TechSpot Downloads - Help us troubleshooting

[Julio Franco]

Hey everyone,

As you are probably aware we run a pretty cool downloads section here at TechSpot, bringing you daily updates on popular software and drivers.

As a service to you and to a handful of great developers, we also provide hosting for their programs on our servers. However, because we don't want to open up to the possibility of other sites or malicious users draining our bandwidth we use anti-leech protection that gives us some peace of mind in that respect.

Most recently we've started to receive a number of error reports generating from those hosted downloads. Needless to say we have been unable to replicate the errors in our systems, no matter what browser or OS we use, the downloads work just fine here.

That's why I must come to you for some support. Please downloading the software below and let me know if you come across any issues either downloading or installing the software. They are all worthy*titles and in the process you'll be doing a great service to the site by reporting back in this thread if things work fine for you or if you come across any issues.

https://www.techspot.com/downloads/301-total-commander.html
https://www.techspot.com/downloads/4842-game-booster.html
https://www.techspot.com/downloads/4843-iobit-smart-defrag.html
https://www.techspot.com/downloads/4828-gmabooster.html

Also please include your browser and OS specs for our reference.

Thank you in advance!

 

[bobcat]

Suggestion for Portable Apps

The downloads seem to work with me at the moment, though I didn't proceed to their installation for the reason described below, in connection with which I take the opportunity to make a suggestion.

Many I'd say progressive users, including myself, have started avoiding the installation of further programs, becase they clutter and slow down the system, and eventually can even cause instability. Furthermore, trying to uninstall them nearly always leaves behind debris.

So we prefer instead to use portable (versions of) applications, which do not require installation, and also can be carried and run from a USB stick. Moreover, if no longer required, one just deletes their folder and they disappear without trace.

Consequently, my suggestion is that TS also starts paying special attention to portable apps and possibly create a dedicated section for them. I for one will start getting them immediately. And when their advantages are explained in an ad/intro, I'm sure many more members will do likewise.

EDIT: Addendum

...let me know if you come across any issues ... installing the software.

At least this (part of) the problem will be solved with portable apps.

 

[InsaneVr6]

Couple of things:

Many I'd say progressive users, including myself, have started avoiding the installation of further programs, becase they clutter and slow down the system, and eventually can even cause instability. Furthermore, trying to uninstall them nearly always leaves behind debris.

As true as that is, a simple wipe with CCleaner after an uninstall does the trick just fine. Anything else left behind can be manually removed with the Everything engine.

So we prefer instead to use portable (versions of) applications, which do not require installation, and also can be carried and run from a USB stick. Moreover, if no longer required, one just deletes their folder and they disappear without trace.

I am not sure if you know how portable applications work, but generally they are created illegally. Most companies have strict rules and regulations pertaining to how their files are to be handled, and most state that 'editing this program or any of its binaries is strictly prohibited'. Most portable apps are created with a debugger, where the main .exe file and its relating .dll files are edited so they can be temporarily generated until the program stops or make the .exe not depend on the .dll's.

Consequently, my suggestion is that TS also starts paying special attention to portable apps and possibly create a dedicated section for them. I for one will start getting them immediately. And when their advantages are explained in an ad/intro, I'm sure many more members will do likewise.

If your computer cannot handle downloading simple programs because of what is 'left behind' then I think that you either need a new computer or figure out a new way of maintaining the one you have, and I don't think that is TS's fault.

Anyway. Julio I downloaded and installed each of the files successfully with no problems. I am using Opera 10 Beta2 and my OS is Windows Vista Home Premium x32.

Good luck on solving this, but it seems fine to me.:grinthumb

 

[bobcat]

Some Facts

Because I find it inappropriate that a suggestion be shot down lightheartedly by misinformation augmented by a good dose of misreading, I come back with some facts, which I did not mention in my first post because I considered them generally known, but apparentlhy they are not.

a simple wipe with CCleaner after an uninstall does the trick just fine. Anything else left behind can be manually removed with the Everything engine.

Not so simple, more a simplistic statement. Fact is, there are far more powerful registry cleaners than CCleaner, but they still don't get rid of all debris. Even more important, they always represent a risk to the system, and the more powerful they are the bigger the risk.
As regards manual cleaning, this is beyond the capabilities of most users and if they have to resort to that, it's a good argument in favour of portable apps.

I am not sure if you know how portable applications work, but generally they are created illegally.

Nobody spoke about anything illegal, except you of course. I am sure you don't know that not only there are many portable apps, but many program developers also offer a portable version of their apps. Just as an example, I mention CCleaner which you yourself brought up. Other developers should be encouraged to do likewise, and TS could contribute to this, hence a.o. my suggestion.

If your computer cannot handle downloading simple programs...

Another case of misreading. I said I downloaded but did not want to install. There is a difference between downloading and installing, also between being able and wanting.

Last fact: The characteristics and advantages of portable applications that I mentioned are not in dispute. They are recommended by computer mags and are accepted not only by experts, but also by knowledgeable users. Anybody disputing them is not disputing them or me but his knowledge.

