How to use torrent files

A friend asked me to explain how to use torrent files to download "stuff" from the internet. I use torrents a lot to download and then share Linux distros, so I thought I would write a quick "how to" here on Todoleo.com.

Torrent files are the files that enable you to download and share content using the BitTorrent peer-to-peer file sharing system.The torrent file speaks to a client and tells it how to connect to other users just like yourself who are downloading or have downloaded the same content.

To use torrent files, you'll need to download a client, a programme that does the work of connecting to the peer-to-peer network. I use uTorrent and shall base this how to around that.

A quick disclaimer before I go any further: using torrent files is not illegal, but depending on the content itself you are downloading you may be breaching someone's copyright. I will not be held responsible for what you do with torrents and the internet. Mmmmmkay?

Right, first things first, you'll need to download uTorrent from uTorrent.com. Go for the free version, it is more than enough. Go ahead and install the programme, but beware not to get caught out by whatever bundled bloatware they try and give you with it. In my case there were a couple of things I had to opt out of, as in the screenshots below.

No thanks, don't want this...

...or this.

Once the installation is done, uTorrent should open itself and be ready to use. That means the client (uTorrent) is there.

This is more or less what uTorrent looks like once it is running.

Now you'll need to go and get a torrent file that allows you to get the content you want from the interwebs. I use a metasearch engine called Torrentz.eu. Torrentz.eu takes my search and submits it to lots of different torrent sites and search engines and puts all the results together. Think of Torrentz.eu as the Google of torrent files.

Torrentz.eu

Search for what you are looking for (in my case Ubuntu 13.04) and it will take you to a results page. The results page lists the files and content that match my search.

Torrentz.eu results page

I see that in my case the second result is the file appropriate for me (Ubuntu 13.04 desktop i386) so I click on the link. In the next page I will see a selection of sites where I can get the torrent file from.

Links to sites that have the torrent file I am looking for

It is important to note that some of these sites may be blocked by your internet service provider, due to copyright infringement issues and a lack of real freedom on the internet. [insert net neutrality rant here].
Select a provider of the torrent file (I usually use Monova.org), and go through to the website and download the .torrent file.

Monova.org

Once the .torrent file has downloaded (usually within a few seconds), you can double click on it and it should be opened in uTorrent. Confirm that you would like to add that torrent file and it will be added to your download list and the content will be on your computer after it has finished downloading.

Almost there!

It is important to note that as you are downloading the content, you are also uploading it to others. The more people are downloading or have downloaded the content and left their client running, the faster the download will be.

I hope this tutorial has been useful to you. If you need any more help or have any questions feel free to ask in the comments section below. Happy torrenting!

How To Unlock An Orange Monte Carlo (ZTE Skate) [Tutorial]

In this tutorial I hope to guide you through network unlocking an Orange Monte Carlo (ZTE Skate). This tutorial is based on the one by tilal6991 and many others from the MoDaCo forums and they deserve all the credit for the achievement. Credit for the unlock process itself goes to All I am doing here is trying to give you a beginner (Noob) friendly tutorial on how to xiaoxyaoswim network unlock your device. I will try and keep the tutorial as simple as possible and include as many images as possible.

Lets make this a little less Orange...

Network unlocking your device may (probably does) void the guarantee on it in many different ways. There is a risk of total and utter failure of the procedures in this tutorial. I am not responsible for:

• your phone ending up being unusable and unrepairable
• the retailer you purchased the device from refusing to take it back as a return, no matter how much you argue with the staff...
• any tears or tantrums because of your bricked device
• your ban from aforementioned retailer because of the tears and tantrums
• you punching kittens in a tantrum
• the RSPCA prosecuting you because you punched kittens
• any other of your actions
• global warming
• the banking crisis
• the low number of Jennifer Paige hits in the history of music charts

I am writing this tutorial with the masses in mind. I'll run the tutorial so it can be done on Windows. If there is sufficient demand I may also write a tutorial for Linux users too. (Leave a comment at the end of the post if you would like a Linux tutorial). Ready? Here we go!


To unlock an Orange Monte Carlo you will need a computer running Windows (preferrably Windows 7, but Vista or XP might do) with a spare primary USB port, and an Orange Monte Carlo with its USB cable.


Step 1
Create a new folder on your desktop. You can call it as you wish.

We're going back to IT Skills 101...

Step 2
Download "QPST 2.7 build 366" and install it. You may need an unzip package to do that. Once you have installed QPST, you should be ready for step 3.


Step 3
Download the file from here by clicking on the big green Zip link. The download may take a while because it is approximately 150MB in size.

Once you have downloaded the file, unzip it within the folder we created in step 1 on your desktop.


Step 4
Set your phone up for USB debugging. [Menu=> Settings => Applications => Development] and make sure the USB debugging option is ticked.

Make sure "USB debugging" is ticked

Step 5
Connect you phone (switched on) to your computer through a primary USB port. In Windows, you should have the drivers installed automatically by Windows Update. You may have a problem getting this step completed if your firewall is blocking software from accessing your phone. Try looking through this  MoDaCo Forum thread if you have problems with drivers (hopefully you don't...)


Step 6
Run (double click) “install-recovery-windows.bat” from the preparation folder in the folder from step 1 on your desktop.

