Downloads terminating before completed

[Guest]

Hi Folks Happy New Year to you all.I have been experiencing a bit of a problem lately with large downloads ( greater than say 15meg ) terminating early and leaving an incomplete zip file. The download starts OK, it just finishes early at a random point. If I keep on trying I eventually get the file. Avsim is the only site I seem to have this problem with.I have to say that I am making use of the broadband access I have at work and I suspect that it is a problem at my end. Sadly a download manager is not an option I can use at work. Have any of you experts out there experienced this and, hopefully, found a solution?Many thanks, in anticipation, from a very wet Southampton UK.Gordon.

[Guest]

Gordon,It sounds like your getting timed out by your ISP, or perhaps a proxy problem, or a max download limit. Download managers don't necessary work too well w/ our system so your not in a bad way there.If the problem continues you might check w/ your ISP.Regards, Rick RossnerSr. Library ManagerAVSIM Onlinewww.avsim.comrick@avsim.com

[Guest]

Hi Rick,Thanks for the reply.Although I have no problems with the er...... "other" flight sim site, I suspect that you are correct and the fault lies at my end. Ah well, I will have to try taking one of our system managers out for lunch and turn the subject around to permissions and proxy settings during the coffee.Many thanks,Gordon

[johnfromoz 0]

Hi - I have had this problem for some time and have tolerated it, but it's getting to the point that all the "good" files are inaccessible to me! Firstly, I am on wireless - hard to believe that a capital city suburb is a broadband blackspot, but ...This occurs both here and on what an earlier post called the "other" site - Flightsim.com. It occurs on those two sites, and I think something comparable happened on one other "boutique" FS site, but maybe different as d/ls would often just not start - and not just on my system - so I would have to say it's "just the two".I am not using a download manager, and am using my home computer. It has been going on for some time, through various Windows updates.It is neither time nor size related. I have (heaven help me, on wireless) managed a couple of hundred Mb files. I have d/ld large files from both FS sites. But for many files (now) I have the problem originally reported. The download just stops at some point, always within a few Kb of the same place in the same file. Just now I tried the 9.8 Mb "tbs2k5.zip" (Tokyo Bay) which stopped each time at 9.7 Mb. Apart from the sheer frustration, on wireless I have monthly download allocation and only getting 90% of a number of large files wastes it.It sometimes happens on small files, under 10 Mb. At other times quite large ones come through comfortably. It can happen within a minute or so of starting, or after 15 mins or more. It seems file-related. I was able to get a whole series of about a dozen sceneries for Formosa (other site!) except one, the same one, every time. I was able to get it from a computer elsewhere, on regular broadband.If I either let the stalled download remain without cancelling it, I eventually get a "Downloade error" report, "(File) could not be saved because the source file could not be read". If I try to pause and restart, I get the same message. If I then cancel the problem download, and move on to other downloads, I find the cancelled one may lead to a report that I have exceeded my download limit - even if only one d/l is running and I try to begin a second.When I encounter one of these problem files, I always let the one download run, with no others concurrent. If the download is large I only run one at a time anyway.Yes, there is some factor at this end perhaps, but I think also, since it is the same files each time from only two sites, there is something at the server end or perhaps even the file which makes those particular downloads fragile.I don't expect a magic bullet solution but if others are having issues like this, and report them, eventually the bits and pieces may come together and suggest an answer.

[Chase 303]

I had a similar problem once on vacation trying to download a large file. Download manager did the trick...when the download stalled I'd resume it. This shouldn't be a permanent fix though and please note we don't provide support for download managers as they tend to be hit or miss. Try calling your ISP.

[johnfromoz 0]

Thanks for quick reply, Chase. I've already spoken with my ISP and they have no idea why this should happen! I believe, since it is consistent regarding sites and files, it is some unfortunate combination of our disgraceful internet connectivity here and something from the sending end - otherwise I would expect it to be more random, files downloading on subsequent tries and other "safe" files failing (not that you try a second time if the first worked, but I've done it accidentally on occasion).I'll try a file manage. Not sure how that will help if the file always becomes "unavailable" at the same point..

[Chase 303]

Give it a try, you'll see what I mean. When a file becomes unavailable on a DL manager, it pauses rather than cancelling allowing you to pick up where you left off by clicking resume (and not corrupting the file as download managers are complex and can sort the fragmented pieces together). Just remember our library limits 3 connections/downloads per user at any given time so if there is a setting to control max amount of downloads choose 3.

[johnfromoz 0]

Thanks again, Chase. I'll try it. Used "Getright" years ago when on dial-up, but stopped when I moved to "faster" wireless.

[momtchil 32]

Thanks again, Chase. I'll try it. Used "Getright" years ago when on dial-up, but stopped when I moved to "faster" wireless.

You can try the Free Download Manger (FDM) it works with the library pretty well. http://www.freedownloadmanager.org/Its what I used when I was on Dial-Up. Still use it sometimes too - its very good, although its no longer possible to integrate it in Firefox.

[johnfromoz 0]

Thanks Momtchil - I'll try that. I think I paid for "Getright" but not sure if I can find where I stored it!

[johnfromoz 0]

Still no progress - I can't get an AVSIM link into Free Download Manager, the only place I can "copy" a link is from the hypertext on the actual download page for the particular file, and that gives me a 4kb php file, not the actual target.

My ISP suggests I contact the host websites!

We do expect a superb fibre-optic internet to fill this black spot, within the year. Our government promised it! ;)

[momtchil 32]

You would need to integrate it with your browser (get it to monitor your browser) and then it picks up the download directly (and the proper AVSIM library download link) - can do that from Options/Settings (then tab 'monitoring' and make sure the tick box for your browser/s is/are ticked) from inside FDM (Free Download Manger).

 

You might have issues trying to get it to work with new versions of Chrome and Firefox (although the latest version - 3.8 might work) but it should work ok integrated with IE for sure.

I've just tested it in Google Chrome and IE8 and it works perfectly fine downloading from the library. Couldn't get it to work with Firefox 11 or 12, it did used to work fine with some of the older Firefox versions (think Firefox 9 and prior).

[johnfromoz 0]

Thanks once more, I'll try that. And sorry I didn't acknowledge you earlier!

Interestingly, a few files I previously had trouble with came down fine via the "new" library! Either every cloud has its silver lining, or maybe it was just luck. Don't know if that points to any reason for the original problem.

[Richard_T 0]

Hi John,

 

What suburb in Adelaide are you from in SA. I am in the Riverland and can say I have never had problems downloading from the Library. If you are after any particular large file I would be happy to grab it for you and send it to you via Aust Post on a SD card or CD or whatever.

 

Cheers,

Richard.

[johnfromoz 0]

Hi Richard - I'm in Modbury, an internet "black spot" requieing wireless, or submission to our telco wannabe monopoly. I have a couple of FS friends nearby who are happy for me to get downloads via them, but it's sufficiently frequent to be a nuisance. So, I do have other options but appreciate the offer. I'd really just like the same access other areas have, but I guess that will wait for the marvellous super broadband with fibre optics to get here!

 

At least now I find I can sometimes resume a broken download, which I couldn't previously.

 

Momtchil - no luck with the download manager. I have checked it to monitor my browser, but all I can download is php files - can't seem to find a way to get the URL for the actual zip into the manager.