 

[InsaneVr6]

It sounds to me like your last post was calling me unknowledgeable, due to your bold statement.

First off I said that CCleaner does the trick fine, not that it was the most powerful registry/file cleaner on the planet, and manual removal is easy.

I was simply stating that portable apps are mostly created by a third party, people like you or me etc. In editing the files to be 'portable', that is breaking the TOS most software vendors have. I never said portable apps were bad or pointless, but they would have to be created by either the same software vendor or a certified third party with permission from the original coders. My whole reason for saying this was because you 'suggested' that TS support them too, and I wanted to state that maybe they don't want to support something potentially illigal.

Please don't tell me the difference between downloading and installing...just...don't.

I think further discussion of this should not take place in Julio's own thread.
:wave:

 

[SNGX1275]

All 4 downloaded fine, didn't try the install because of the OS.

Version 10.00 Beta 2
Build 6560
Platform Mac OS X
System 10.5.7
Java Java Runtime Environment installed

Browser identification
Opera/9.80 (Macintosh; PPC Mac OS X; U; en) Presto/2.2.15 Version/10.00

 

[captaincranky]

I have an inquiry about a specific Application, (and the portable version thereof)

SIW (System Information for Windows) is one fine portable app, and was featured as a "Download of the Week". Why are we not able to offer the standalone version directly from this site? This is far preferable to the installion of another program. At one time, attempting to install the program, set off "PUP" warnings from my resident AV. I only report this, I did know if this was a false positive. The click me "exey" file, gives more info than all but the truly hard core busybody, would likely need to know over the next 10 years anyway.

The "alternate mirror" is reached via clicking on the author's name, a bit ambiguous, but perhaps only for the slightly dull of wit such as myself.

 

[Julio Franco]

Thanks for your help troubleshooting the downloads I mentioned. I will keep receiving feedback for the next week or so, hopefully someone will be able to replicate the issues others have reported and will serve us to narrow down the problem to a specific browser/platform, or something of that sort.

In the meantime, please avoid discussing other unrelated matters in this thread.

Thank you.

 

[SNGX1275]

In the hopes that more people will attempt this (with the more common setups), I've tried another browser/setup that fewer people have. Once again no problems downloading all four.

Setup:
Windows Vista HP 32bit.
Safari 4.0.2 (530.19.1)

 

[captaincranky]

OK,has something been fixed? I only say this because I just downloaded all 4 programs successfully, with FF 3.51 , all scripting is blocked, (save for Techspot itself).

 

[strategic]

All successfully downloaded
Windows XP SP1
Firefox 3.5.1

 

[skitzo_zac]

I downloaded and installed all four applications successfully.

Operating System
XP Pro, SP3, 32 bit.
Microsoft Windows XP Professional (5.1, Build 2600)

Browser
Opera 10 (beta 2)
Version: 10.00 Beta 2
Build: 1642
Platform: Win32
System: Windows XP
Java: Sun Java Runtime Environment version 1.6

Hardware specs are in my profile if needed.

 

[captaincranky]

Wouldn't it be just one giant step forward if the authors of these programs went that one, tiny, extra little step, and provided us with an MD-5 (or Sha1) hash ?

 

[strategic]

and provided us with an MD-5 (or Sha1) hash ?

huh? :haha:
In english por favor...

 

[captaincranky]

huh? :haha:
In english por favor...

Sigate esta "link" ( http://www.accuhash.com/ ) Se te lo explicara' "checksum". Si tienes algunas mas preguntas, Yo tratare' a ajudarte!

 

[strategic]

Ah! Now I capisce!

 

[red1776]

I hope the product is good...because that website is hideous!....as Grams used to say....ISH!

 

[captaincranky]

I actually think the company is defunct. The website exists in memorium. Accuhash is/was quite a decent checksum calculator/ checker. At the time it was the only freeware utility I could find that would do MD5 and also Sha-1 hashes. For me it's one of those things that goes on every build, if only to check Linux Iso (s)

 

[red1776]

I downloaded all 4...no problems
win 7 RC x64
Firefox Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 6.1; en-US; rv:1.9.0.12) Gecko/2009070611 Firefox/3.0.12 (.NET CLR 3.5.30729)

 

[Julio Franco]

Thank you to all of you who have downloaded and tested the programs. I guess it's good news that there are no glaring issues, it all works fine for me too, but as I mentioned we are getting a few reports every week from people who say the downloads are "broken".

I will keep receiving feedback from other users to see if we can replicate the problem, otherwise we can keep serving the files successfully without having to look back.

 

[captaincranky]

.....[ ].... but as I mentioned we are getting a few reports every week from people who say the downloads are "broken".

Including the hashes would perhaps eliminate some, if not all of the, "broken download reports". I know it's rare that a file doesn't "hash out" correctly, but who knows.

After that, it's a given that not every program will function perfectly with every conceivable software/hardware configuration.