FAQ
The site
How do I contact the people who run this site?
If you need to contact us please send an all-staff message for most queries. Please do not contact individual members of staff unless your message is a reply.
What is the address of this website?
The primary address for UKNova is www.uknova.com. An alternative (backup) address exists at www.uknova.tv; you will probably need to login separately at each address if you switch between them.
Where does donated money go?
UK Nova is situated on a dedicated server. Every penny of donated money goes towards covering the costs for this service. See also the 'Donations' section of this FAQ.
What is this BitTorrent all about anyway? How do I get the files?
Check out Brian's BitTorrent FAQ and Guide for general bittorrent information. Beginners at UKNova should ensure that they read Scunge's Beginner's Guide To Torrenting.
What if my question isn't answered here?
If you have a question you don't find the answer to here and you have searched and read the forums, you can contact The Staff regarding site issues and our First line of Support Team for help with and advice on technical issues
Users
Can I give some of my upload credit to another member?
No, you cannot buy, sell or transfer upload credit/score here.
I've lost my user name or password! Can you send it to me?
Please use the Account recovery form to have the login details mailed back to you.
Can you change my password?
You can change it yourself: go to your profile page (by clicking your username at the top-right of the screen), then input the new password in the ‘Account’ box at the top of the form (you'll need to enter it twice to confirm it, and also input your old password to confirm the change). Then click ‘Set’ at the bottom and it should be all done.
Can I have more than one account?
No. To be fair to all, we operate a policy of 'one person, one account'. Any duplicate accounts will be removed and offenders therefore risk losing all their UKNova accounts.
Can you delete my (confirmed) account?
You can do it yourself by clicking your username and pressing 'Delete' at the bottom of the form.
Why can't my friend join?
There is a limit of 35,000 users. When the limit is reached we stop accepting new members. Also, the limit is revised from time to time and may go down as well as up. Accounts which are inactive for 42 days are automatically deleted to make way for new users. There can be up to 300 new accounts available per day so if your friend keeps trying at regular intervals they have a good chance of becoming a member!
How do I get invites for friends?
This site doesn't issue invites, sorry.
I'm going away. Can you keep my account alive?
Sorry, no. We don't provide a function for users to park their accounts whilst away (however if you're a VIP or NF then your account will never expire). If you're a User, Power User or VR and fail to login to your account for 42 days or more then it'll automatically be deleted. However, to retain your account all you need to do is login once during that time from anywhere you can find Internet access throughout the world. You don't need to upload or download anything - just ensure that your visits to the website are never 42 days (or more) apart.
I've been away and couldn't log in anymore. Why did I have to create a new account?
Inactive accounts are automatically expired to make room for new users to join UK Nova. If you didn't visit the site for 42 days or more then your account will have been marked as expired pending deletion.
Note that if you can register a new account with the same username & email address as your old account, then the old account has gone forever and cannot be re-activated.
My account has been deleted! Can you please restore my stats?
No. Once an account is deleted (for any reason) all the statistics are gone forever. There's no way for us to restore your old account details so please don't ask for credit.
Why is my IP displayed on my details page?
Only you and the site moderators/administrators can view your IP address and email. Regular users do not see that information.
Why am I 'not connectable'? (And why should I care?)
The tracker has determined that you are firewalled or NATed and cannot accept incoming connections.
This means that other peers in the swarm will be unable to connect to you, only you to them. Even worse, if two peers are both in this state they will not be able to connect to each other to share data at all. This obviously has a detrimental effect on the overall speed or uploads and downloads.
The way to solve the problem involves opening the ports used for incoming connections (the same range you defined in your client) on the firewall and/or configuring your NAT server to use a basic form of NAT for that range instead of NAPT (the actual process differs widely between different router models - check your router documentation and/or the support forum - you will also find lots of information on the subject at PortForward).
How do I add an avatar to my profile?
First find an image that you like and that is within the rules. Then you will have to find a place to host it; popular choices include Photobucket, Upload-It and ImageShack). All that is left to do is copy the URL you were given when uploading it to the avatar field in your profile. You can set your signature in a similar way.
Please do not make a post just to test your avatar. If everything is OK you'll see it in your user details page (click your username next to 'Logout' at the top of most pages). Please do not leech pictures from other sites (by copying the URLs into your profile without uploading the images to a new host).
