FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions In here, you might just find the answers you're looking for!

If you are new to Bittorrent and/or the anime fansub scene, you should take a look at the Beginner's FAQ as well.

Site information

What makes BoxTorrents different?

There are many anime torrent sites but BoxTorrents is unique in the quality of our content. Our goal is to provide only torrents for completed anime or anime-related material and we pick only the best versions. Not everyone may submit new torrents; only Power Users, users who seem to have at least some experience with our site, and other appointed users. All submissions are thoroughly checked before they are added to our ever growing list of series; by ever growing, we really mean ever growing in the sense that even old torrents are still seeded. In short: 'quality over quantity' and 'ease of use'. Do keep in mind that BoxTorrents exists because of its users; old content is still available because of many dedicated seeders, so sharing is a must.

This is a public tracker, but we do prefer users to register before using the site. Before you do anything here at BoxTorrents, we suggest you read the rules! There are only a few rules to abide by and most are common sense.

How do I favourite/bookmark a torrent?

Click on the yellow star next to the torrent title at the top of every torrent page. On your userpage, you will see the torrents you have bookmarked show up under the appropriate tab (next to your 'Currently Seeding' and 'Currently Leeching' tabs.

What does the Report function do?

Reporting Torrents

The report function brings a torrent or a comment to moderators' attention. Use this function if:

1. A torrent does not comply with site rules (e.g., if it is blacklisted material)
2. It has corrupted files
3. The link is broken (i.e., you are unable to download the .torrent file)
4. A better version of the torrent exists (Note that we do allow XViD releases. TV fansubs are allowed alongside DVD rips with only R1 subtitles). Please link us to the newer torrent in that case.
5. Reporting a torrent for any other reason than those just listed will incur warnings, and bans will be issued if abuse continues. In other words, dont' report a torrent just because you dont' like the user, or because you are having trouble getting a good download speed on it.

The button to report a torrent is an exclamation mark icon, and can be found next to the torrent title.

Reporting Comments

Report comments if:

1. They are abusive or contribute to flaming.
2. It constitutes useless spam (such as 'seed this' or 'approve this').
3. It contains spoilers for the anime.
4. It flouts any of the tracker guidelines.

The report button for comments is on the right side of comment headers, next to the 'Quote' button.

Account information

How many accounts am I allowed to have?

One. Ever. You are only allowed a single account in your lifetime. What would you do with more than one account anyway? Users who are found with more than one account will have the newest ones removed and warnings issued. Repeated attempts to create new accounts will result in permanent bans of all accounts from our site.

Registration and Login

I registered an account but did not receive the confirmation e-mail!

Mail can sometimes take up to half a day to be sent out by our server. Please be patient. Note though that if you didn't receive the email the first time it will probably not succeed the second time either so you should really try another email address.

Help! I cannot login!? (a.k.a. Login of Death)

This problem sometimes occurs with MSIE. Close all Internet Explorer windows and open Internet Options in the control panel. Click the Delete Cookies button. You should now be able to login. Another solution is to visit your settings page.

I've lost my user name or password! Can you send it to me?

Use this form to have the login details mailed back to you (Or click "Lost Password?" beside the login field).

Can you change my username or rename my account?

Users can rename their account on the tracker by using this form. Please note that the user is required to be a power user with report privileges. You cannot use existing account names, so check before renaming.

Forum registration is closed, what do I do?

• Your main site account and forum account are linked. However, your forum account needs to be activated via your main site account. To do this, go to your settings editing page and scroll down to the checkbox that says "Enable Forum Account". Check the box and click "Submit Changes". Your forum account will then be active.

Account Pruning and Deletion

Will my account still exist if I don't use it for a while?

Used accounts are pruned after 6 months. Unused accounts are pruned sooner (0 download, 0 upload).

My account is gone! Can you recover it?

Unfortunately, we can't do anything about pruned accounts. If you were able to create a new account under the same name and/or e-mail address, it is proof that your old account is permanently gone.

I don't want my account anymore. Can you delete it?

Leave your account alone and it will be pruned after 6 months (See: "Will my account still exist if I don't use it for a while?").

User Classes

What are the different user classes?

Class	Description
User	Normal user, can choose to view hentai.
Power User	Higher user, can view peer lists and report bad torrents or comments. Can make torrent offers. Has access to RSS feed.
Uploader	Deprecated and merged with the Power User class.
Power Uploader	These people can upload directly to the torrent pool without requiring moderator approval. These people are appointed by staff if deemed a trustworthy member of the Box community.
Moderator/Admins	Appointed by Admins. Don't ask about becoming one.
System Operator	Box

How do I become a Power User?

