask File_Girl71 if she can possibly check if this is the case with a simple + symbol missing, and redo a LPE version.

On my Windows XP PC, Java 7/FX cannot be installed at all, or LW will not open. Only after uninstalling Java 7/FX, and leaving just Java 6, Update 33 installed, was LW able to again run for me. Again, this leaves my PC with only an outdated version of Java on it, so need a modified version of LW that will run any newest versions of Java that come out from Oracle indefinitely.

I tried using File_Girl7's link to download Limewire v.5.6.2 before, but could not - the dialogue windows just kept switching between the download link window and some other window, and the installation would not run. Had to use the download link from "4shared."

I can tell you this issue only concerns LPE and the other LW 5 versions. LW 4 seems to run fine even with Java 7 set as the main Java on Windows XP.
But I see what you mean on XP, even if you set Java 6 as the enabled Java, if Java 7 exists on the system then LW 5 refuses to run.

File_Girl is very short on spare time but hopefully she might be able to help. But it might be some time away. :( ;)

If I had her skills, I'd rip LPE apart and replace certain parts with LW 4's code lol. :D LW 5's upload technology is whacky and very buggy.
You would not want to see my bug report on LPE in the LPE thread or it would scare you. lol :D

Thanks "Lord." For all the bugs you mention for LPE, aside from this new Java problem, my v.5.6.2 works fine. Question: Are there fewer P2P files available for download these days since LW was closed, i.e., fewer search results, repeats of the same files with different names, files that actually turn out to be those LW legal notice audio tracks (are those attempts to track and catch LPE users)?

Should I contact File_Girl71 directly about this issue, and/or the download problems I had trying to use her link before (is contacting her even possible)?

It's probably also important to keep in mind that Windows 8 is coming out by the end of 2012. May need to do some testing to ensure LW will run on it since all versions/editions are old software these days.

Do you know if there is a way to set up in the Gnutella forum so I can receive email notifications whenever there are responses/updates to posts, even if I'm not logged in?

Thanks again :)

Click on User CP link in the top left corner of the forum page.
Once within User CP, you'll see an 'Edit Options' link in the sidebar.

Choose 'Instant email notification' from the dropdown menu within subscription mode section.

Finally, click the 'Save Changes' button at the bottom of the page.
:)

A big thanks and shout out to "birdy" from Perth, Australia - wow, help from the other side of the planet - amazing! :)

Did I understand you correctly, "Lord": LW v.4.18.8 works with the newest Java 7, Update 5/FX 2.1.1 installed (and NOT with JRE 6, Update 33 installed), especially on XP machines like mine?

Do you know if it will work with ongoing new versions of JRE in the future?

Any idea yet if LW - whatever versions - will run OK on the new Windows 8 OS when it's released at the end of 2012?

Given her schedule, is there anyone in addition to File_Girl71 who can tweak LPE 5.6.2 so it works with Java 7/FX as well?

Thanks :)

The gnutella user population is not as big as what it once was, but it's still large. There are companies that both spam search results and use other techniques. Advice might be worth blocking out those listed, but the Hostiles document itself does not work with any LW 5 version. I used LPE last night and was getting good search results, far better than the previous day which was quite poor. I was connected as an ultrapeer last night.

All LW 4 versions seem to work under Java 7. I tested on both Windows XP and Windows 7.

AFAIK LW 4.18 and upward were all 64-bit and 32-bit compatible. I cannot remember about 4.16. If an old app like BearShare 5 from 2005 and Gnucleus from 2004 can run on Windows 7, then I would guess the above LW versions should run on Windows 8 onward. Presumably Java will keep the same abilities for its later versions, if not then a variant of LW would need to be recompiled in a later Java.

I sent File_Girl71 a PM after I posted yesterday and pointed to this thread. But you can also if you wish.

File_Girl71's 4Shared link seems to work fine for me, but you need to be a member of 4Shared to download using their services. Use the blue Download Now button, not the green one that downloads their desktop program. Then wait 20 seconds before the free download option appears. iFileIt the alternative link, is a free service and no membership required but you need to disable your browser's adblock if you use one for the iFileit site. If a free member of iFileIt there's no wait time and no reCAPTCHA test which was put in place to throw off bots.