What is my torrent key'?
A torrent key or passkey is a 32 character key associated with your account that uniquely identifies you as a UK Nova user. When a .torrent file is downloaded from your account, the key is automatically encapsulated into an announce URL added to the .torrent file.
Make sure that you keep your key and .torrent files private at all times.
What's this 'Change key' feature in my profile?
You can use this feature to generate a new passkey for your account. Remember that the passkey uniquely identifies you, therefore if someone discovers it they will be able to leech using your account. If you suspect that your key has been compromised just create a new one using the 'Reset passkey' feature. Note that by doing this you will invalidate all the .torrent files that you may have previously downloaded, and will have to get them again.
Who are the uploaders?
UK Nova doesn't use the status 'Uploader'. Any member may or may not have upload rights regardless of status. For privacy reasons the usernames of uploaders are not disclosed anywhere on the site. Please do not ask questions about the identity of any uploader. If you would like to become an uploader please see Uploading.
How does this promotion thing work anyway?
The user levels within UKNova are as follows:
User
The starting level for all new arrivals to the site.
Power User (PU)
Must have been be a member for at least 4 weeks, have uploaded at least 25GB and have a score at or above 105. Power Users can access the Suggestions forum. This promotion is automatic within 24 hours of these conditions being met. Note that you will be automatically demoted from Power User if your score drops below 95 at any time.
VR
Awarded by the staff at their discretion to those that have made a unique contribution to the site in some way, normally by being helpful in the forums or IRC, through their uploading efforts, or in some other [non-financial] capacity. VR users and above have access to The Lounge and Zen Garden forums. VR users and above are immune to automatic demotion.
VIP
Considered an elite member of UK Nova. Awarded by the staff at their discretion to those that have made an outstanding contribution to the site in some way. VIP users and above are immune to automatic account expiration.
Nova Friend (NF)
Special UK Nova VIP. The highest level of UKNova user. Awarded by the staff at their discretion.
'Thanked' stars are given on very rare occasions to members who have made a very special contribution to the site. They aren't used to identify donators.
Note: Anyone begging for promotion will automatically make themselves ineligible!
How can I get a custom title?
Custom titles are usually reserved for members of class Power User or above. If you feel that you deserve one, please ask a member of staff.
Some people have got impossibly high scores. Why?
There are occasional blips in the system - and, sadly, some people cheat. But we deal with these things - and anyone found cheating gets banned from the site. But the main thing is for you not to worry about other people's scores - just concentrate on your own. Please don't send a report to tell us that some user has uploaded 1 million terabytes and is possibly cheating. It just wastes everyone's time. Look after your own ratio - and let us worry about everyone else's.
Donations
Can I donate to increase my score?
No, sorry. Nothing on this site is for sale. We don't sell credits, status or any other benefits and we never will. Donations are accepted only as entirely voluntary contributions towards the site running costs.
What do I get for making a donation?
Every single penny from donations to the site is put towards running costs. The benefit to you is that donations enable the site to continue to exist and go on providing its services. Donations are always very appreciated, no matter how large or small, however unlike other sites donations will not buy you a star, VR/VIP/NF status nor any upload credit at UK Nova.
Where's the Donate-O-Meter?
The Donate-O-Meter may appear on the site front page when there's currently a shortfall between the total donations received and the funds required to cover the site running costs for the month. If the Donate-O-Meter has reached 100% you're welcome with your donation next calendar month!
You can still donate even if the Donate-O-Meter reached 100% and your donation will be carried forward in full to the next month. No donations are ever redirected for other purposes.
Why didn't the Donate-O-Meter go up when I donated?
The indicator is updated manually. It may take 24 hours or more for your donation to be included in the total. Thank you for donating and please rest assured that every penny counts!
What would happen if the Donate-O-Meter doesn't reach 100% by the end of the month?
The site would be forced to close, or take other action, unless additional funds can be found to cover the shortfall.
Statistics
May I use any bittorrent client?
No. Some torrent clients are disallowed because they report statistics inaccurately or do not work correctly with private trackers.
