WinMX Keeps Reinstalling itself

[TheMadWookie]

I tried searching the forum for others with this problem, but either I'm using the wrong keywords, they are, or no one else is having the problems.

In a nut shell, WinMX 3.54 Beta 4 runs fine for months on end. Then, for some reason or another, I have a need to restart WinMX, either due to a reboot or need something to run by itself, etc, and when I restart WinMX, it gives me the "Terms and Conditions" panel to accept again and then goes thru the initial setup after installation. It's frustrating because not only to I loose all my settings, it also "forgets" about the files that have not finished downloading so I have to always go and "Load Incomplete" all the time.

Anyone ever had this happen to them?

Solutions?

Reason?

Thanks
Chuck

[GhostShip]

This occurs when one of your "dat" files is either not saved properly or has become corrupt, its pretty common for the "settings.dat" file to become damaged in this way and I usually keep a zipped backup in the winmx folder in program files so I don't need to go through the set up wizard routine each time.

To grab the incompletes simply head over to the "Transfers" area and press "reload incompletes", as long as the "incoming"  folder is the one containing the incompletes they will return to the top download window again.

[Max™]

Ahh yes, the settings.dat file hold all your info inc shares,
i jave known someone have winmx directly to desktop, not in its folder in program files (default location) and due to being on desktop, the settings.dat did not update regularly and they needed to start over every time they restared winmx,
a shortcut is advisable on a desktop, but leaving the main program in its folder in program files. (default C:\Program Files\WinMX)

[Savage Blades]

I have used winmx for a very long time, and in fact run the program from anywhere but the default location in "program files/winmx", the desktop, different drives, on the root, in the same folder as my incoming files, etc. etc. and never had a problem with the setting becoming corrupted from 'normal' usage.
I have suffered corruption to the settings file, in the event of power failure (unfortunately too common, where I live) but never from normal usage.. corruption can result from improper shutdown, system lock-ups. a drive which has errors (easily corrected by chkdsk /f) resulting in delayed writes, or maybe even a system tweak tool which decreases the time windows takes to shutdown..

settings.dat & lib4.dat are well worth keeping a copy as suggested by GhostShip in a zipped file in the folder winmx lives in, in the event anything should go wrong when you open winmx and find your settings are gone, simply close winmx, extract the "good' settings files from your zipped file over writing the ones in the folder and re-opening winmx, everything should then be as it was..

now another tip which may cause problems is having winmx's incoming file folder with a long name..
IE. C:\Documents and Settings\My Fantastic Computer\My Documents\WinMX\Incoming Files
can be a bad thing for several reasons, so to avoid the problems this causes have the incoming folder path as short as possible
IE. C:\Downloads

A final thought.. you mentioned "need something to run by itself"
always exit WinMx from tray icon and not the task manager as exiting the program from there could also be a possible cause of setting loss too...
Cheers
I hope this clarifies the available advise on this topic

[Bluey_412]

Or, for that matter, close WinMX , and THEN close down the PC from the start menu.

Deciding that you have had enough for today and simply turning off, or unplugging the PC will not do your system and programs any favours

Indeed, a rapid shutoff is only advised under certain emergency conditions

Shutting down programs and windows properly gives the system a chance to correctly save the state of things during the shutdown processes...