About notifications: you can also manually subscribe to threads using the Thread Tools drop down menu at top of the thread. The default is to be subscribed to threads you create yourself or threads you post to. But Birdy explained about the email notifications; there's a separate option for email notifications to threads and another for private messages lower down on same option window.

If I were aware of someone else who had the java programming skills, the interest and the time, I'd be nagging them. lol :D
I would not dare to ask either of the Phex devs to help. :D

A member called pongo1 has found a quick solution to the Java 7 issue. Though I'm sure at some point an installer fix might be able to be to made to fix this also. See http://www.gnutellaforums.com/connec...tml#post368753

PLEASE TELL ME I'M DREAMING! I've downloaded and installed LW v.4.18.8. When I run searches - in the results pane in the lower half of the screen, there's no scroll button on the side to scroll down and view all of the results that come in - and I can't find anything in the options/view choices that add in a scroll button/feature. It just lets you see whatever is visible in the top of the pane in the interface, and whatever is below that is out of reach! Really?? You've GOT to be kidding me with this. I might be able to bring in hundreds of results, but can only see a small fraction of them. Further, when I click to download a particular file from the results, another window opens below to show the download, but that covers the bottom of the results pane, still without adding a scroll button, so you can only see the very top results during any given download while in progress. I want to use a version of LW that works with whatever the newest version of Java JRE is, and so far, that means running a version 4 of it. Is/are there any version 4's of LW that have that scroll ability in the results pane so as to be able to see everything that comes in, scrolling all the way down to the bottom?? Please HELP! Thanks.

There should be a green scroll bar to the right of the search pane. Sounds to me like you need to re-size the program. Grab the bottom-right corner and drag across to the right and down a little. This will probably solve the issue.

Attachment 5989 (Scroll bar after a search and download) Attachment 5991 (Resize LW and adjust the Search result window size)

If the LW 4 download window is empty it will not show. Thus if you have no incomplete files or files downloading you will not see the download window. What I do is re-size both the main interface, the search results and download windows to how it best suits me. You can re-size the search results and download window by holding your cursor where the little black arrows are below and to the left of the search results window and you will see your cursor change to arrows so you can drag the window up or down. Also, if you actually click either of the black arrows you will only see the search results or download window. Click it again to reverse that. I think up arrow is search results and vice versa but I might be wrong.

If this does not bring the scroll bar into view no matter how large you make the window after a search, then you might be best to delete your preferences folder (backing up your downloads file first.) Deleting LW's preferences folder for XP and earlier

Overall I liked LW 4 the best. I loved all the extra tools it had. Especially the direct connect, the advanced description tool, ability to arrange downloads and search results via size or date modified, etc. The Windows version of LW 4 looks quite old now; a little blocky. The MacOSX LW 4 interface looked a little more streamline and smooth than the Windows version.

RE: Thread/Post subscription and email notifications of replies.
BTW a week ago I manually sent you an email via the administration tools just as a test. If you did not receive it then sounds like the forum's email is not on your email's safe list. :D Either that or did you change email addresses since you registered at G.F.? I can change it for you if you need, just send me a private message with the details. Or you can change it yourself in your profile from memory.
However, we do admit that the forum server has been having hiccups for a period now and some emails are not going out at times. (BTW do not reply to the forum emails if you ever do receive them. The forum's mail-server is only set up for sending email not receiving. We have a separate email account (MyWay) for receiving emails for the Contact Us links on the forum.)

The issue with the scroll button that is missing in LW v.4.18.8 is that it is ONLY missing in the search results window pane, so it looks as if the developers simply left the scroll button off the results pane entirely. NOTE: The scroll button IS there and usable in the downloads-in-progress window pane beneath the search results pane! So, resizing the interface has no impact. Also, doing the downloads backup and then deleting preferences is not looking the same in windows xp as it's described in the posts about it here, so I am not sure about taking that step. And, again, since there is a scroll button in the downloads window, would deleting the preferences put one in the search results pane anyway? Does anyone know of a usable version of LW that has this essential scroll button, and that will work properly with whatever newest version of Java JRE is released? I.e., is there another version 4 where this is not an issue, or a version 5 that will work with Java 7, update 5/FX 2.1.1? Or, is there a step-by-step process for windows xp professional service pack 3 32-bit OS to tweak LW 4.18.8 that would put this missing results pane scroll button in? Please excuse my layman's level of expertise about these things, and thanks again.