The following clients are banned:
Transmission before 0.7
BitComet 0.60
Note: This version of BitComet has been withdrawn and some other versions are allowed to be used at UKNova (but see below).
We also recommend that you avoid the following clients:
BitComet
BitLord
Shareaza
BitSpirit
BitTorrent++
Nova Torrent
TorrentStorm
Clients in alpha or beta versions should also in general be avoided.
Which client should I use?
If you're a downloader we suggest that you use the latest stable versions of either Azureus or µTorrent. Uploaders may also wish to consider using a client which is good at super-seeding, such as BitTornado or to a lesser extent µTorrent or Azureus.
As an uploader, if you use BitComet you must disable the ‘File align to piece boundary’ option when creating new torrent files.
When are stats updated?
Your score and the amount uploaded and downloaded, as displayed on the website, are updated every few minutes after the tracker receives new information from your client. Clients typically send stats information every 30-90 minutes.
Why aren't my stats updating?
Possible reasons for stats not updating include:
Updated stats are normally only sent to the tracker every 30 to 90 minutes.
The user is cheating.
The server is overloaded or unresponsive. Just try to keep the session open until the server responds again. Flooding the server with manual updates will only make the problem worse.
You are using a faulty client. If you want to use an experimental or development version you do it at your own risk.
How can I ensure that my stats update correctly?
These are some of the things that you can do:
If the stats for a torrent you are currently leeching/seeding have not updated for awhile either wait for the next automatic update or force a manual update using the appropriate feature of your client.
Make sure you always exit your client properly, so that the tracker receives the "event=completed" message. It can sometimes help to stop all torrents before exit.
If the tracker is down, do not stop seeding. As long as the tracker is back up before you exit the client the stats should update properly.
Do not use clients which are alpha or beta versions or known to report stats inaccurately. We suggest that you use the latest stable versions of either Azureus or µTorrent.
I've finished or cancelled a torrent. Why is it still listed in my profile?
Some clients, notably TorrentStorm and Nova Torrent, do not report properly to the tracker when canceling or finishing a torrent. This can also happen with other clients if your connection is unstable or you do not exit them properly. The tracker will keep waiting for some message from your client - and thus listing the torrent as seeding or leeching - until a timeout occurs. If you ignore it, it will eventually disappear.
What's the point of the statistics?
Tracking the statistics for each members uploads and downloads allows the site to identify users with fast connections and/or a good attitude towards seeding and reward those members with the ability to access new torrents sooner after they are uploaded. This greatly benefits all members because our uploaders can then seed new content more quickly and efficiently and ultimately everyone benefits from a wider choice of content being available. The system also encourages seeding with the benefit that torrents tend to have a long lifetime at UK Nova and fast download speeds.
Uploading
Why can't I upload torrents?
Only specially authorized users have permission to upload torrents.
What criteria must I meet before I can join the Uploader team?
To become an uploader at UK Nova you must:
have been a member for at least 2 weeks;
be able to source or reseed UK content which meets all UKNova rules;
provide a useful description of the content;
be able to seed, or ensure your uploads are well-seeded, for at least 24 hours.
If you think that you meet the criteria please send an all-staff message to apply for upload rights using this link with full details of your proposed upload. Do not contact individual members of staff.
Remember! Specify exactly what content you wish to upload, whether it is new or a reseed and if possible identify the source. Check very carefully to ensure that the content meets all UKNova rules.
When you apply for upload rights we will assume that you have the proposed content available before you contact us (complete, checked, encoded and ready for upload) so please let us know if there are special circumstances and this isn't actually the case.
Upload rights are granted at the discretion of the staff and may be withheld or withdrawn for any reason at any time. Members in receipt of a formal warning for unacceptable conduct are likely to have upload rights declined or removed.
What are the responsibilities and protocols for uploaders?
When you apply for upload rights at UK Nova you will usually receive a reply which is mostly composed of a standard message setting out the responsibilities and protocols which all uploaders are required to accept and follow.
If you don't make your own copy of this message then, like all PMs, it will be automatically deleted from your inbox after 28 days. For the benefit of any uploaders who need a reminder of the message or for whatever reason never received it, click here and request a repeat.
If you're applying for upload rights please ensure that you read all replies carefully as your individual message will contain additional information and instructions and may be more up-to-date or otherwise differ from the standard text.