Seed at least 25GB and have a ratio equal to or greater than 1.

I just qualified as a Power User, but my status hasn't updated?

User status updates every day. Give it 24-48 hours and drop any of the staff a PM if it still does not update.

Warnings and Bans

I am warned, what do I do?

What is a warning?

• A warning means that your account currently has reduced rights; namely, the tracker will allow you to upload but not download. If you are warned it means you went below the cutoff ratio or otherwise broke a rule on the site. The warning is there to protect other users and ensure that users seed what they download, do keep in mind that BoxTorrents only works because many users put in some effort and bandwidth to keep our torrents healthy.

Why was I warned?

• The warning may be set automatically if your ratio drops below a certain point or it may be set by a moderator if you broke a rule. In the second case, warnings will be longer depending on the severity of your offence that garnered the warning.

OK, so now what?

• While you are warned you may not download; you are only allowed to seed. When you are warned an evaluation time is scheduled (usually 1 week ahead). Your ratio is reviewed on evaluation day, and if your ratio exceeds the warning cutoff ratio the warning will be lifted. If your ratio is not high enough a new evaluation time will be scheduled.

So, what minimum ratio should I maintain to avoid being warned/get out of a warning?

• We do not disclose minimum ratios because this figure is subject to change. The only sure ratio to avoid getting warned is a ratio more than 1.

If you got warned because of a bad ratio (or if you you think you got warned because of a bad ratio) - the only way to get rid of the warning is by increasing your upload. The most obvious way is by seeding, but you may also use the bonus system (see: What are bonus torrents?). A third option is donating; the why and how is explained on the donation page.

I got warned but my hard drive crashed/I got a virus/computer got thrown out of window/Dog ate my homework/[Insert other reason] and I lost all my files so I can't seed. Please unwarn me so I can download

If you racked up hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt on a credit card and then suddenly lost your main source of income, do you think the credit card company is going to let you off with a debt writeoff (or even reactivate your card for more spending)?

You got yourself into that situation, you'll have to pull yourself out of it.

But I've turned over a new leaf, and I am now a dedicated seeder who will keep his/her torrents running 24/7. Please unwarn me

If you have indeed turned over a new leaf, prove it by fixing your ratio. We've outlined a few ways for you to do so.

I got banned, what do I do?

See: Bans

Privacy

Why is my IP displayed on my details page?

Only you and the site moderators can view your IP address and email. Other users do not see that information.

How do I hide torrents on my userpage?

You can edit statistics display level through the settings page, in the User page tab.

Does Boxtorrents store information on the things I download?

Yes. This is a statistics-tracking site after all, so we store as much information as is needed to implement the features you find on this site.

Is there anything I can do about it?

No.

Statistics and Tracker Issues

Common Torrent Error Messages

Failure: access denied, leeching forbidden, you are only allowed to seed

Cause: Your ratio is too low and your account has been warned.

Solution: Seed more and improve your ratio.

"Failure: unregistered torrent pass"

Cause: The tracker can not find a user associated with the torrent pass you're sending it in your announce URL.

Solution: Log in to your Boxtorrents account and re-download the torrent from the site.

"Failure: unregistered torrent"

Cause #1: The torrent you downloaded is not/no longer tracked by our tracker.

Solution: Check if the torrent has been swapped or replaced. We occasionally prune old obsolete torrents or material that has become blacklisted.

Cause #2: The torrent was downloaded from another source and is using an invalid torrent key.

Solution: Download the torrent from Boxtorrents when logged in.

If you have checked and verified that it is neither of these causes, then it may be a database error. Report the torrent (click on the exclamation mark beside the torrent title) and let us know. Note that you need to be logged in to your Boxtorrents account in order to make reports.

"Failure: access denied, torrents limit reached"

Cause: You are downloading too many torrents.

Solution: Users are allowed to download 3 torrents at a time. Power Users are allowed to download 10 torrents at a time. You are allowed to seed an unlimited number of torrents, regardless of your class. Check your userpage to see which torrents you are already downloading.

Common Torrent-related Problems

I've finished or cancelled a torrent. Why is it still listed in my userpage?

