ImageShack Torrent Hack : Get Download Resuming In a Roundabout Way
A bit of background : when ImageShack added their new torrent download service (beta) a few months ago I didn’t pay it much attention. However, the wealth of available torrents was just too tempting (and my connection just too crappy to download them myself), so I I figured I’d give the ImageShack service a try, legal risks be damned (I’m not from USA anyway :P).
The Problem
After a few minutes fighting the buggy interface that kept telling me I’m not logged in (though I obviously was) I managed to get ImageShack to download a 3.5 GB torrent for me. However, it turned out the HTTP download links it generates for the downloaded files
- Can only be accessed by logged-in users.
- Don’t support download resuming.
Given my unreliable connection, downloading several gigabytes in one go is simply impossible. So I had to find a way to get download resuming working, which I’ve described below.
The Roundabout Solution
Download the files to another server (that supports download resuming), then download them to the PC using any download manager. You will need a server with shell access, a fast network connection and admins that don’t mind/notice huge and possibly illegal downloads.
Assuming you have somehow found such a wonder, the rest is easy. First, you need to get the session cookies your browser sends to ImageShack when you are logged in. Use your favorite network sniffer or the Live HTTP headers addon to get them. The cookie looks like this :
myid=11540240; myimages=3fg2e7471aef5fea5zfd982597262a5c; isUSER=someone; PHPSESSID=2348ab036488733311154564d82feabe; imgshck=aea228794abba9c9fe9ac9bab29f9138; un_cookie=1; latest=img66; countrytabs=0; __qca=1648678751-39134354-9534555; __qcb=887515614
Next, find the URL for the file you want to download. In Firefox you would right-click on a file and select “Copy Link Location”. The URL might look similar to this :
http://img125.imageshack.us/tor/browse/?id=5681&rel=Totally_Legit_Download_Isqd%2Fits_linux_I_swear.iso
Now just ssh to your server and use wget to download the file :
wget --header "Cookie: myid=11540240; myimages=3fg2e7471aef5fea5zfd982597262a5c; isUSER=someone; PHPSESSID=2348ab036488733311154564d82feabe; imgshck=aea228794abba9c9fe9ac9bab29f9138; un_cookie=1; latest=img66; countrytabs=0; __qca=1648678751-39134354-9534555; __qcb=887515614" "http://img125.imageshack.us/tor/browse/?id=5681&rel=Totally_Legit_Download_Isqd%2Fits_linux_I_swear.iso"
Finally, move the resulting file to somewhere inside the webroot and download it with FDM or whatever 
The best thing ever
You can also just Flashgot (Firefox extension) the link to Flashget (awesome free d/load manager) then even if you logout it’ll continue to download.
Resuming also works in Flashget. If for some reason the d/load stops midway or you’re unable to resume the download then just reactivate the download in imageshack ISdrive and then the download in flashget will resume perfectly.
Hmm, are you sure about that? I’ve tried a similar approach with ReGet and it din’t work; I guess I’ll have to try Flashgot now.
100% sure. downloading right now. been doing this for weeks now. also works with multiple streams. I see you’re using Linux. Flashget works with wine as well if you want to try. I’ll keep in touch. I download dvdrips mostly but yesterday downloaded a 1.8 gig file and last week a 3.3 gig file. my connection is also unstable and maxes out at about 150 KB/s.
I’m testing this now. Seems to be going okay for the time being - manually pausing and resuming worked fine.
I mainly use WinXP on my own PC, but I used the Linux server in this case because (being a webserver) it has a fast and stable connection. My home connection is still lousy.
Thanks for the tip by the way
how’s it going ws?
It’s going well, I’m using this method now. The only problem is that if I leave a download in a paused state for too long it will show a “File size has changed!” error when trying to restart it. Anyway, that’s not a major issue
That happened to me a couple times, but not often. Do you use the free IS Torrent Drive. If so, do you you know how to start a torrent quickly without getting that “shared process pool message” for hours on end?”.
I’ve got 3 accounts which i alternate with, 30gigs bandwidth a month.
If you don’t know how. In firefox you can just hold down the Ctrl key and press the start button about 20 times. Each new window will open in a new tab in the background. If the torrent doesn’t start you can just right click on the current tab. choose “close other tabs” and repeat the process until the torrent starts. Takes a few seconds to a minute max.
I mean the error appears in FlashGet, not IS.
Yeah i know, I was just letting you know how to bypass that “shared process pool message” if you use the free IS.
Re: the Flashget error. I use the Flashget Classic version 1.73 and I hardly ever get errors. I had a couple of those errors a long time ago but nothing recently and I download large files from IS almost every day. Music/Audio production DVD’s, also Movies etc. all the time.
Anyway, as I said - not a major issue, more of annoyance.
If you get that “file size already changed” error at 99%, it’s possible that the file is fully downloaded. You can try removing the jci extension and the file may be fine. if it’s an archive or iso, you can test it with winrar to check if it’s ok.