Also, uploaders are given 72 hours from broadcast before shows pencilled into the schedule can be requested. Please respect this.
What content is allowed to be uploaded?
Please read this topic very carefully!
How do DVD and video releases affect the rules?
All members should be well aware that UKNova site rule #1 is: Nothing that can be bought on DVD or video is allowed on this site. Do not ask for such shows to be posted. If it's available to buy, then buy it.
If a programme has been tracked at UKNova in the past and is subsequently released to buy then it will no longer be allowed, either as a reseed or new torrent. It is therefore important that reseeders check for new releases before uploading.
If a programme is scheduled for commercial release in the future then it cannot be uploaded at any time within 2 calendar months prior to the release date.
Programmes which are not allowed will be removed from the tracker immediately and without warning; all uploaders who habitually fail to make sufficient checks may be given a formal warning and will have their upload rights revoked.
What are the rules regarding duplicates?
We generally only allow one release of each programme to be on the tracker at a time. If you'd like to upload a different release of a programme which is already on the tracker then you should wait until the existing torrent has fallen off the tracker or seek staff approval before doing so. Duplicate uploads are likely to be deleted without warning. Members who persistently upload duplicates will have their upload rights removed.
Uploaders are also not permitted to race or pre-empt other uploaders who have already committed to providing specific content to UK Nova. Therefore you should always take steps to ensure that what you upload isn't already covered otherwise your upload may be treated as a duplicate.
What are the conventions for returning series?
The regular uploader for a previous series of a show is given priority to upload later series of the same show, if they wish to do so. In the event of contention or a dispute please contact staff for this to be resolved.
What to do if you upload a show regularly but another uploader has now booked future episodes in the schedule?
This is usually the result of another uploader attempting to offer backups of your show before you have booked the show yourself as primary uploader. In most cases this is quick and easy to resolve; please contact staff with the details and it will be sorted out for you.
Can I upload 'scene' releases/shows I have downloaded from other sites?
In a word: No. UKNova isn't just another torrent site tracking content that can be easily found elsewhere. Most of the files shared by UKNova members are made specially for the site and aren't available anywhere else. Teams of cappers work diligently to provide this content for the UK Nova community.
Often the same content is also released by 'scene' groups such as RiVER, GoTHiC, FoV and TCM etc, or becomes available on other torrent sites. However, most of these groups expressly state that they do not wish their releases to be uploaded to P2P sites. UKNova respects that wish.
If there is some exceptional reason for a scene release to be uploaded here, then only with the express permission of the Staff.
Very important: If you have downloaded a programme from another source - eg a "scene" release - please realise that it's unlikely to be the same as tracked at UK Nova so you will not be able to seed it here. Never attempt to join an upload of a show with a file obtained from another source to the UK Nova tracker - as your original file might be deleted by your torrent client.
What is the announce URL to use when uploading?
The UKNova tracker no longer needs an announce URL for uploading. If your application used to create torrents requires an announce URL then you can use anything you wish; it'll simply be ignored when you upload the .torrent file.
What is 'super-seed' / 'initial-seeding' mode? Should I use it?
Super-seed or initial-seeding mode is used to ensure more efficient distribution of a file by the original uploader.
If you are a downloader then you should never use super-seed mode. Please ensure that it is disabled in your client.
If you're a reseeder and there is already 1 or more seed for the torrent then you should also avoid using super-seed mode. Only consider using super-seed mode if you're the only seed joining a dead torrent.
If you are in any doubt then please DO NOT use super-seed mode as it will cause significant problems for yourself and others if used incorrectly.
How do I create a torrent?
Once you've read and understood this FAQ section take a look at Uploading - Simple Guide.
Note: If you disapprove of downloaders sharing the content of your torrents outside of UKNova then you should be sure to tag them 'INTERNAL'.
Uploaders desiring to re-seed a torrent previously marked 'INTERNAL' by the original Capper are expected to honour the Capper's original intention as well when uploading the reseeded torrent. Please ensure that the re-seed is annotated 'Internal'. Otherwise, the torrent will risk being pulled from the tracker.
If you wish a file you cap and upload to remain 'INTERNAL', it may be wise to add a note stating this to the nfo, so that when it's reseeded the new uploader knows your wishes.
