Torrent Filter

March 11, 2005 2:39 PM

I've got a torrent file that uses the old Lokitorrent tracker, so it's unusable as is. This much, I know. My problem is that I can't figure out how to make it work otherwise. I have tried changing the tracker address, but I'm learning quickly that if the tracker I point to isn't listing this file, it's of no use. Is there another way around this problem? It's a file I've been waiting MONTHS for.
posted by LGCNo6 to computers & internet (9 comments total)

As I understand it, a torrent file is only a pointer to file that's hosted on a particular tracker. So if the tracker a torrent file is pointing to is no longer hosting the file, then the torrent file is useless and there's no use hanging onto it.
posted by pmbuko at 2:41 PM on March 11, 2005

The torrent file isn't completely useless, because some bittorrent clients (such as BitTornado) allow you to manually enter another tracker.

... However, you would in that case, still need to find a tracker that's tracking that file, and people to seed the file.

It's probably a lost cause.

(Although, it kinda depends on what you're looking for...)
posted by yeoz at 2:57 PM on March 11, 2005

As I understand it, pmbuko has it more or less right. The file itself does not live on the tracker, but it's the tracker that, uh, keeps track of everybody who has the file (seeds) or parts of it (leeches). When you DL a file over bittorrent, you're constantly checking in with the tracker to update it with your status and get the status of others.

But pmbuko is correct that if the tracker is gone, there's no way to find other peers. Unless someone republishes the torrent through a different tracker. Try yotoshi.com
posted by adamrice at 3:00 PM on March 11, 2005

I think the pointer is not to the file itself, but to another file on the tracker which then coordinates the swarm. In any event, if the file on the tracker is gone, or if no uploaders are connected, then the torrent will not work. These things tend to be a bit ephemeral, lasting days, not weeks or more. It all depends upon the tracker.
posted by caddis at 3:09 PM on March 11, 2005

You need to find a tracker hosting the EXACT SAME file or group of files. Then you should be able to just download their .torrent file and resume from your partially completed download.
posted by TheOnlyCoolTim at 3:22 PM on March 11, 2005

Search for the file on exeem.
posted by zsazsa at 3:52 PM on March 11, 2005

search for the file on Yotoshi.
posted by PinkStainlessTail at 4:44 PM on March 11, 2005

Be mindful that some people have raised concerns about exeem. It's seems to be as questionnable as ES5.
posted by Jim Jones at 5:45 PM on March 11, 2005

You can either search trackers to hunt down a new torrent, or you can look for the file via alternative means.

If you just can't find the file in question, I suggest hunting down IRC channels based on the related topic. Most stuff on BitTorrent can be found on some IRC Fserv or other, if you look hard enough.

If all else fails, shoot me a line and I'll try to find a lead if I know of any.
posted by Saydur at 8:44 PM on March 11, 2005