The search scroll bar shows for me with LW 4.18.8 on Windows XP with Java 7.

The suggestion about the deleting of the preferences folder will not guarantee it will fix the issue for you. But if you are using the same preferences from LW 5, then this may have affected how your LW 4 behaves. Having said that, I'm using the same preferences from having used LW 5 on a previous install but I am not seeing your problem. These kinds of quirky bugs are usually restricted to specific users on their particular system. If not confident about the deletion of the preferences folder then backup the entire folder before deleting it. If deleting it fixes the issues great. If not and you'd prefer to go back to the older preferences folder then do that.

I cannot remember if I did my sample image of deleting the LW preferences folder using Windows 2000 or XP, perhaps the previous. But it is the same principle. Keep in mind different XP machines can look a little different depending on how their view system is set, classic or ... cannot remember now.

UPDATE Re: Scroll button on LW 4.18.8 results window pane:

The scroll button is there. However, as each line of searches forms at the top of the interface with the more searches you run - by the time you reach 6 lines of searches (+/- 40 searches at once) - you have to minimize the downloads (in progress) window pane at the bottom to be able to scroll down to the bottom in each results pane. Once you've run enough searches at once to create 7 lines or more of searches at the top, you can still scroll in your individual results panes, but NOT all the way down to the bottom anymore. No matter what you do, or how you try to expand the LW interface, your results at the bottom run off the screen and are not visible. It appears there is a limit to how long the results pane window is vertically, so the more searches you're running at once that take up lines of space at the top, the less room is left for each results pane to show all of the results down at the bottom anymore. Another oddity is that, once you’re running 10 or 11 lines of searches at the top at once, some results panes have the scroll button, but others don’t, yet the results at the bottom still run off and aren’t visible nevertheless. I’m guessing that, because the results pane may have this certain preset vertical size limit, some results still don’t run down to the bottom of this limit, so a scroll button does not appear, even through you can’t see the results at the bottom, while others do surpass this size limit, so even though you can’t see the results at the bottom in them either, a scroll button appears anyway, but you still can’t scroll to the bottom nevertheless. I haven’t run into this problem with the downloads window pane (so far, at least). I can scroll to the bottom of multiple downloads in progress at once without reaching a point where I can’t see the downloads at the bottom of the pane anymore.

I don’t believe these things are a problem with the LW Pirate Edition (LPE) v.5.6.2, but I want to be able to install whatever the newest Java JRE is without running into problems with LW, so I’m not running LPE 5.6.2, or any other LW version 5. Again, however, if anyone is aware of a useable version of LW other than v4.18.8, that will run with whatever newest versions of Java JRE are that come out, where this scroll button in the search window pane, and that pane’s vertical height size aren’t problems, as outlined here, please let me know so I can try it on my windows xp machine. Thanks.

Questions here regarding downloads already initiated and "in progress":

I'm running LW v4.18.8 due to the problems running the newest versions of Java with any version-5 edition, including LPE. When running LPE, before the Java problem arose, to get at least some previously-started downloads to resume again upon reopening it on later occasions, I just ran new searches, without initiating any new downloads from them - don't know why that helped get previously-started downloads to resume again - it just did, but not predictably.

Now, in v4.18.8 - after ensuring all 5 connection-strength bars are showing in-full in the bottom-left corner of the interface - when I click to download files from the searches I've just run at that time, i.e., during any given session of running LW, it downloads a large number of them at once, then and there. However, if I save my selected downloads, and the partially-completed downloads in the Incomplete folder, when I close LW - upon reopening it again any time afterwords - it only picks up on a few of the downloads started from before - and will drop one, and pick up on another, unpredictably, while running.

Some downloads get as far as 96% done and then get dropped all of the sudden, while others just sit at 0%, with LW saying "Awaiting Sources" or "Waiting on Busy Hosts", again, for all but a couple of them, and regardless of how many times I click to "resume" each download. Neither running new searches, nor initiating new downloads, gets the previous downloads to start up again either.

Lastly, it seems as though I must keep my monitor turned on and open to the LW interface to get LW to pick up & resume those few downloads. If I either am busy doing other things on my PC so LW's interface isn't on top, minimize the LW interface, or turn my monitor off so as not to waste having it on when I don't need to see my screen display, LW drops downloads. When I display its interface again later, it will start connecting to dropped downloads again. This makes no sense and should not be happening since LW is running and should work regardless - simply being displayed shouldn't make a lick of difference either way.