How do I delete a torrent?
If there's a problem with a torrent and you wish to delete it this can be done using the 'Edit' form. You do not need to request a member of staff to delete the torrent for you. In usual circumstances there's no need to delete torrents as they will be removed from the tracker automatically at the end of their TTL.
Can I upload your torrents to other trackers?
All shows uploaded to / downloaded from UKNova now have a 'redistribution' flag, set by the uploader. The options, and their meanings, are:
Do not redistribute (INTERNAL) - this means that the capper wishes the show to remain strictly within the UKNova community.
Check with uploader/staff - as it says, should you wish to upload this show elsewhere please seek permission from the uploader (if known) or by sending a Staff PM (if the uploader is anonymous) BEFORE uploading elsewhere.
Upload elsewhere with attribution - If you upload this show to any other site, you MUST give attribution as requested by the original capper. Please check the torrent description, as the original capper may request that the same description/nfo be included in your upload.
Upload elsewhere freely - any show so marked may be uploaded to any other tracker without reference to either this site or the original uploader.
Please respect the redistribution wishes of the original capper. If you do not, and are caught uploading a UKNova file without permission, your UKNova account will be immediately disabled, without a warning. (And using a different "user name" will not stop you getting caught).
NB: If you do not agree with this rule, then DO NOT DOWNLOAD FROM UKNOVA.
With regard to the .torrent files themselves, we are a private community with a limited membership. Only registered users can use the UKNova tracker. Posting our .torrent files on other sites or p2p systems will only cause issues for you, as anyone who downloads using that torrent file will be effectively leeching from your account, so you'll see your score plummet very quickly. Also, you will be liable to receive a warning / have your account deleted under our 'one member, one account' rule.
Can I re-apply for upload rights?
Usually yes, although it depends upon your circumstances.
If you have never been granted upload rights but made a previous request which was declined then you may re-apply after checking more carefully that your new proposed upload is suitable for UKNova. Remember that you must specify exactly what content you wish to upload (including reseeds). Only re-apply if you have a different programme ready to upload; please do not repeat an application which has previously been declined.
If your upload rights were removed for breaking site rules then you will not be eligible to apply again for a certain period of time, e.g. 6 months. Ask a member of staff for guidance if you've not been informed of how long you will remain ineligible.
Members who habitually break site rules or uploading protocols will be permanently banned from uploading.
How can I contact an uploader?
Due to the expressed wishes of several uploaders we do not display their nicknames in the listings. If you have a question, please post it in the torrent comments or contact the staff using this link to relay a message. If the uploader wishes to make their identity known it's up to the individual uploader.
Downloading
How do I use the files I've downloaded?
Check out this guide.
What's this 'TTL'?
The TTL stands for 'Time To Live' and can be seen in your profile for torrents which you have active. It is measured in hours and indicates how much time remains before each torrent will be automatically deleted from the tracker (even if the torrent still has seeders and/or leechers).
Why did an active torrent suddenly disappear?
There may be three reasons for this:
The torrent may have contravened the site rules.
The uploader may have deleted it because it was a bad release. A replacement will probably be uploaded to take its place.
Torrents are automatically deleted after 42 days, unless bumped (please see below).
What does '[BUMPED]' mean?
It means that the torrent became close to being deleted at the end of its 42 days on the tracker but has instead has been put back to the start of the 'Torrents' page. The TTL is reset so that it will stay alive for at least another 42 days from the time it was bumped.
How does a torrent get '[BUMPED]'?
If you'd like to have a torrent bumped, send a request using an all-staff message by clicking here and ensure that you include a link to the torrent.
Please don't waste staff time with requests to bump torrents which don't meet the required criteria. To be eligible for bumping a torrent must satisfy all of the following guidelines:
TTL below 24 hours, and
at least one seeder and three leechers, and
must be an original full series torrent or a repack or an individual file which is unlikely to appear in a repack anytime soon.
March 2008: During transition to the new tracker, no torrents are being bumped. All torrents will need to be replaced over the next 2 months, so that the old tracker can be turned off in May 2008. Until further notice, please don't request any bumps - thankyou!
What does 'Repack' mean?
