File Download Is Garbled When Updating Headers At Same Time

[BauerFL]

While I may have a larger number of header groups than typical (I have 200 groups I monitor), I have noted that if I "Update All Groups" while I have file downloads in progress (I have 10 connections that will support header and file download and 10 that will support only file download), the file downloads are garbled. If I repeat download of same files ("Add To Download List Bypass Filters") after group update has completed, files download perfectly.

While I'll stop updating while downloading to skirt this issue, since both updates and downloads run for quite a duration, I would perfer to perform both simultaneously from time to time.

Would you consider investigating and resolving this?

Thanks, Fred.

[DThor]

Certainly never seen that, it's designed to add things on the fly and there are specific threads that handle each task. I'll give it a shot tonight and try to bust it. Can you define 'garbled'?

DT

[BauerFL]

Yes, garbled as used here means that:
1. some of the files downloaded appear to simply not be complete, like the download was terminated prematurely but the portion downloaded was still assembled.
2. some of the files downloaded, from size of file, appear to be complete, but both QuickPAR and WinRAR indicate they are bad (QuickPAR says missing even though there is clearly a file of the correct size and name).

When I download the file again, it really represents the content on the server (i.e., not all the files on the server are complete, but the redownload has everything the server has while the garbled version does not; certainly when the file is complete on the server, it is also complete in the redownload even though the garbled version is not).

[DThor]

Not sure what to say, never ever seen this. Almost all of your recent posts seem to be centred around a single thing, and that's very recent posts(recent means days, not hours, btw). If the post is still being uploaded, you'll get different results as little as minutes later, so I'm unclear how you can know absolutely what is on the server and what isn't, apart from trying to get them. With recent posts, even the same provider might have a slight discrepancy between it's different nodes.

Anyway, when I can I'll hammer at this process. Unless there's a very new bug, though, I'll be surprised if i see anything odd. Lots of users are constantly downloading files, then snag headers, read posts - it's difficult to 'garble' anything.

DT

[BauerFL]

Good thought. That certainly might be the case with recent posts. I have seen this garbling occur with posts as old as Apr, May, Jun of this year. When I update just a handful of groups or all posts for one day or less since last update, I never see a problem. Only in the last couple weeks have I seen this issue and then only when I update all groups with at least 3 to 5 days worth of post to catch up on so there is a huge amount of activity going for many hours.

Several hours later, after the header update is complete, I can add bypassing filters and downloads are as expected.

[Quade]

I download headers and files simultaneously all the time. The failure mode is unclear. The display looks funky or you get corrupted files on disk?

You might try setting "Background mode" in the options and I'd upgrade to the latest 6.01B5.

Re-reading your comment, I suspect this is a timing issue that's already been address in the beta. What I suspect is happening is that retry's are occuring and forcing assembly of some files. 6.01B5 is more selective about retry based assembly.

[BauerFL]

Corrupted files on disk.

I've set Background Update switch on.

I'm using 6.01B5: 00 BB F1 9C 56 20. Is there a version of 6.01B5 that is newer than / different from this?

I concur this might be (or have been) a timing issue. I've previously been downloading headers and files simultaneously as well with only issues in the last couple weeks. I've 3000+ items in download list, 400+ items in wish list (occurs to me this is first time I've ever used the wish list), and 200 groups of headers for 3 to 5 days. Lots of processing for many hours (all HDD bandwidth limited don't you know .

This is easily the hardest I've had NewsBin work since I started using it some years back.

It occurs to me to mention that I'm using an up-to-date Win7 Pro SP1 platform with 64-bit NewsBin. I don't usually keep up with Win OS updates (once stable, no tinker), but since, mmmm .... shall I say, Win7 is so much less than stable, I hoping for a magic bullet in the updates.

Thanks.

[DThor]

I've been unable to repro this... To clarify, just having a stack of items in the wish list, lots of groups(200 isn't really that many) etc. doesn't really impact much that I can see. I guess it's in the realm of possibility you've stacked up a massive backlog of tasks in the download queue and you've pushed your system to a point of instability, but I'm seriously doubting that.

The moment you say win7 is unstable and you usually don't keep it patched, that speaks volumes. I'm a linux guy, but I'd never describe win7 as unstable. Maybe there are other issues at play here...

DT