Is there anything to be done to get previously-started downloads to resume again, any time I reopen LW, and get them to complete? Even if I start up my PC first thing every day, open LW, get a full-strength connection showing, and then click on "resume download" for all the ones in there from before, I only get a few that resume - but there are also days when it sits saying a couple of downloads are "waiting in line", while the rest are "awaiting sources"/"waiting on busy hosts" - all day long!

Very annoying and time consuming. PLEASE HELP.

Doing the original search again for the files has always been more effective than the Resume functions. But yes, that is somewhat time-consuming in itself. And unfortunately LW does not save searches between sessions unlike some other clients.

LW 4 and 5 will periodically attempt to reconnect to previous hosts for each incomplete download. I cannot remember how frequently, either once every 30 or 60 minutes. But LW will only check their previous known host addresses whom had the file. Whereas these persons may have highly dynamic ip addresses and in the meantime their ip addresses have changed. That's why doing your own search is better than either the resume function or leaving it up to LW to start them by itself.

LW will go into semi-sleep or inactive mode if it has not been actively used by the user after a period of time. This means it drops a couple of ultrapeers. This should not affect downloads. Since searches are not being done the extra ultrapeers are not needed and lets them go so other persons can utilise them. I don't think this mode is called sleep, but I cannot remember the word for it.

If a file stops downloading at a certain percentage, then either LW has lost connection with the host, or the host has gone offline or maybe that person only has that much percentage and is themselves still downloading the file (Thus you were downloading the file via partial file sharing.) I find I simply lose connection with the host sometimes when downloading. I do not think this is an uncommon happening. I see it quite often in my upload window dare I say it. If LW is unable to reconnect to the host then again, I recommend to re-search to see if you can get back into that host's queue or else, find other hosts with same file (if anybody else has same file.)

Ultrapeers will occasionally drop leafs or other peers and pick up new ones. This means a couple of things. One it can make it harder to relocate the host if you lose connection, secondly, fresh searches may find new hosts with same file due to exploring different part of the network. Keeping in mind also that hosts come and go from the network all the time.

Not sure if that's of any help. :)

Thanks Lord - you're always here to help - are you a Gnutella/Limewire/Frostwire official?

You said LW doesn't save searches between sessions "unlike some other clients."

OK, I'm game - what other clients?

Running "original" searches again can bring up different results every time and, unless I cancel and then restart a download from scratch, from a brand new original search, doing the search itself doesn't seem to get previous downloads to resume.

Anything else, or else a different version of either Limewire - or how about Frostwire - to use that works with the newest Java, that will help here?

Idle mode, that's the word I was searching for before, not sleep mode.

Yes new searches can bring up different searches, but I think it's still the best method. Using the 'Find/Get More Results' function will usually help to get results that are missing from previous searches. For LW 4, I think you right-click the search tab to use that tool.

GTK-Gnutella, I think BearShare 5 and I think Phex have the option to save searches between sessions. ShareAza I don't know.

No, I'm simply a person who ended up helping on this forum. I'm just a regular user of the gnutella network. A long time (10-11 year) user of LW. And tried the other programs out of curiosity. I tried Phex at same time I started on the network. Phex is a lot better now than it was as it was not very Mac user friendly at the time for me at least.

Something to remember is LW 4 does not delete the incomplete file if you cancel the download. LW 5 does delete the file. Some LW 4 users would use a technique of canceling their downloads, then going to the Library window and finding the incomplete folder, selecting all the files then clicking resume button I think it was. This would force the incomplete files back into the download window and they would all attempt to find hosts. This technique does have some effect. But is a heavy-handed approach.

If you are not happy with LW 4, then FrostWire 4 is always another option. FW 4's design is almost identical to LW 4. No extra options but a good program all the same. Usually upon first running, FrostWire 4 will resume LW's downloads as it uses the identical type of download file and looks to see if you have LW on the computer during the first run. At least this is how it did work, unless they changed it.

