Need some help with .iso files...

B

bozman

n00b
Joined
Oct 10, 2005
Messages
41
Gents (& Ladies),

I have been having no luck downloading ANY Linux distro from ANY site (http, ftp, torrent) and have it pass an MD5sum. I am downloading on a Windows XP Pro machine with a very good broadband connection (averages 400 kb/sec).

What in the heck am I doing wrong? What can I do to get a good .iso file??

I would like to have the following distros to put on my computer:

SUSE
Gentoo
Ubuntu

Any help would be appreciated.....
 
Well... Data corruption is caused by either a bad hard drive or bad ram...maybe even a bad CPU... Does your computer crash randomly? Ever run Prime95 torture test for 24 hours to check it?
 
My computer is rock solid. Never crashes. Ram and hard drives are top notch and without issue.

Maybe I should have included this in my original post.....

I am able to download .iso files and burn them to a CD/DVD. The .iso files, before burning to media, will not pass a MD5sum check. After burning these "bad" files to a CD/DVD using Nero and/or other burning software, I will only get part of the way through the install before I get some sort of error (bad media, corrupt files, ect.). Yet, when I download other programs and patches for windows applications, I never have any issue.

I have downloaded SUSE, Ubuntu and Gentoo several times from several different sites using several different methods and have not had 1 .iso pass a MD5sum OR sucessfully install.

Makes me think old Bill has built something into his OS that will not allow a poor working guy to download Linux distros successfully.
 
I'm sorry to say it, but there's something borken with your hard- or software. :)
(As for why you don't usually have problems with it, perhaps it only shows up when downloading very large amounts of data fast?)

... You wouldn't happen to have an nForce-based motherboard with integrated ethernet?
If you do, try disabling checksum offloading on it, and if it's got the semi-hardware firewall, disable that as well. Those have occationally done odd things do network data.

Also, what program do you use to download the files?
(Shouldn't matter, but ... )

BTW, you could try the FreeBSD bootonly CD (21 MB), and do a network install. Maybe it'll be small enough to come through unharmed. :)
 
I do have an nForce motherboard. How do I disable checksum offloading? Looking around now, but can not find it?

I do not use the NV Firewall.

I use SmartFTP most of the time for downloading....
 
bozman said:
Makes me think old Bill has built something into his OS that will not allow a poor working guy to download Linux distros successfully.
Click to expand...

You can't be serious.
 
Not serious...... My attempt at being funny. I like Windows XP, just want to learn something new.
 
Found the checksum offload setting. Will try to download a distro and see if it passes the MD5sum. I will report back and let you know how it went.......
 
bozman said:
I do have an nForce motherboard. How do I disable checksum offloading? Looking around now, but can not find it?

I do not use the NV Firewall.

I use SmartFTP most of the time for downloading....
Click to expand...

Right-click adapter -> Properties -> General - tab -> Configure -> Advanced
It should be in that list.
(I'm translating from a norwegian XP install, so the names are probably a bit off.)

I really doubt smartFTP is the problem, but try pulling one of the files over http in firefox (or whatever), just in case.
 
Any other settings I should change??

These are my settings at this time:

Checksum Offload - Disable
Flow Control - Enable
IEEE802.1 Support - Diable
Jumbo Frame Payload Size - 1500 (standard frame)
Lower Power State Link Speed - Enable
Network Address - Not Present
Optimize for - CPU
Segmentation Offload - Enable
Speed/duplex setting - Full Autonegotiation
VLAN Id - 1
VLAN Support - Disable
WakeOnLAN from PowerOff - Enable

Any help?
 
Turn off segmentation offload while you're at it, and see if things work any better.
(Both offloads reduce the CPU load a tad, so I'd normally recommend turning them on again of nothing changes. However, on this particular card they are a potential problem, so keep them off.)
 
Done....

How about the "Optimize For" setting. Currently it is set for CPU, but I noticed the other seeting was Throughput. Now I do game online, so I don't want to bog down the CPU with anymore work than I need to. Will optimizing for throughout give me any bump in speed and accuracy with my connection?

