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Usenet download not complete, what to do?

It may happen that a Usenet download does not come in completely. You try to download an NZB file using, for example, SABnzbd or NZBGet, but the download stops. Or you receive an error message that files or items are missing.

This can have several causes. Fortunately, there are also various solutions to still retrieve an incomplete Usenet download. In this tutorial, I explain what you can best do.

Why is my Usenet download incomplete?

A download from newsgroups consists of many small parts. These parts are also called articles. Your download program must download all these articles to make the file complete.

A download from newsgroups consists of many small parts. These parts are also called articles. Your download program must download all these articles to make the file complete.

A Usenet download may not be complete for the following reasons:

  • The files have been deleted from the news server.
  • Your Usenet provider’s retention is not high enough.
  • The original upload was already incomplete.
  • There are insufficient PAR2 files available.
  • The connection to the news server has been temporarily lost.
  • Your hard drive has insufficient free space.
  • SABnzbd or NZBGet does not have the correct folder permissions.
  • The NZB file refers to files that no longer exist.

Below we discuss the various solutions.

Check the Usenet download incomplete error message: what to do

First, you need to check the error message in SABnzbd or NZBGet. Often, you can tell from this message why the Usenet download is not complete.

For example, you may receive one of the following error messages:

  • Download failed.
  • Missing items.
  • Repair failed.
  • Insufficient repair blocks.
  • CRC error.
  • Unpacking failed.
  • Article not found.
  • Health is below critical health.

Are you receiving a notification about missing items? This means your Usenet provider cannot find certain parts of the download. Your download program usually tries to resolve this using PAR2 files.

Repair incomplete download with PAR2 files

PAR2 files are used to repair damaged or missing files. SABnzbd and NZBGet normally do this automatically.

If only a small portion of the download is missing, there is a good chance that the PAR2 files can repair it. Is too much missing? Then there may be insufficient repair blocks available.

You can also manually check PAR2 files with a program such as QuickPar or MultiPar. Open the PAR2 file with one of these programs. It will then check which files are missing and whether the download can still be repaired.

If there are insufficient PAR2 files, you must look for another NZB or add an extra Usenet provider.

Setting up Usenet server backup

A good solution for incomplete Usenet downloads is setting up a second news server. This second server is only used if your primary provider cannot find certain articles.

It is important that the second Usenet provider uses a different backbone. If both providers use the same Usenet network, there is a high probability that the same files are missing from both providers.

You can use a standard Usenet subscription as a backup. However, a Usenet block account is often cheaper. With a block account, you purchase a fixed amount of data traffic. This credit usually does not expire and is only used if your primary provider is unable to download something.

In SABnzbd, you can set the main server to priority 0. Give the backup server priority 1. Also check the box for Backup server on this server.

SABnzbd then first attempts to download everything via your main provider. Only the missing items are retrieved from the second provider. For more tips, see also the article Bypassing DMCA Usenet.

Check your Usenet provider’s retention

Retention indicates how long files are kept on a news server. For example, if your Usenet provider has a retention of 2,000 days, older files may no longer be available.

Are you trying to download an old NZB file? Then low retention can cause the Usenet download not to complete.

In this case, you can try a Usenet provider with higher retention. However, keep in mind that high retention does not guarantee that every file is still available. Files may have been deleted earlier for various reasons.

Find another NZB

The problem does not always lie with your Usenet provider. It is also possible that the original upload was incomplete. In that case, no news server can deliver the missing files.

Therefore, try to find another NZB. Pay attention to the following:

  • Another uploader.
  • A more recent posting date.
  • The presence of PAR2 files.
  • Comments from other users.
  • Notifications about missing files.
  • The size of the download.

Another NZB may refer to a new or different upload. Because of this, there is a good chance that you will be able to download this one completely. Check the Spotweb site or a Newznab site.

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Also check if there is sufficient space available on your hard drive or NAS. SABnzbd requires more free space than just the size of the final file.

The files are first downloaded. Afterward, they are checked, repaired if necessary, and then extracted. During this process, multiple versions of the same files temporarily remain on your hard drive.

A 20 GB download can therefore temporarily require much more than 20 GB of free disk space.

Check both the temporary download folder and the completed downloads folder. Free up enough space and then try the download again.

Check your news server settings

Incorrect settings can also cause the connection to your Usenet provider to malfunction. Check the following details:

  • The address of the news server.
  • Your username.
  • Your password.
  • The gate number.
  • The number of connections.
  • The SSL settings.
  • The end date of your subscription.

For a secure connection, port 563 with SSL is usually used. You can often find the correct settings on your Usenet provider’s website.

Also check that you are not using more connections than your subscription allows. If your provider supports a maximum of 20 connections, you should not set up 30 or 40 connections.

Reduce the number of connections

More connections do not always mean you can download faster. Some modems, routers, NAS systems, and internet connections may struggle with a large number of connections.

Are you using 40 connections, for example? Try lowering this to 20 or 15. Then restart SABnzbd or NZBGet and try the download again.

This can be especially helpful if the connection to the news server is frequently interrupted.

Check the folder permissions

Are you using SABnzbd or NZBGet on a Synology, QNAP, or in Docker? Then incorrect folder permissions can cause problems.

The download program must be able to read, write, repair, extract, and move files. Therefore, check the permissions of:

  • The temporary download folder.
  • The folder for completed downloads.
  • The repair folder.
  • The final storage folder.

If SABnzbd does not have access to one of these folders, the program may be able to download the file, but not repair or unpack it.

Try the download again

Sometimes there is a temporary outage at your Usenet provider. You can then delete the failed download and re-add the NZB file.

If necessary, wait a few minutes before restarting the download. Also check your Usenet provider’s website to see if there is an outage or maintenance.

Does the download keep failing at the same point? Then the items are probably genuinely missing, and you would be better off trying a different NZB or backup server.

Conclusion Usenet download incomplete

If a Usenet download is incomplete, first check the error message in SABnzbd or NZBGet. Then check if the files can be repaired with PAR2.

Also check the free disk space, your news server settings, and folder permissions. Are articles still missing? Then try a different NZB or add a second Usenet provider.

A block account with a provider on a different backbone is often a good solution. The missing files can then be automatically downloaded via this backup server.

Frequently asked questions about incomplete Usenet downloads

Can SABnzbd repair an incomplete download?

a, SABnzbd can automatically repair an incomplete download using PAR2 files. However, sufficient repair blocks must be present.

Why are articles missing from my news server?

Articles may fall outside the retention period, have been deleted, or were never fully placed on the news server. There may also be a temporary outage.

Can another Usenet provider help?

Yes, another Usenet provider might still have the missing items. Preferably choose a provider that uses a different backbone. For an overview of these, see Usenet providers.

What is a Usenet block account?

With a block account, you purchase a fixed amount of data traffic. You do not pay a monthly subscription. A block account is therefore very useful as a backup server.

Why does repairing with PAR2 fail?

The repair fails if too many parts are missing or if there are insufficient PAR2 repair blocks. In that case, try another NZB. Or ask the uploader to add more PAR files if possible.

Can insufficient disk space cause a download to fail?

Yes. SABnzbd and NZBGet require extra space to download, repair, and extract files. Therefore, ensure that sufficient free space is available.

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