GTK-Gnutella is not a bad program but does not have an easy to use interface like all the other gnutella programs. It's almost a nerdy program if I can be forgiven for saying that. lol :D From memory, GTK has both a basic and advanced user option. (This is something I asked the LW devs to do, they liked the idea but it was never added since they had other things on their mind at the time, as you might guess the pressures I am talking about.) GTK seems to be the only client that is still developing at regular times. It has some gnutella implementations that are more advanced than even LW 5 had, though these are within the internal engine, not visible.

Phex is a good program. Not quite as easy to use interface as LW or FW. But it does not take too long to learn the ropes with the program. It has a search file-size filter. Phex usually connects easily and does not seem to have an idle mode. Phex tends to connect to more various clients on the network, though did this more-so in the past, as nowadays there are less people using the lesser known clients. As you probably know, LW tends to mostly connect to other LW clones.

Thanks for this info., Lord. Please correct me if I'm wrong, but programs such as LW are referred to as "clients", yes? Let's see if I can get to the heart of it as a layperson here. I realize I may be dreaming as far as finding a client that can do these things, but my priorities are:

(1) A client that pulls from the broadest range of sources available "out there" on the internet, over-and-above from other LW/FW users, whenever running a search for anything.
(2) Automatically finding, and re-establishing a connection with (each time the client is reopened) sources so as to make it possible to download files completely.
(3) Effectively resuming & completing downloads already in-progress from previous sessions, no matter how many times the client is reopened.
(4) Saving searches run, and the results from them again, session to session, so new searches don't have to be run each time you reopen the client (you can, of course, still run new searches each time, if you wish).
(5) No built-in limits, e.g., as mentioned before about LW v4.18.8 where there is a vertical size limit to the search results window pane.

Also, a question about LW's "Out-Of-Band" searching checkbox option: Does OOB searching cause LW to look elsewhere than other LW/FW users to pull in search results?

Ultimately, is there a program/client currently available that offers the 5 priorities I listed above - all in one? If not, which one is THE client that offers the most among them, and, which ones does it offer?

Thanks for any clarity you can offer, and for any input anyone else on the forum might contribute. :)

Hello? (chirp, chirp, chirp) Hello??

Sorry for the delay, I became distracted and forgot. :o

Yes, clients = different programs.

A client developer would be the best one to point these questions to.

1. I suspect all clients are about the same in the regard of search horizon. This is due to the way the gnutella protocol was designed. The later developed clients incorporated the ability to search outside the immediate horizon. This would include LimeWire clones, Phex, GTK-Gnutella. Not sure about ShareAza because it only has a basic gnutella ability which has not been upgraded very often in the past several years. BearShare 5 I am also not sure about, it was an advanced client during its days. But that was 6 years ago before BearShare was sold and moved to a different network (a semi-commercial network under the RIAA's indirect control.)

2. Questions 2 and 3 are very similar.
I suspect most clients are similar in that they attempt to connect to what were the known peers who had the file at the time the file was initially downloaded. If those persons are not online then ...or if they are too busy uploading to others ... and that's usually a huge part of the problem.

If you are referring to an auto-search function. I am not sure if any client has this ability. I recall in the very early days of the network, one client had a similar ability but was put into line by the other gnutella developers due to the massive network traffic it was causing with its behaviour. Even the attempt to auto-connect to the hosts of the incomplete downloads is only done in intervals of every 30-60 minutes. LW and Phex do this. Again, not sure about the other clients.

4. As previously mentioned, I suspect a few clients have the ability to 'save' search terms between sessions, but I am not sure about search results. I might be wrong but I thought Phex had something almost close to what you mean. But I confess I have not used Phex for searching and downloading since early in the year. Only times I've had Phex open since I was simply sharing files.

5. What you experienced with LW 4.18 I have not seen happen. Unless I misunderstood the situation where you were unable to scroll to the bottom of the search results. That seems odd. I am wondering that if you had have temporarily stretched the program's dimensions lower and wider a little bit, if that might have overcome that quirky behaviour. The only other thing I can think of is the search results at the lowest part were auto-designated as spam, and you have LW's settings set to hide spam from search results.

I do not think I really answered your questions well. But I do have limited knowledge. To look for the 'ideal' client. I think each client has things that are better than the others or the others do not have, but there seems to be none that have the best of them combined into one.