Thanks for all of the help so far.
 
Jerunk said:
You can't be serious.
Click to expand...
Put nothing past those people. They've intentionally broke the smb protocol a number of times, to say nothing of their history with all things DOS related. Not to mention their lock on the office document format.

He may not have been serious, but it's not like MS hasn't done something like that before.
 
bozman said:
Done....

How about the "Optimize For" setting. Currently it is set for CPU, but I noticed the other seeting was Throughput. Now I do game online, so I don't want to bog down the CPU with anymore work than I need to. Will optimizing for throughout give me any bump in speed and accuracy with my connection?

Thanks for all of the help so far.
Click to expand...

I don't think you'll notice anything if you change it, since your internet connection is far slower than your local network anyway. I'd suggest leaving it at CPU.

Have you seen if this helps, btw? It might very well be a dead end.
 
I am downloading an Ubuntu distro. It is just about completed.

Just so you know what I am working with, the following in my set-up:

ASUS A8N-SLI Deluxe
AMD Athlon 64 FX-55 (stock speed)
2 gig. of Corsair RAM
PNY 6800 GT
Hauppauge WinTV PVR-150 Tuner Card
(2) 74 gig. WD SATA Raptors in RAID 0 on the Nvidia SATA/RAID Controller
(1) 250 gig. Maxtor DiamondMax 10 hard drive on the Sil 3114 SATA/RAID Controller
Creative Audigy 2 Sound Card
NEC 3520 DVD Burner
Plextor PX-230A CD Burner

Will let you know when I have completed the download.......
 
Right, could be interesting.
What drive are you saving to, btw?

(And be careful when mentioning RAID-0 here. It attracts even more mindless, if technically correct, flamers than disabling services.)
 
Failed checksum........ Dammit!

Like I said, no issues downloading large files. For instance, downloaded Americas Army 2.5 (903 megabytes), no problems at all with the files. Burned it to a DVD for a buddy and he had no problems.

I am using winMD5Sum to do the checking.

I am completely lost at this point......
 
Most of the time I download to my XP desktop and move or burn the file when complete. Windows resides on the RAID-0 Raptors......

Let the pinheads come out and tell me RAID-0 is useless and stupid, I really don't care. I like it and I'm keeping it ;)
 
You might try using bittorrent to download, it has built-in checksum capabilities. That doesn't alleviate whatever underlying problem you may have, though.
 
Downloading Ubuntu 5.10 using Bittorrent now.....

Will report back once complete.

This has really got me stumped! :confused:
 
I have burned almost a dozen distros and NEVER checked the MD5sum. And I've only had 1 fail.

Burn it with CDBurnerXPPro.
 
It could be because you are downloading it through Smart-FTP. I have had some difficulties downloading/uploading files with Smart-FTP for my website from time to time. It often just craps out half way, for unknown reasons. Just decides to stop uploading the data. What happens is I usually get most of my files, and then within a directory, I have nothing.

Try downloading using BitTorrent as was mentioned, or just use the built in the download manager your Browser comes with.

You might try setting Smart-FTP to Active instead of Passive. I always do that first, and it usually solves my problem of having dropped data/connection issues.
 
Okay.... Downloading with Bittorrent and am getting many "peice XXX failed hash check, re-downloading". I have downloaded craploads of stuff using Bittorrent in the past and would get an ocassional piece fail, but it looks as though I am failing every other piece (Ubuntu).

Going to look for a link to download Americas Army through Bittorrent to see if I get the same kind of failures.

I am about ready to kick something......
 
And again: If it keeps failing, you could try getting a small bootonly CD (such as the FreeBSD one ;) ) and doing an ftp install from that. Since it's a much smaller download, it might work out.

edit: Sounds odd. You network card might be dying, do you have a spare one around you could try?
(10Mbit will do fine.)

Also, I expect the bittorrent download will work, since it won't stop until the entire file seems corect.
 
