how to watch the partialy downloaded movie

**zak** · 25-09-2009, 17:51

suppose you are downloading a big "avi" file from rapidshare , and you want to check if this avi file is what it is supposed, not a fake one, how do you see it?
in windows xp the downloaded files are saved continiously to the :
"C:\Documents and Settings\User Name\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files"
folder , and once the download is complete it is copied to your download folder of choice, in the vista i think it is in the c:\users folder if i remember.
in the following procedures you must be the Administrator
now while downloading are active run the free xsearch utility from:
http://www.easexp.com/xsearch/
in the "search in" browse for the "Temporary Internet Files" also in the Attribute choose search for hidden files
in the "all or part of the file name" write *.avi
as in the following picture:

click on the "open containing folder" and the folder opened as in the picture with the file highlighted: (you can also click on copy to folder)

now copy that partialy downloaded file to the desktop (so you will not corrupted the original one) and click on it to watch it.
this way you can also check the flv files downloaded from youtube, but i have found that i can't run those files in media player, i have found that the free "Wimpy FLV Player" can run it.
also you can check the rar an zip files to see if they contain what you expect, or if they are a password protected or not.

**zak** · 25-09-2009, 18:12

i want to add an important addition regarding the zip and rar files:
suppose you want to check the partially downloaded zip file, the utility "ALZIP" can extract whatever inside the zip file , it gives you an error message but you will see that the partially files are extracted.
regarding the rar file it is much more complex: i have found that "RAR Repair Tool" a commercial program can extract the (as an example) movie file inside the rar file in the process of repairing it, unless it is password protected.
i want to add that the best in watching the partially downloaded movies is the free "media player classic".