For example, I like how BearShare 5 shows how many shares and what approximate total file size of shares of the peers it's connected to. Phex also has this ability, though I suspect BS is more aggressive about obtaining the information. The history of searches, something I think both GTK and Phex have can be handy. Phex keeps a history of your uploads. I liked the direct connect tool and the advanced file description tools of LW 4. I like LW's drag and drop option for adding files or folders to shares which seems to be an ability other clients do not seem to possess. There will be other things I like about particular clients but cannot think of them at the moment.

OK - NOW WHAT? I downloaded and installed a number of Microsoft Updates a couple of days ago - nothing unusual at all - just a few security updates for Windows XP and Word. I've got Windows XP Professional Service Pack 3 32-bit O.S. on my PC. Gotten MS updates like those plenty of times before. Suddenly, however, Limewire 4.18.8 will not connect anymore. Tried resetting all of its defaults, tried letting it reset to listening from a different port, tried restarting. Nothing. It opens, but won't connect. I've had the version of the Norton Internet Security suite package you get from being a Comcast/Xfinity customer, which I've been using since 2008, and that's never gotten in LW's way. So, obviously, I assume these new MS updates changed something in and/or for LW. I'm no tech guy - so I really don't know what's going on here. LW 4.18.8 has been connecting immediately upon opening up to now. What do I have to do to get it connecting again? Thanks!

Did you try one of the Connectfix installers?
Always for LW 4 versions to connect on my particular computer I had to disable TLS in the performance section of Advanced settings of LW's options & tools menu. See if this helps.
Yours is the first report I have seen of any issue with recent MS updates.

Thanks for replying, Lord. Magically, of course right after I put up my post about this yesterday, I opened LW again and it connects now. It's fully connected as I write this. So, no idea what the issue was with it. But, so I know a little more here: What are ConnectFix installers, where do you get them, and how do they work? What does disabling TLS, and either of the other checkboxes under that option, do? Also, I continue to have OOB searching enabled at your suggestion. I assume that provides for locating a broader range of sources that you can connect to when running searches? The main issue I'm frustrated about is that LW 4.18.8 will practically NEVER resume a download in-progress after you close LW down for any reason while that download remains incomplete. This applies to any download, no matter how much of it has already come in. With LW Pirate Edition which, unless it's changed, won't run right using the new Java 7 RTE, running new, related searches jumpstarted some downloads into resuming before. LW 4.18.8 just doesn't seem to be helped along to complete its downloads no matter what. There has been stuff that's incomplete that I'd really like to have finish and save. Any other ideas - from you or anyone else - about how to resume incompletes? Any further news about LPE being able to run with Java 7 and newer JRE's yet? Thanks again.

The ConnectFix installers install a fresh list of hosts to connect to. At least a percentage of them are reliable hosts and will be online (whether they have spare slots to connect to is the question.) But in theory, you only need to connect to a single host. If the host does as it should, it should pass information to your LW about hosts it has detected as being online during its session. Hopefully you connect to some of these hosts. The connectfix installer replaces any older connection file you have. I collate the host data myself from checking connection windows of LW or Phex and seeing which ones connect the longest and also have static addresses.

I do not know why disabling TLS should help with connecting, but seems to work for some people's systems or versions of LW. TLS is supposed to help provide more secure file-transfers. By secure I mean I think they are semi-encrypted.
I do not know much about the Mojito DHT. According to Wikipedia, "The DHT is replacing search by SHA-1, when locating alternate sources for a known file or looking for push-proxies."
Running as Ultrapeer means you help others connect to the network. With LW you will connect to 32 other peers and 40 leafs. There is a small over-head of bandwidth running as UP. Approximately 10 KB/s or a little less. Some persons prefer to connect purely as leafs so they can maintain all the bandwidth.

LW 4.18 I will not say I especially liked. I preferred LW 4.16 or 4.14 with 4.14 being my favorite. LW 4.18 was the first version to change the location of the downloads.dat file which keeps a record of all your incomplete downloads. Previously this file was found in your incomplete folder.

Most people found that when downgrading from LW 5, LW 4.16 or earlier were more successful at continuing previous incomplete downloads. LW 4.18 on the other hand seems to almost ignore them and will not recognise they are incomplete files when you do searches (ie: same file shows in search results but LW 4.18 will not indicate that you are already downloading that file.)