I may come back to a boot only CD, but for now I am going to find out what the hell the issue is. If I can find a Bittorrent link for AA and it downloads without incident.....

Well then I am going to assume it is a conspiracy and move to a small island to start my own country :p

Will report back as I learn more

(gotta start thinking about colors for a flag......)
 
Norway........Gotta go look-up your flag on the net. Gotta have a decent flag for me to defect.

Thanks for the link........but alas, it was dead.

Ubuntu is complete and passed the MD5sum finally. I am a complete dumbass though. I downloaded the Live CD version :mad:

Going back for another ass-wuppin to download the correct version.
 
Hm, if you are going through a router you could always try resetting it/resetting the gateway/changing firmware.

I know, at my fraternity house, we were getting some serious download problems, until I decided to ping something I found out it was in the 1000's+. Reset the gateway and now its back down to 80ms. Friggin' mess of service/routers/switches. Unified in no way, *sigh*

I guess my point is, it could just be that there is a small problem that is preventing your data from getting to ya.
 
bozman said:
Norway........Gotta go look-up your flag on the net. Gotta have a decent flag for me to defect.

Thanks for the link........but alas, it was dead.

Ubuntu is complete and passed the MD5sum finally. I am a complete dumbass though. I downloaded the Live CD version :mad:

Going back for another ass-wuppin to download the correct version.
Click to expand...


Strange, it works for me. Maybe the block americans for political reasons. (swedish site.)
Come to think of it, I'll edit out the link, in case someone doesn't like me indirectly linking to the site in question.
I guess we've just confirmed that something is causing random havoc on your network transfers. Got another NIC?

As for flags, uhm.. not really.
If you manage to become king, you'll get a nice red+lion - flag of your own, though.
 
Thanks for the suggestion.......

Been there, done that.

Actually had the cable guy out here today to check the modem/signal strength. All is good.
 
Downloading AA from another torrent site and have not had 1 piece fail the hash check.

Downloading Ubutu (correct version this time) and have had many pieces fail.

CONSPIRACY!!!!
 
Okay......

Looks like, for whatever reason, it is nearly impossible for me to download any Linux distro unless it is through Bittorrent due to it's error checking. Just downloaded Ubuntu through http and it failed MD5sum check.

So, in summation, when downloading Linux distros

ftp = bad
http = bad
torrent = good, but only due to error checking built into the torrent client.

When downloading a windows based app

ftp = good
http = good
torrent = good

Amazing, simply amazing :(
 
That is, as I said two posts ago, weird.
Just for the sake of experimentation, here's an official FreeBSD torrent, and FTP.

I've got to get some sleep soon, btw. (04:58 local time. *yawn* )
 
Just downloaded Prime95 and am going to run it throughout the night, just to make sure this is not a hardware issue.

Just opened a bottle of wine....... to all of those that have responded, feel free to stop by and have a glass :D

Thanks
 
HHunt,

I will download them and let you know how it goes. Thanks for all of the help.

Get some sleep :)

PS - what happens if I like freeBSD, you gonna help me out with learning it??
 
Thanks. :D

And I'll repeat myself again: If you can get hold of another network card (even 10Mbit), see if it makes any difference.

And sure, more users are a good thing. ;)
 
Got another card built into the motherboard and a pci card sitting in the other room. I will try swithing them after the FreeBSD experiment......
 
Nice.
BTW: I did some searching and found this from the previous time I talked about installing FreeBSD. There's some useful stuff on partitioning and slices vs partitions in there.
(Basically: what's normally called partitions are slices in *BSD, and they split those up into partitions. The first slice on the primary master IDE is ad0s1, first partition inside that is ad0s1a. When installing, make one huge partition in the fdisk-thing, and split it up in the disklablel editor afterwards.)

edit: looking at that thread, I didn't exactly make it sound easy. :D
It's not really too hard. There's a guide that looks good here, btw.

Hm, sleep. I'll have to try and get around to that.
 
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