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Large downloads get interrupted and don't always complete

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foxbrook
Sophomore

Large downloads get interrupted and don't always complete

Occasionally I have to download some rather large files for work. In the 200 - 800 MB range. Although the speed is great when it is running I've found the the download often gets interrupted with the speed dropping to zero for a minute or two before resuming and often the download doesn't complete all the way and the file is corrupt.

For example I recently tried to download some test equipment control software from Keysight. It is a 736 MB download. I was running Networx during the download and this is what I saw:

Start:
 
Continuation:



Even though it appeared to complete it turned out it didn't, it came up a few MB short and the file was corrupt.

I had to try the download 3 times before I got a good file out of it. Fortunately I know to only attempt these downloads during bonus byte time so I don't really care about the data loss. I'm more worried about the fact that I need to baby sit the process and check the file as soon as it's done to make sure it is not corrupt, so using a download manager isn't an option.

This morning I attempted another 200 MB download from a different website and it also got almost to the end before terminating, and the file was corrupt.

I will repeat the 200 MB download tomorrow morning and I'm thinking of trying it with web acceleration turned off to see if that improves things.

I found one thread from a year ago where someone had a similar problem but I did not see a solution.

Any ideas?
21 REPLIES 21
BirdDog
Assistant Professor

Someone else was having a similar issue a few weeks back but I believe the thread has been closed. I think the engineers had to get involved. Just for testing what about another browser?
foxbrook
Sophomore

Good idea. I did some googling and apparently Chrome will get a little flaky if there are large pauses during a download, and there are lots of reports of Chrome basically getting tired of waiting and showing a download complete even when that is not the case.

I'll try IE tomorrow.

Also my fancy new Asus router has something called Download Master that I think I might try at some point.
C0RR0SIVE
Associate Professor

I will say this... Chrome is picky as can be when it comes to large file downloads, and often kills downloads but states they are completed if there is a drop in speed for too long.  It rather likes consistency...
Mordacious
New Member

I think you will find that Firefox is very forgiving when it comes to pauses and slow downloads. I very seldom lose a download.
BirdDog
Assistant Professor

And depending if the server downloading from supports a download manager there is this. I use it often for larger downloads so I don't lose what I've already gotten if the connection breaks. It supports resume even for broken downloads.
http://www.freedownloadmanager.org/
Amanda
Moderator

Interesting, foxbrook. Does anyone have the link to the previous time this happened? 

In the meantime, we can try to replicate it in-house. Can we download that same file? 

Thanks
Amanda
foxbrook
Sophomore

Hi Amanda,

Yes you could try downloading the same file. They may squawk at you for a valid e-mail address though. Here is the link to the download page:

http://www.keysight.com/main/software.jspx?cc=US&lc=eng&ckey=1184883&nid=-33330.977662&a...

This morning I tried a couple of other downloads, one using the Free Download Manager that BirdDog suggested and the other using IE. During these downloads I did notice that the speed would slow a little bit a few times but it never went to zero.
One of these was a repeat of a previous download that had become corrupt when using Chrome. Here is the link, it is the source code for a C compiler, about 200 MB.

http://ww1.microchip.com/downloads/en/DeviceDoc/MPLAB%20XC16%20v1.26.src.zip
GabeU
Distinguished Professor IV

foxbrook,

Being that I've only used 1.2GB (of 15GB) at day 21 in my cycle, I decided to try to download the keysight file for the heck of it. There were no slowdowns, downloading at around 2.46-2.47MB/sec for the entire file.  It took just under five minutes.  I did this using IE.  It never went below 2.46MB/sec. 

I hope this helps.   

GabeU
Distinguished Professor IV

I did the same with the microchip file and no slowdown with that, either.  A constant 2.46MB/sec. 

foxbrook
Sophomore

Thanks Gabe. I'm really starting to think it is a problem with Chrome. I'm going to stick with alternative apps to do large downloads and see how that goes.
foxbrook
Sophomore

I take it back. I don't think it is just a Chrome problem. I ran some 200MB speed tests at testmy.net.
Running Chrome this is what the test looked like:

and this was the result:


Not bad for an average speed.

Then I ran a 200MB test using IE and it never completed:


So it's not just Chrome that causes this.
foxbrook
Sophomore

OK, thanks for the suggestion. I'll try that tomorrow morning.
foxbrook
Sophomore

Well, it looks like Web Accel has something to do with it.

I first tried to repeat the test with a 200 MB download on testmy.net with IE and it did not complete. Then I shut off Web Accel and it did complete. I tried Chrome and even though it slowed a little it did complete. Here is what these 3 tests looked like.


Then I turned Web Accel back on and tried again with Chrome and it sailed right through.

So it looks like toggling Web Accel may be a solution to this.
Amanda
Moderator

Interesting find, foxbrook.
I was not in the office yesterday so will need to do the testing today. I'll see if I can replicate and resolve in the way you did and let you know!

Thanks
Amanda
Amanda
Moderator

Hi Foxbrook

I downloaded this in one go without issue. The only thing that was a little odd was it stayed at 199 MB of 199 for a good 2 minutes with 0 sec left on the download clock. I do not have Networx downloaded on this PC but I'll see about getting it put on the one in the lab. Let it be known I was also streaming a video at the same time. I don't know how to test if the file is corrupt, but there seems to be many files and folders here and it all looks fine. 

Browser: Chrome
OS: Win 7
Terminal: HT1100
Service Plan: Pro Plus
Data Remaining: 14.4 GB
Beam: 34
Web Acceleration: Enabled

I'll test on a Windows 10 PC later today.

Thanks!
Amanda
Moderator

Hi Foxbrook
Just wanted to hop back in here.. I made it to the lab faster than I thought. I am using an outdated version of Chrome, Windows XP on an HT1100. I downloaded the file and experienced the same thing I did on my work laptop connected to the HT1100's D-Link router Wi-Fi, except right now I am directly connected to the D-Link via this XP machine. The download sat at 199/199 for about a minute or two with 0 sec left on the clock, then completed. If there is a way for me to actually test the program, let me know. Web acceleration was enabled.

Thx - Amanda
BirdDog
Assistant Professor

For what its worth I've had this happen to me, just have to wait it out. Some kind of communication glitch between client and download server I'd guess.
foxbrook
Sophomore

Hi Amanda,

I assume you downloaded the Microchip file. If you can open the archive then it is good. If it was bad you would get a corrupted archive message. At least I do using WinRAR.

I ran a few more 200MB tests on testmy.net this morning and they all completed with decent speeds.

If I have trouble in the future I'll just toggle web accel.

Thanks for looking into this.
Amanda
Moderator

How odd-  but glad to hear! Maybe the system had a little burp 🙂 Hope you have a spectacular weekend.

Amanda