Some older clients do not report properly to the tracker when cancelling or finishing a torrent. In that case the tracker will keep waiting for the message - and thus listing the torrent as seeding or leeching - until the peer information timeout occurs. Just ignore it, it should go away after a few hours.

I am seeing torrents on my userpage that I never downloaded / Someone has hijacked my account

Cause #1: People are using your torrent key (you accidentally posted your torrent key publicly)
Cause #2: You hot-linked to a .torrent file that is tagged with your passkey
Cause #3: You posted a screenshot of your torrent program with your passkey visible
Cause #4: You told someone your torrent passkey
Cause #5: You uploaded a .torrent file that has your passkey to another tracker.

Solution: Go to your settings page and generate a new key, all your old torrents will become invalid immediately so you will have to re-download your torrents. Wait about 10-20 minutes to be sure the tracker has recorded your key change before resuming your torrenting.

To prevent similar issues occurring in future, do not hot-link to our torrent files (only hot-link to the description page), and do not post your personal .torrent file (the one you download when logged in) to other trackers.

Why is a torrent I'm leeching/seeding listed several times in my userpage?

If for some reason (e.g. PC crash or frozen client) your client exits improperly and you restart it, it will have a new peer_id, so it will show as a new torrent. The old one will never have had its finished information sent and will be listed until the peer information times out. Just ignore it, it will eventually go away.

I'm uploading or downloading some torrents but I don't see them on my userpage

Cause: You downloaded a public torrent. Solution: Log in and re-download the torrent.

My stats are not updating. What can I do?

Check that the torrent pass in your client's tracker announce URL matches the one shown on your settings page. If it doesn't (or if it does, but you're still having problems), then:Remove the torrent entries from your torrent client. Re-download the .torrent files and open them in your client. Force a hash recheck and resume activity.

If that doesn't help, go to your settings page and regenerate your torrent pass. Wait about 10-20 minutes to be sure the tracker has recorded your key change, then repeat the above step.Use only official non-beta clients.

How is my traffic tracked?

BoxTorrents uses a passkey system to identify each user. Your passkey can be found on your settings page. When you announce, your passkey is used to identify you and to (very accurately) track your upload and download traffic, regardless of any IP changes. The passkey is automatically added to the announce URL of every torrent you download whilst logged in. YOU MUST NEVER, EVER GIVE OUT YOUR PASSKEY TO ANY OTHER PERSON. Doing so will result in undesirable outcomes. We will not help to fix any bad ratios caused by user's negligence of the security of their torrent passkey.

What are bonus torrents?

Bonus torrents are torrents with few seeders or few leechers, the idea of the bonus system is to keep older torrents alive. Bonus torrents are marked with an icon that looks like a yellow ball with a red "B" inside. When you seed a bonus torrent (and have 100%) you will earn 1 bonus point per hour per bonus torrent. Bonus points can be exchanged for upload credit on the bonus page (this means you can add an amount onto your 'uploaded' stat on your user page).

Best practices

If a torrent you are currently leeching or seeding is not listed on your userpage, stop the torrent and resume it again. (also see: I'm uploading or downloading some torrents but I don't see them on my userpage) Make sure you exit your client properly, so that the tracker receives the required information.If the tracker is down, do not stop seeding. Your traffic may not be tracked during downtime but as soon as the tracker is working again then your traffic will be tracked again.

What BitTorrent clients can I use?

See: BT_Clients

Using Boxtorrents from multiple machines

Can I login from different computers?

Yes. But you are advised not to log in at the computer of another Boxtorrents user; the system may identify you as a multi-account user.

Can I seed from different computers?

Yes, but you may not seed the same torrent from two different computers as the tracker will not understand how you can be in two places at once :P. In the worst case, you may be auto-banned by the tracker.

Can I upload your torrents to other trackers?

Yes. However, only post the public torrent files to other trackers, do not post the .torrent file you downloaded when logged in (otherwise these things might happen). In other words, log out before downloading the torrent file if you intend to upload it to other trackers.

(Of course, the torrent files you download through your torrent client are yours to do as you please.)

Downloading/Seeding and Connection Issues

Common Questions

What's the difference between seeding and uploading?

Uploading is posting a new torrent to our tracker. Seeding is uploading data to other users on a torrent after you have completed the download.

I have some files on my computer, how do I seed them or upload them to Boxtorrents?

See: "I've finished downloading the files, so how do I seed back?" and "Why can't I offer new torrents?"

Why do I have to wait before I can download a new torrent?