“install-recovery-windows.bat” running. No need to try and catch it...

You should get an old style black window that looks like this with text popping up. When the program finishes running, the window will automatically close and your phone will reboot. Don't be alarmed, it may also vibrate.


Step 7
Disconnect the Orange Monte Carlo from your computer, and then remove the back cover and the battery.


Step 8
Wait a few seconds and then reinsert the battery and put the back cover on. Hold the phone and make sure you are pressing the volume down button on the volume rocker on the side when you reinsert the USB cable. Your phone will turn on. Keep holding the volume down button as the green android appears and keep it pressed until a white square with FTM appears onscreen (as in the image).

Step 9
In step 2 you we installed QPST on your computer. Go to your Windows Start button, click it, go to All Programs and there you should have a folder called QPST (you might have to scroll down a bit to find it). In the QPST folder open Software Download.

Step 10
In the Software Download window, select the Backup tab near the top (third tab from the left). In the Port section, select your phone (which should appear if it is in debugging mode and connected to a primary USB port). In the QCN File option, select where to save the .qcn file you are going to generate (I recommend the folder we created on the desktop in step). Once that is done press the Start button just below. The process will take a few seconds and then you will have created a .qcn backup file of your device in the folder you chose.

Close QPST Software Download, but don't forget about it copmpletely, we'll need it again later on... (Thanks to dibbles from the MoDaCo Forums for the feedback on this and many other points of the tutorial!)


Step 11
Double check that the .qcn file has a size larger than zero. This is important, so just go to the folder where you saved the .qcn file, right click on it, go to properties and check the size there. It should be approximately  150Kb in size.


Step12
Now go to the Unlock folder on your desktop and run Download.exe. A new window will open which should look like this:

Step 13
When you are ready, click the START button and the program will run. This may take a while, and your phone will reboot a few times in during the process. 

Once it is done (Ratio 100/100), you will get a popup window saying that the download was successful. You can close that program and go back to the QPST Software Download program.

Step 14
Open QPST Software Download, as we did in Step 9. Select the Restore tab near the top (second from left).

Step 15
In the QCN File section choose your .qcn file from your folder on the desktop and then click the Start button just below and wait for the process to run.


Step 16
Once that is done, close the QPST Software Download window and disconnect your phone from your computer. Your Orange Monte Carlo should now be network unlocked and able to use any SIM card.


This tutorial is mainly based on tilal6991's tutorial on MoDaCo forums. I've tried to make it fuller and more newbie friendly by adding pictures and filling it out. Please leave feedback and let me know what goes well and/or doesn't with the tutorial. Thanks to tilal6991 and all involved in the effort at the MoDaCo forums.


As usual, feel free to leave comments and/or questions either here or on the relevant post in the MoDaCo forums. Please bear in mind the disclaimer at the beginning of the post.

How To: Set Up Identi.ca On Seesmic For Android

This "How To" should guide you through setting up an Identi.ca account on Seesmic for Android in three easy steps. I'm told that Seesmic for iPhone and Blackberry have similar settings so it may work in the same way there.

Identi.ca is an open source social networking and micro-blogging service. While similar to Twitter in both concept and operation, Identi.ca provides many features not currently implemented by Twitter, including XMPPsupport and personal tag clouds. In addition, Identi.ca allows free export and exchange of personal and "friend" data based on the FOAF standard; therefore, notices can be fed into a Twitter account or other service, and also ported in to a private system similar to Yammer.

I find Identi.ca is a great micro-blogging service, and usually post my status updates there. Identi.ca then posts my status to Twitter and Google Buzz pulls the status update from Twitter. To simplify things: I post once to Identi.ca, and maintain a presence on three separate social networks. [I deleted my Facebook account earlier this year, but you can set up Twitter to push your status to Facebook as well].

Seesmic For Android is a native microblogging client, that supports Twitter and Google Buzz. If this tutorial is successful you should be able to use Identi.ca from the Seesmic application too. [Seesmic is also available for Windows Phone 7, iOS and Blackberry on mobile devices, as well as for computer desktops and as a web client]

Before starting this "How To", there are a few things you should have set up:

• An Android phone with Mobile Data / WiFi
• The Seesmic for Android application [Available in the Android Market and from Seesmic]
• An Identi.ca account [Register here]

I hope this tutorial makes sense and is easy to follow. Please let me know if there are any problems with it through the comments section at the end of the post, thanks!

Step One: Open The Seesmic for Android Application

You should be presented with a screen like this if you have not used Seesmic before and have no accounts set up. Proceed by tapping the "Add Twitter account" onscreen button. 

If you are already using Seesmic for Twitter and/or Google Buzz: [ Menu > Accounts > Add Account > Add Twitter account ]

Step Two: Enter Your Identi.ca Credentials

Enter your Identi.ca username and password, but DON'T sign in. Tap the "Advanced" drop down menu button under the "Make this my default account" tick-box.

Step Three: Set Up the Identi.ca REST API server Details

Under "REST API server" option type in identi.ca/api/ as shown in the picture above.

Then untick the tick-box called Use XAuth. Your final screen should look like this:

All done! You should now be able to sign in and use your Identi.ca account through the Seesmic for Android client. Enjoy!