The term 'repack' isn't used at UKNova in the same way that the 'scene' uses it. Here it just indicates that a torrent is made of several files which were previously tracked individually. If you repost files at UKNova we ask that you repack them in this way because the repack torrent will be easier to manage and live longer than individual torrents. Repacks also help the tracker to avoid becoming overloaded, so are the preferred method when uploading old (non-current) shows wherever possible.
What does 'INTERNAL' mean?
If a torrent is tagged 'INTERNAL' this means that the uploader expressly forbids sharing of the content outside of UKNova.
Please do not ask for permission to distribute the content more widely as refusal may offend! 
How do I resume a broken download or reseed something?
Open the .torrent file. When your client asks you for a location, choose the location of the existing file(s) and it will resume/reseed the torrent.
Why do I get a message like "Error (access denied, wait time in effect)"
From the time that each new torrent is uploaded to the tracker, there is a period of time that some users must wait before they can download it.
To be able to download new torrents as soon as they are uploaded you will need:
a score of 90 or more, and
an account at least a week old, and
a total of 10 gigabytes of data transferred.
If you look at your profile (click on your username top right of this screen) you will see which of the above factors is having the greatest effect in causing the delay.
i.e
delay due to score
delay due to data transferred
delay due to time
This applies to new users as well, so opening a new account will not bypass the waiting time. Note also that this works at the tracker level, you will be able to grab the .torrent file itself at any time. If you load it into your client then it'll connect as soon as possible after your waiting time expires.
N.B. In order to eliminate the possibility of cheating the delay has to apply to both seeding and leeching. So if you are subject to a delay and already have the files you will unfortunately not be able to seed them until the delay has elapsed.
What's this "IOError - [Errno13] Permission denied" error?
If you just want to fix it reboot your computer, it should solve the problem. Otherwise read on.
IOError means Input-Output Error, and that is a file system error, not a tracker one. It shows up when your client is for some reason unable to open the partially downloaded torrent files. A common cause is having two instances of the client running simultaneously: the last time the client was closed it somehow didn't really close but kept running in the background, and is therefore still locking the files, making it impossible for the new instance to open them.
A more uncommon occurrence is a corrupted file system. A crash may result in corruption that makes the partially downloaded files unreadable, and the error ensues. Running scandisk should solve the problem. Note that this may happen only if you're running Windows 9x - which only support FAT - or NT/2000/XP with FAT formatted hard drives. NTFS is much more robust and should never permit this problem.
The problem can also be seen if your media player or Windows Explorer have locked the files that you're attempting to seed. This can be solved with a reboot or registry fix.
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.
Why do my downloads sometimes stall at 99%?
The more pieces you have, the harder it becomes to find peers who have pieces you are missing. That is why downloads sometimes slow down or even stall when there are just a few percent remaining. Just be patient and you will, sooner or later, get the remaining pieces.
The torrent is supposed to be a fixed size. How come I downloaded more?
See the 'hash check' question. If your client receives bad data it will have to discard it and download it again; therefore the total downloaded may be larger than the torrent size. Make sure the "kick/ban" option is turned on in your bittorrent client to minimize the extra downloads.
Why is my browsing so slow while downloading?
Your download speed is always finite. If you are a peer in a fast torrent it will almost certainly saturate your download bandwidth and your browsing will suffer. If your client is capable, you can limit the download speed so that you can download and surf at the same time without much slow-down. Azureus, µTorrent and BitTornado will all allow you to do this. If your client cannot limit downloading speed then you could use a third-party solution, such as NetLimiter or a traffic shaper, such as cfos.
Other forms of Internet use could also suffer the same problems as browsing, such as gaming, IMing, using email, listening to UKNR, etc...
Where else can I download TV shows and other stuff?
UKNova does not allow anything that is available to buy - and so we also don't allow links to other sites that allow material that we don't. Please don't ask for links to other sites, and please don't give any links in the forums. There are various ways and means out on the internet for finding what you want - we suggest you use one of those to find out about other torrent sites, rather than ask about them here.
How do I download/seed more effectively?
If you have too many active torrents then you may be contributing to unnecessary load on the UK Nova server. Here are some client settings that you should check or change:
If you're a uTorrent user: please set queue.dont_count_slow_ul to false instead of the default true.