When new torrents are uploaded, those with Power User (or higher) status are given 'first dibs'. By virtue of their good share ratio we trust that these users will stick around to help seed the torrent after they benefit from having exclusive access to the initial seeders. Other users must wait for the timer to expire before they can download the .torrent file. The amount of time you have to wait is proportional to the size of the torrent (the larger the torrent, the longer you have to wait). This is to encourage more people to become Power Users, and to build up a larger seed base before other users are permitted to join the swarm.

Why did an active torrent suddenly disappear?

1) The torrent may have been replaced by a superior offer. 2) The uploader may have requested for its deletion, with an acceptable reason(s). 3) The torrent was requested to be removed by a 3rd party (usually in the form of a cease-and-desist letter).

What is a torrent passkey?

See: How is my traffic tracked?

Connectivity Issues

If your question falls under any of these categories:

1. Cannot access Boxtorrents
2. Port number is '---'/other port-related issues
3. Proxying and proxies
4. Dynamic/static IPs and NAT

Kindly refer to the Troubleshooting section for more information.

Torrenting Issues

I'm having trouble with this Bittorrent program, something's wrong with it

Do a search in the Help section of the forums, and see if someone else has faced the same issue.

If yours is a unique case, make a new post in the same section. Give clear and detailed information, and include links to the torrents you are having trouble with.

Note: We only provide help for recommended torrent clients. Support for other clients may be provided (if users with enough information are willing to help), but is not guaranteed. If you have a problem with your torrent client we highly suggest switching to one of the recommended torrent clients.

What do I do if a torrent has no seeds?

Hop on the forums and post in the Reseed Request section. Be sure to read the rules before posting.

I've finished downloading the files, so how do I seed back?

Once your download has completed, most clients will continue to run the torrent in seeding mode until the ratio is 1:1. If this is not the case, try some of these steps: 1) Simply press Start on your torrent again. Some clients might stop torrents that have finished downloading. 2) Check your client's settings regarding how much a torrent should be seeded to before stopping. Your settings may be preventing seeding. (e.g., uTorrent's 'Torrent Properties' dialogue box for each torrent has a ratio percentage figure which you can adjust)3) Force the torrent to start (e.g., in uTorrent, right click on the torrent entry and click 'Force Start'). This will force your client to ignore the rule mentioned above and seed until you stop the torrent.4) If all else fails, remove the torrent from your client, and see below for instructions on how to restore it to your client.

If you removed the torrent from your torrent client but still have the downloaded files, see "How to seed files that have already been downloaded" on how to re-seed files.

What are these "a piece has failed a hash check" messages?

BitTorrent clients check the data they receive for integrity. When a piece fails this check it is automatically re-downloaded. Occasional hash fails are a common occurrence, and you shouldn't worry.

Some clients have an (advanced) option/preference to 'kick/ban clients that send you bad data' or similar. It should be turned on, since it makes sure that if a peer repeatedly sends you pieces that fail the hash check it will be ignored in the future.

The torrent is supposed to be 100MB. How come I downloaded 120MB?

See: What are these "a piece has failed a hash check" messages? If your client receives bad data it will have to redownload it, therefore the total downloaded may be larger than the torrent size. Make sure the "kick/ban" option is turned on to minimize the extra downloads.

What's this "IOError - [Errno13] Permission denied" error?

If you just want to fix it reboot your computer, it should solve the problem. Otherwise, see [[Troubleshooting#What's this "IOError - [Errno13] Permission denied" error?|Troubleshooting: What's this "IOError - [Errno13] Permission denied" error?]].

Downloading or seeding is slow! How do I speed it up?

See: "Troubleshooting: Speed Issues".

Torrent Offers and Adoptions

Torrent Offer System

What does 'Semi-granted' mean?

Offers require the approval of three staff members before they are added to the tracker. 'Semi-granted' is the state an offer acquires when two or less staff members have granted it, and it is pending further approval.

Why can't I offer new torrents?

Only Power Users can make new torrent offers, which will be granted or rejected by staff. Torrents offered by staff members and Power Uploaders are added to the torrent pool directly without going through the approval procedure. Non-Power Users can not make offers.

How do I make an offer if I'm a Power User?

See: "How to make an offer".

What can/can't I put in my torrents?

Please refer to our Torrent Content Upload Guidelines and (ESPECIALLY) the Blacklist.

What should I put in the description?

See How to make an offer: Writing a Description.

What are good keywords for my torrent?

See How to make an offer: What are good keywords for my torrent?.