I’m aware of that.
aah, ok. I wasn’t aware you’re such a dick, lol
Come on, I’m only mildly sociopathic
That’s good control management. Nice reaction. You’re not such a dick after all,:D
Check this out before it’s too late. hxxp://www.filesavr.com/deal.php
FileSavr.com was created as a fresh alternative to sites like MegaUpload and RapidShare. Unlike those sites, we do not reel the user in and make them wait for annoying countdown timers. We do not hide the download link with aggressively placed ads. Our goal is simple, to offer the most basic file hosting and image hosting service so you can share your stuff quickly.
As a thank you to the community we are offering free accounts on FileSavr.com to bloggers as well as members of Digg, Stumble, Reddit, Mixx, Del.icio.us. To get your free account fill out the form below to receive to get $10 monthly account (250 GB) absolutely free. Accounts created before September 15th will have lifetime membership for free. If you like the service we hope you will help us with small donations via paypal.
Offer expires September 15th.
You’re getting a free Gold membership which will cost $10/month after the promotion. You’ll be able to upload 10Gb files up to 250Gb of total. Lifetime membership lasts til 2038. Enjoy.
Eh, I never upload anything to sites like that - I just don’t have the need. Best of luck to them either way.
That’s cool, other visitors here may find it useful.
I figured a way to resume a “file size changed” file in Flashget… however I’m hesitant to post the solution here for obvious reasons. Anyway I know how to do it so that’s the most important thing to me. Well the solution is simple so I’m sure you can work it out if you’re not aware of it already.
@imagine - I haven’t figured it out, but as I said, it doesn’t bother me too much.
imagine - could you kind enough to share with us how did you by pass the waiting and file size changed error… thx
@loucm - I don’t know if this is the same thing imagine did, but I finally figured out that when I get the “file size changed” error all I have to do is attempt to download the file again with the same settings. FlashGet will tell me “URL in download list” and continue the existing download correctly, i.e. the error message will be gone.
White Shadow - thanks for sharing your tips…… Is there any earsier way to get the download resumes ? 3GB file downloaded 90% and it stops…
Sorry, I don’t know about any other way to do it.
loucm… often this occurs wecause of bandwidth issues.
eg. although you’ve downloaded 90% of the 3GB file. if you resume. you’ll need to have at least 3GB-4GB bandwidth available to continue the download. It won’t use all that bandwidth, but for some reason it needs it available to complete the download.
I haven’t had this problem recently because I watch my bandwidth and have about 5 IS accounts that I use.
If White Shadow’s suggestion doesn’t work, try this.
1. Register another imageshack account. I think you’ll have to use a different email address. Try using mailinator.com. It’s easier as you don’t need to register with them. eg. You can use anyname@mailinator.com, or you can simply create a gmail account or something.
2. Download the torrent again in the new imageshack account you created. If the torrent is slow to download, you can seed it from your other imageshack account by starting the torrent there. Even though it’s 100% completed it’ll still start to seed the other torrent in the new imageshack account. You’ll find by doing it this way the torrent gets downloaded to your new isdrive very fast.
3. Once the torrent is complete. You can start the download. Copy the new direct http link and replace the original incomplete download link in Flashget with the new one. Because you have enough bandwidth in the isdrive you created, the download should resume perfectly.
I hope that helps
Good Luck
I’m using Wget 1.11.4 as per directions in article above and it worked for my first IS download even though it used some 2.4GB of bandwidth to download a 900MB file. I left Wget running overnight.
My bigger problem is getting my other download to work at all.
I can only get the 8KB index.html file saved in the name of the download file.
I’ve logged off and back in and used the new cookie but still no go.
Can anyone help?
@JonJames - I’ve encountered this problem, but usually getting the right cookie fixed it, so I have no suggestions.
@White Shadow - I figured that, but have not found any usable cookie.
They worked with my other torrent but not with the second one, however it downloaded OK with FDM except resume more often than not does not work with FDM, hence my adventures with Wget.
I even tried –referer in Wget to no avail.
I use Live HTTP Header to view the cookies.
@JonJames - I’m not using wget anymore because I found that Flashget works (FDM didn’t). When resume doesn’t work in Flashget I Alt-click the file in FF again (as if I was going to download it again). Flashget shows the normal download dialog at first, but after clicking “OK” it reports that the file was already in the download list, and resumes downloading normally.
@White Shadow - I’m looking at Flashget now.
Do you have any experience with the portable version?
There appears to be two different implementation of it.
The reason I need the portable version is because I don’t have admin rights for the pc.
Do I need admin rights to install Flashget?
It did for FDM.
I haven’t tried installing Flashget yet.
@JonJames - I haven’t used the portable version. I would guess the portable version doesn’t need administrative rights, but installation usually does.
@White Shadow - Can you set Flashget to do unattended downloads from IS at scheduled times? Succesfully?
For example, I want the downloads to start at certain hours when I’m not around.
@JonJames - I’ve done it once or twice, but I wouldn’t rely on this feature - the cookie captured by Flashget may well expire before the scheduled time is reached.
[...] Los torrents se descargan a muy buena velocidad y la descarga directa se puede acelerar usando un gestor de descargas vinculado al navegador (FDM) o alguno otro que soporte envío de cabecera personalizado (para enviar los datos de la sesión y así poder descargar el archivo ). [...]
Better use “Internet download manager”….. i am using it…… I think now imageshack site supports resume feature….. coz i can able to use resume feature in “IDM”