If you're an Azureus user who exclusively uses UK Nova: please set Queue -> Seeding -> Auto Starting -> Auto start all completed torrents with 0 peers = off (i.e. UNTICKED).
If you're an Azureus user and also use other private torrent sites: then you should instead set Queue -> Seeding -> Auto Starting -> Auto start all completed torrents with 0 peers = ON (i.e. TICKED).
Also set: Queue -> Seeding -> First Priority -> "Ignore First Priority rules above for: Torrents with a Seeds to Peers ratio over:" -> 10:1
These alternative settings will prevent you from getting 'hit warnings' on sites that enforce minimum seeding times.
How can I improve my download speed?
Do not immediately jump on new torrents
The download speed mostly depends on the seeder-to-leecher ratio (SLR). Poor download speed is mainly a problem with new and very popular torrents where the SLR is low.
(Proselytising sidenote: make sure you remember that you did not enjoy the low speed. Seed so that others will not endure the same.)
In particular, do not do it if you have a slow connection. The best speeds will be found around the half-life of a torrent, when the SLR will be at its highest. (The downside is that you will not be able to seed so much. It's up to you to balance the pros and cons of this.)
There are a couple of things that you can try on your end to improve your speed:
Limit your upload speed
The upload speed affects the download speed in essentially two ways:
Bittorrent peers tend to favour those other peers that upload to them. This means that if A and B are leeching the same torrent and A is sending data to B at high speed then B will try to reciprocate. So due to this effect high upload speeds lead to high download speeds.
Due to the way TCP works, when A is downloading something from B it has to keep telling B that it received the data sent to him. (These are called acknowledgements - ACKs -, a sort of "got it!" messages). If A fails to do this then B will stop sending data and wait. If A is uploading at full speed there may be no bandwidth left for the ACKs and they will be delayed. So due to this effect excessively high upload speeds lead to low download speeds.
The full effect is a combination of the two. The upload should be kept as high as possible while allowing the ACKs to get through without delay. A good thumb rule is keeping the upload at about 80% of the theoretical upload speed. You will have to fine tune yours to find out what works best for you. (Remember that keeping the upload high has the additional benefit of helping with your ratio.)
If you are running more than one instance of a client it is the overall upload speed that you must take into account. Some clients (e.g. Azureus) limit global upload speed, others (e.g. Shad0w's) do it on a per torrent basis. Know your client. The same applies if you are using your connection for anything else (e.g. browsing or ftp), always think of the overall upload speed.
Limit the number of simultaneous connections
Some operating systems (like Windows 9x) do not deal well with a large number of connections, and may even crash. Also some home routers (particularly when running NAT and/or firewall with stateful inspection services) tend to become slow or crash when having to deal with too many connections. There are no fixed values for this, you may try 60 or 100 and experiment with the value. Note that these numbers are additive, if you have two instances of a client running the numbers add up.
Limit the number of simultaneous uploads
Isn't this the same as above? No. Connections limit the number of peers your client is talking to and/or downloading from. Uploads limit the number of peers your client is actually uploading to. The ideal number is typically much lower than the number of connections, and highly dependent on your (physical) connection.
Just give it some time
As explained above peers favour other peers that upload to them. When you start leeching a new torrent you have nothing to offer to other peers and they will tend to ignore you. This makes the starts slow, in particular if, by chance, the peers you are connected to include few or no seeders. The download speed should increase as soon as you have some pieces to share.
Forums
Can I start new topics?
Yes everyone can start new topics (discussion threads). However, we expect you to search for similar threads before doing so and use the existing threads instead if the topic is already being discussed. Even if the existing thread is several months old, or the request has already been fulfilled, please use the existing thread - your post will bump it to the top of the Forum again, and it helps if we can keep all discussion about a show in one place.
If you duplicate an existing topic then your thread is likely to be banished to Room 101. This is especially important in the request forums because they are already extremely busy and topics can be buried very quickly.
How do I search the forums?
Use the box on the left side of most pages. Enter one or more words to search for. If you can't see the search box, click the little white arrow on the very left of the screen to make it appear. The search function only searches topic titles. If you want to search within posts, click the little arrow and put a tick in the "Search full post text" box.