Why does it say "This torrent contains improper files, please swap the torrent file" on the torrent page?

We only accept certain file formats, as described in our Rules#Torrent_Content_Upload_Guidelines Torrent Content Upload Guidelines. Other file formats may be accepted on a case-by-case basis (ask in the Uploaders' Forum). Small files (such as .txt, .nfo, .sfv, .md5 and other filetypes) that are useful to the torrent may be attached as extra files (see How to make an offer: Attaching_Extra_Files).

What are "extra files" and what should I add?

See How to make an offer: Attaching_Extra_Files.

How do I attach extra files?

See How to make an offer: Attaching_Extra_Files.

What should I put in my torrents?

See How to make an offer: Making the torrent file.

What is this torrent swapping feature?

See How to make an offer: Swapping the torrent.

Torrent Adoption System

Why should I adopt a torrent?

At the time of writing, no outright benefits are given for torrent adoption. You adopt because the description of a torrent does not sit right with you, and you have the irresistible urge to fix it, put it right and provide accurate information for future users of Boxtorrents who will chance upon said torrent.

*Note: The adopter effectively becomes the new owner of the torrent. As such, he/she is expected to carry out the usual duties of the torrent owner. They'll be responsible for re-seeding the torrent if it dies (so adopters must have the torrent files), keep descriptions up to date, and make torrent swaps where necessary. Torrent adopting is not stamp-collecting.

What should I do to ensure that my adoption request will be granted?

• Submit a proper reason for adoption. Tell us what you are going to fix, what you will add, what you will do with the torrent. If the reason for adoption is "I will fix the torrent", we're not likely to be convinced.
• It helps if you have a portfolio.
  • Users who consistently submit good torrent descriptions (by adopting, or making torrent offers) will obviously be trusted more than users without said portfolio. So if you already have torrents in your Uploaded tab, do take a look at them and work on those first before adopting new torrents.
  • If you are a new user with no prior experience do not worry, we will sit you through the description-editing process and help you bring it up to speed, all you need is a willingness to learn and dedication to the adoption process.
• Seed the torrent. While owners are not expected to seed the torrent files 24/7, being a seed on the peerlist gives us the assurance that you have the files are will be able to re-seed the torrent as and when the need arises.

What do I need to do after I adopt a torrent?

Bring it up to date, in accordance with the torrent description content guidelines. Keep tabs on it, and re-seed the torrent if it dies (has 0 seeders).

What if I want to replace the torrent files with a better, superior version?

Make a new torrent offer, and add a comment, giving the URL of the torrent you wish to replace. The adoption system is meant for fixing torrents, not replacing them.

Is there an RSS feed available for BoxTorrents?

RSS Feeds are only available for Power Users. You will see the RSS Feed link appear when you become one.

An mIRC script is available that will check the RSS feed every x minutes, if there are any new torrents uploaded then it lists the new torrents, you can also manually check for new torrents. Information about the script, Download Link.

What if I can't find the answer to my problem here?

So, after reading all that, you still can't find a solution? Read on. Post in the forums, by all means. You'll find it's a friendly and helpful place, provided you follow a few basic guidelines:

• Make sure your problem has not been answered in this FAQ. There's no point in posting just to be sent back here amidst a torrent of angry remarks telling you not to waste other people's time.
• Before posting, read the stickied topics (the ones at the top of each subforum page). Many times, new information that still hasn't been incorporated in the FAQ can be found there.
• Help us in helping you. Do not just say "it doesn't work!". Provide details so that we don't have to guess or waste time asking. What client do you use? What's your OS? What's your network setup? What's the exact error message you get, if any? What are the torrents you are having problems with? The more details you give the easier it will be for us, and the more likely your post will get a useful reply, as opposed to a reply that just asks for more information.
• PLEASE make an effort to make your posts readable. There is nothing worse than trying to decipher a post that looks like it was written by someone mashing their face on the keyboard. Perfect spelling isn't necessary, but basic grammar and punctuation definitely helps.
• ... and needless to say: be polite. Demanding help rarely works. Asking nicely for it usually does the trick.
• DO NOT send a private message to a staff member. If you don't wish to post in the forums, use the help form instead, or ask on the IRC channel.
• To prove that you have read this FAQ before seeking help, please quote the words 'Amorphous Plate Wiggle' in your post. We are quite serious. Failure to do so will result in your thread being locked immediately or your help request being ignored. This phrase is subject to change.