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What is an ISO file and how do I burn it?
The Linspire/Freespire installation CD contains many directories and files that can be downloaded (digitally) as an ISO file that can then be turned into an actual CD copy of the full product.
An ISO is a file type that basically contains multiple files in one file (similar to zip files) used for convenience in downloading an entire CD all at one time, rather than having to download hundreds of individual files. For this reason, .ISO files are referred to as CD "images".
Once the .ISO file is downloaded, most CD burning software has the capability of using an .ISO file to create a CD, expanding out all the individual directories and files while it's burning the CD. In addition to directories and files, CD images also contain information about the boot sector (among other characteristics) of the CD that it is cloning.
Just burning/copying all the files on a CD does not create an exact copy of the CD. That's why CD images, like ISO files, are necessary to create exact copies. This type of file typically has the .iso or .ISO file extension (or even a .img extension [for "image"]) -- for example: Linspire Installer.ISO.
NOTE: There are other types of CD images available, such as Nero (.nrg) and CUE sheets (.cue & .bin). ISO is a widely used format and is also used to burn Linspire Installation CDs.
Just burning the .ISO file directly onto a CD won't be helpful since the directories and files within the .ISO file are not expanded and other characteristics (such as the boot sector) of the CD are not reproduced.
To properly create the exact copy of the original CD from the .ISO file, look for an option in your CD burning software that reads something along the lines of "Burn Image" or "Create a CD from ISO". Then locate the .ISO file that you have downloaded and burn the image onto a CD.
What is BitTorrent?
BitTorrent is a unique Peer-to-Peer (P2P) program that interconnects a lot of different computers and allows them to "pool" their collective bandwidth together. BitTorrent is a tool for distributing files. It's extremely easy to use because downloads are started by simply clicking on hyperlinks! Once you have downloaded BitTorrent, you are ready to begin transferring files from websites that are hosting .torrent downloads, by simply restarting your browser, looking for files online and clicking on the links! Whenever more than one person is downloading at once they send pieces of the file to each other, thus relieving the central server's bandwidth burden. Even with many simultaneous downloads, the upload burden on the central server remains quite small, since each new downloader introduces new upload capacity.
Is BitTorrent Safe?
Yes! You may have heard things about other P2P networks (spyware, viruses, etc...) but, BitTorrent is totally different. Many of the P2P programs that run on Microsoft Windows come "bundled" with other spyware programs that get installed as you install the original program. These bundled programs range from the annoying (producing pop-up ads) to the downright nasty (spyware to track your surfing habits). Programs like iMesh, KaZaa, OverNet (and others) come bundled with these "malware" programs that run under Microsoft Windows. BitTorrent is totally different! You do not share any files or directories on your machine (except the one single file that you are currently downloading). There are no other programs installed or "bundled" with the BitTorrent client for Linux. The only way to download a file with BitTorrent is to actually click on a link and there are no randomly shared directories or files on your machine. You only share one file at a time and that is the one file that you are currently downloading!
Using BitTorrent
First, you have to download and install a free BitTorrent program. There are many available for Linux, Mac and Windows:
- http://bittorrent.com/download.html
- http://www.bittornado.com/download.html
- http://www.getazureus.com/download.php
Next, you have to run the BitTorrent program and click on a .torrent file link. These .torrent files are simply small text files that tell the program where to go to download the large ISO file that you are trying to download. Once you click on a .torrent file your BitTorrent program will run and download the tiny text file. It will then gather information from the server (called a "tracker") about where to download the larger file. The program will ask you where you want to save the large file. You pick a location on your hard drive and then the download will begin.
IMPORTANT! It takes BitTorrent a while to get connected to other machines. If you see a message it is going to take "58 hours to download" (or some ridiculously high number) — just be patient! BitTorrent has to connect to other "peers" in order to work properly. Sometimes this takes awhile. Give it 10-15 minutes to get going and then check on it again. If you are still having problems with your download speed you may check the hints below.
You can click the minimize button (minus sign) in the upper right-hand corner to minimize it to the taskbar (at the bottom of your screen). You must leave the BitTorrent window open while your are downloading! You can continue to use your computer while you are downloading but, if you close this window, you will cancel your download! If you need to stop or pause the download you can click the: "Pause" or "Cancel" buttons.
Tips for using BitTorrent
- If your download gets interrupted you can resume! Simply go back again and click the link to download the BitTorrent file. Choose the same directory that you selected the first time — when you click "OK" it should start the download again and resume where you previously left off. (IMPORTANT: you have to choose the exact same directory that your previous download was going to otherwise you'll download a new file all over again!)
- Once your download is finished you can (and should) leave the BitTorrent window open for as long as you can. This is known as "seeding" and you are actually helping other people who are attempting to download the same Freespire ISO file that you just finished downloading. The more people that are "seeding" the faster the network becomes. Please help out others by leaving your BitTorrent window open for as long as you can after you download.
- You can help out at any time by becoming a "seeder". To do this just go back and download the BitTorrent file again. Point BitTorrent to the same location where you downloaded your original copy of the ISO file and then simply leave the window open. BitTorrent will see that you have already downloaded the entire file once and it will not attempt to download the whole thing all over again. As soon as it checks your local copy of the ISO file for integrity then you will become a "seeder" and you will be helping other people download Freespire by improving the speed of the network.
Troubleshooting
Q: I'm behind a Firewall or NAT why is BitTorrent so slow?
A: You can use BitTorrent behind a firewall or NAT but, you'll get much better performance if other peers (computers) can connect to you. By default, BitTorrent listens on port 6881, trying incrementally higher ports if it's unable to bind, and gives up after 6889 (the port range is configurable). To speed up BitTorrent's performance you have to forward (or open) the ports on your firewall or NAT. It's up to you to figure out how to do this since each firewall/router/NAT/etc. is slightly different. Typically, if you are in a corporate environment, you will not have access to change the firewall settings. In this case you will have to contact your system administrator to ask to have these ports opened.
Please refer to your owner's manual for information about forwarding ports. You can learn more here:
Port forwarding info for Linksys Routers
Port forwarding info for D-Link Routers
You can also learn more about BitTorrent here:
