FTP missing bytes on download - Serious

[trex2000]

For a long time I have been using TC 6.53 to connect FTP wise to another PC to up & download, and it has been working very well up until today (!?!). In downloading a 16MByte zip and a 17MByte exe, both resulting files arrived short of 13458 & 17966 bytes respectively. This exercise was repeated on different computers. A subsequent download via IE was fine.
Has anyone else had a similar experience
Mr Ghisler, have you any ideas as to why this could be happening
This is a most urgent matter.

[Hacker]

Perhaps you didn't set the Binary mode for transfers? When connected to an FTP server, check in the upper left hand part of the screen, look for "FTP Transfer mode".

HTH
Roman

[trex2000]

Sorry Roman, but transfer mode is "Binary (archives, doc etc.)". And the strange thing is that I have been using TC for YEARS! and not seen this issue.

[majkinetor]

you should isolate the problem more. Is it TC or is it your network ? Did you tried on computers just on 1 network or no ?
if TC is problem, U could use some poceket monitors to see what is happening....

More information ...

[trex2000]

Hi majkinetor,
I have discovered that if the Configuration=>Options=>Configuration=>FTP=>Compress during transfer (MODE Z) is switched OFF (default is ON), then the transfer is 100%.

I will be looking into whether it is a compression issue on the FTP server, or a decompression issue in TC.

[frenky]

If it is up to MODE Z, you could try to dl with FileZilla http://sourceforge.net/projects/filezilla switch on MODE Z and see what happens.

Also you should try to figure what sort of ftp deamon is running on server you are downloading from.
Maybe there is some incompatibility?

For more info on MODE Z you can take a look here (Maybe Ghisler would be interested also):
http://ietfreport.isoc.org/idref/draft-preston-ftpext-deflate/

[majkinetor]

Excelent advice.
It will help isolote problem even more.

[trex2000]

OK Guys, here is the sad news. FileZilla downloads 100% in all modes.
TC fails download in compression (MODE Z). Worse...took me a few mins to discover that you have to disconnect/re-connect FTP for the change in the mode to take effect.
The FTP server is Fastream NETFile FTP/Web Server.

[frenky]

OK Guys, here is the sad news. FileZilla downloads 100% in all modes.
TC fails download in compression (MODE Z).

Maybe someone else can confirm this behavior.. If server is not private (has anonoymous access) you could post a link.

Worse...took me a few mins to discover that you have to disconnect/re-connect FTP for the change in the mode to take effect.

I think this makes sence. Aldough when changing ftp settings with ftp connection open, some warning message could be shown.

At this point it would be nice to hear from Ghisler

[majkinetor]

This is not the sad new. It is a good news.
Unidentified bug is sad news.

[ghisler(Author)]

Can you give me access to this server? I have made many tests with MODE Z, and never had a single damaged file! Please contact me by e-mail for the access info.

[ghisler(Author)]

Another user who has the same problem has reported that it is caused by the new Cisco firewall Cisco PIX 7.0.4. He is getting an error

426 Data connection closed, error decompressing data stream.

This doesn't explain why it works with FileZilla - Total Commander uses the info-zip sources from
http://www.info-zip.org/pub/infozip/
so I see no reason why it should work with FileZilla and fail with TC. Maybe it's just a buffer size problem.

Anyway, to avoid the error, please turn off MODE Z in configuration - options - FTP.