If you wish to try 4.16 then see http://www.gnutellaforums.com/downlo...downloads.html which will show the process to move the downloads file to the incomplete folder. And then how to resume the downloads.

As for resuming incomplete downloads in general, re-searching the original file topic, and doing variations on this. Search results are usually better the longer your LW has been running. One thing you can try with LW 4 is pausing downloads then resuming. Or using the technique used in the link above. This is something you cannot do with LW 5.

Thanks so much for this Lord, especially focusing on resuming the downloads of incompletes as the main issue. Some commitments from you here, though, please: 1. Ultrapeer means helping others connect to the network, yes? Is that entirely for others' benefit, or does it also help your own LW user experience in some way(s)? 2. Does checking the "disable Ultrapeer" box in the options free up your LW client to do the broadest searching for reliable sources and for files, and successfully complete downloads, including resuming incompletes whenever you shut down and restart your PC? 3. How does OOB searching fit in to this? 4. Also, you said you prefer LW 4.16, but that 4.14 is your favorite. So, which one? 4.16 or 4.14, instead of 4.18. Thanks again!

1. U.P.'s assist others to connect to the network yes. Ultrapeer mode should not have any ill effects upon searching. For me I find it is the contrary. I find I seem to get better (more) search results and less spam when acting as an ultrapeer. For example, as a Leaf I tend to get 30-50 search results or less for a particular search term. When in U.P. mode, I tend to get 50-80 or more.
2. I do not think disabling UP will have any effect on searching for many people, but it might help for some who have limited bandwidth. When I was on ADSL-1, I preferred connecting as a Leaf due to my limited bandwidth. Now on ADSL-2, I prefer ultrapeer mode.
3. OOB means out-of-bounds, meaning outside of the regular search horizon that a standard search would be able to reach. So utilising OOB should assist with finding files, most particularly rare files.
4. I am not sure what improvements were made to 4.16 over 4.14. I only started using 4.16 because I misplaced my 4.14 installer when I purchased a new computer. My particular 4.16.6 version was a little buggy, but 4.16.7 would probably be fine. For me at least, even now every second time I open 4.14 it immediately jumps into ultrapeer mode, more often than my LPE does. My LPE usually needs to wait an hour or few hours before shifting into U.P. mode. Toss a coin. :D One thing you will notice with LW 4.16 or 4.14 is they will connect to earlier versions of LW 4, versions that LW 4.18 was designed not to connect to. LW 5 versions were also designed not to connect to pre-LW 4.14 versions, but LPE 5.6.2 does have the ability to connect to earlier LW 4 versions.

It sounds like 4.16.6 should be avoided (buggy) for 4.14 or 4.16.7 instead, but sounds like you haven't had the opportunity yet to give 4.16.7 a try personally. LPE, and all version 5's, is out for me as I'm not interested in hassling with workarounds for the Java 7 incompatibility problem. I think, unless you have more to say about choosing between version 4's, especially when it comes to resuming incomplete downloads when shutting down and starting up my PC each time, I'll go with 4.14, especially given it jumps right into UP mode on startup. It sounds like going for a version older than that would not work out, as well as anything newer than 4.16.7. Per your experiences, I'll leave UP and OOB enabled. Will consider disabling TLS only if connectivity issues come up. I thought all the ".exe" installers for older versions of LW were available on the Gnutella archived-versions webpage. You should be able to get 4.14's installer file from there, if you too would like to run 4.14 instead 4.16. Thanks again. Your responses are both very helpful and educational, especially since the webpages that used to exist for LW are closed down now, so there is no educating oneself that way.

If you have an opportunity, please talk about ConnectFix installers. I don't know anything about them, how they are installed, and how to set them up to work. Do they have an effect on your internet connection in general, to optimize and/or broaden that too, or do they just work with LW? Where do you find them, how do you evaluate if they'd help or not, and how do you choose which one (version) to install? Can/do you download more than one at once? Also, as long as whatever version of LW you're using is not having any connectivity problems, are ConnectFixes even needed, since you said the host that LW connects to will find sources from there, and OOB searching provides for the broadest searches? Thank you.

I see there is more than one version of LW 4.14 (.8 and .12), as well as 4.12.6 and 4.16.7. Any input as to the best to pick from, given the issues we've been discussing? I assume it's either 4.14.8 or 4.14.12 - which one for fastest, broadest, and most reliable to connect and finish incomplete downloads? Is there a need to install any of the ConnectFixes you listed first, or try LW first and, as long as it connects OK, no need for any ConnectFixes? Thanks again.

