Opening downloads.dat file
 

I am currently working on a legal case involving limewire used as a tool and would like to view the downloads.dat file. Does anyone have a program that will parse this out like the AScan tool used by the DCCI?

Forensic Buddy

have you tried to open it up with notepad or wordpad?

it will open, but I forget if there is any information readable via that route...I know with other p2p programs you can get a lot of info by opening up certain files with the above programs

Forensic analysis of downloads.dat
 

Currently looking for a way to view the contents of downloads.dat parsed out!


I know there is a program used by law enforcement and can be obtained at:

www.nrdfi.net/


it is called AScan


Would you or anyone you know have access to this program. It is very useful in parsing out downloads.dat file from limewire.

Thread merged. Please keep all posts regarding the same topic to one thread :)

I have the program (Ascan) but have had trouble using it. (it may be versions issues 4.X vers 5 .dat files) Does anyone know of another parser to for the downloads.dat file and other files written in JOS like spam.dat and library.dat?

Simply open a document program like Tex-Edit or Notepad/WordPad & drag & drop the .dat file onto the icon. It will open & read it. ;) Easy as that. :) Else choose open command & select ignore file types & open the .dat file then.

:) that I can do... I want more data than what I can read. I want to squeeze every bit of data i can out of the file.

i am wondering if all of the files are interconnected in a way that you can't get everything out of say downloads.dat without library.dat.

from what I understand of JOS it doesn't work that way. which leads me back to being able to unpack the information in the downloads.dat, spam.dat and libray.dat files...

thanks in advance

I am in the same exact boat. I have the download.dat file and can open it with Notepad but am looking for something that will show me the information in a more user friendly, readable format. Anyone?

Just wondering if anyone has found a good way to parse this out?

no, I haven't but I'll post up when I get more info.