Just as a side note, 4shared kept coming up as Error 500 or 550 - unable to open. I had to keep trying before I got it to open so I could download the zip file. 2shared wanted you to download its download manager, other things - not interested. Tried installing & running LW 4.14.12 - would only connect if I also installed your connection fix file first. No help resuming my already-existing incompletes from LW 4.18.8. Also, clearing normal caches as part of PC maintenance cleared out all my custom settings under "options", putting everything back to the defaults. Installed LW 4.16.7, and really like that it's a PRO version with turbo. Saves all my custom settings, as LW 4.18.8, and LPE always did, but again, no help resuming past incompletes. I also installed your connection fix file for it too, and that really seems to make a big difference for 4.14.12 & 4.16.7. New searches/downloads proceed OK. Searches for former incompletes to get them to resume/redownload again has been unsuccessful so far.

As per instructions for first installing the 4.16 or earlier when downgrading from 4.18 or 5, cancelling all downloads then selecting all the incomplete files from the library window and choosing resume. This should work. If you are unable to continue particular downloads then chances are those hosts are not online at the time or are unreachable or the file is no longer being hosted. By unreachable, I mean they probably have dynamic host addresses that have changed and they are outside a standard search horizon to reach them on that particular occasion.
But this process you can repeat from time to time, perhaps once every session or two.

Dynamic hosts are often the issue with incomplete downloads. Their host addresses change and LW has no record of their newer addresses to attempt to connect to by itself. Some dynamic addresses will change with every new session by that user. Some may not change for a few days or weeks, etc.

This is why it's best to do fresh searches in the hope during that session you are within search horizon of finding such hosts for incomplete files. If not early on in the session, try again later on because the gnutella network's hosts is quite dynamic in itself. People come and go, people change U.P.'s they are connected to, etc. thus changing the structure of host connections and those within a standard search horizon.

Something you should check in settings is to keep incomplete files for a period of time. The default is quite low, in fact 7 days. I usually typed in a number like 9999 days. Tools > Options > Saving. LW 5 removed this option.

Something else which can help which I may have forgotten to mention, is share similar material as you are trying to download. This brings similar minded people to your doorstep so to speak. This works in reverse also, searching similar material to what you are sharing helps to get people to find your files.

In summary, I think you will just need to be patient for the incomplete downloads.

Something I had forgotten about, I think LW 5.0-5.10 only share files to 4.17 or above. But I might be wrong. LPE's minimum version I am not sure about but I have uploaded to 4.10 and a number of 4.12 users before. And LPE is a lot more common than all the other LW 5 versions combined.

The ConnectFix installer: should only need to use when you have connection problems. It simply replaces the gnutella.net file with a fresh one, giving a large list of hosts for LW to connect to. This could be done manually but the installer does it for you. After opening LW, it will check through the gnutella.net file for hosts to connect to and also check for any that are online but do not have slots available to connect to and may possibly record those back to the gnutella file when you close LW. More about the connectfix installers here http://www.gnutellaforums.com/connec...tml#post370643 Yes the LW ConnectFix installers are only for LW. But I have made equivalent ones (also with MacOSX equivalents) for FrostWire, Phex and BearShare.

I hosted what LW versions I could find. Up until about LW 4.13 I used to keep copies of every single version released for Windows, Mac and Linux (Basic & Pro.) But I started to get lazy doing that. And finding them in my storage devices is not always easy, because some were stored on CD or DVD -RW's. Hunting around the web might be able to find other versions.

Was a download manager compulsory for 2Shared or simply an option? 2Shared is a very recent addition. Feedback on them is good. As an uploader of the files, I find their file-management is extremely basic. But the most important thing is (on condition I log into the site occasionally) they will not delete the files if they have not been downloaded very frequently or at all after a few months, unlike some other similar sites. This is why I do not host LW versions at some of the other file-hosting sites.

4Shared sometimes seems to have problems. Even managing or updating files I find I sometimes have problems with their services. I am not sure if this is server related or their newer upgraded software that occasionally causes issues. Every file-hosting site occasionally has server hiccups. So does this forum's server lol.