What's Room 101?
Room 101 is a dumping ground for posts which are moved from other forums. It mostly contains requests which are duplicates, for content which doesn't meet the site rules or are no longer required for other reasons. You will still be able to read or even add to your threads if they are banished to Room 101.
What's The Lounge?
The Lounge is a private room in which members can chill out, have a nice cup of tea and discuss the ups and downs of life.
Please don't ask for access to The Lounge. If you're given access to the The Lounge please respect the rules of that area and do not take issues or conversations from The Lounge to other forums.
How do I delete a forum post or topic?
You can't. Either use the 'Edit' button and change it to say "Please delete" or (if urgent) send an all-staff message requesting a moderator to delete it (click here). Remember to include a link to the post or topic that you would like to be deleted (you must be the author).
How do I know whether to post in Re-seed Requests or Show Requests?
This is what to do if you don't know whether or not a show has previously been uploaded:
Use the search function to look for existing threads about the show. Perhaps try a few different queries if the first doesn't work, e.g. if the programme title doesn't work you could try other keywords such as the names of people in the show.
If you find an existing Re-seed Requests thread, join that one. Or if you find a Show Requests thread, add your voice to that instead.
If there were no active request threads but you found a 'Room 101' thread then read it carefully as you'll need to figure out the reason why it's there - could be a duplicate, or your show might be disallowed or perhaps a request which was filled or already covered in the 'Schedule'. It's okay to add new posts to 'Room 101' threads if you need to ask questions or, in the case of allowed content, if you'd like to request a reseed (this will normally cause the 'Room 101' thread be moved to the Re-seed Requests forum; feel free to ask if this doesn't happen within a few days).
Still no luck? If you find other discussions which indicate whether or not the show has been uploaded before then you can then work out whether to start a new Re-seed Requests or Show Requests thread. Otherwise, create a new Show Requests thread.
Can I post links (URLs and pictures)?
Please don't post massive pictures inline. If they're wider than the forum then post a scaled down version, thumbnail or link instead. ( a suggestion of 400x300 max is best for all concerned )
Can I post a request for an invite to another download site?
No, we no longer allow members to post invites, invite requests, or links to sites that allow commercially available material to be downloaded.
Can I mention other sites? What about old posts?
No. Do not post links to sites that allow commercially available content. Do not post hints or clues or otherwise attempt to work around this rule as new posts (in the forums and torrent comments area) which are against the spirit of the rule will be treated the same as if you had posted a direct link.
We won't be editing references out of the nearly 300,000 old forum posts. Give us a break - we haven't got time for that!
Can I advertise in the forums?
No. Members are not permitted to post adverts, affiliate links, e-bay auction links or offers to buy, sell or trade goods in the UK Nova forums (or in their signatures). If you're unsure whether or not a link you wish to post is allowable, please ask the site staff before posting.
Searching
(this section needs a rewrite for the new software - please bear with us!)
How can I search the torrents more effectively?
To search the torrents either use this form or the upper box in the top right-hand corner of most pages. Enter one or more words to search for; alternatively combine search terms using an underscore if you only want to see results where the specified words appear together.
This function searches the torrent descriptions (but not the names; except for the actual .torrent filename). If you have no luck with a programme title then try searching for other words which may be present in the description; also try abbreviations such as HIGNFY and MOTD where these are commonly used.
If you use the box in the corner of most pages then all categories and dead torrents will be included in the search results. Use the form instead if you prefer to search only for torrents within a single category or if you wish to exclude dead torrents from the results.
How can I search the forums more effectively?
To search the forums either use this form or the lower box in the top right-hand corner of most pages. Enter one or more words to search for. If you have no luck with a programme title then try searching for names of actors in the programme or other terms associated with it.
Please note that very common words and words with fewer than 3 characters are ignored. The search facility will find posts which include any of the words entered in the message body (but not the topic title).
To search effectively it's often best to use very few words as there's no way to connect search terms using a logical and notation. Sometimes a single word search will give the most usable results.
By popular demand the results are now displayed with the most recent post first. It's not possible to re-order the search results.
Can I search for a user?
Yes you can. Here.
Miscellaneous
What are Sitting Ducks?
The 'Sitting Ducks' category is a showcase for the talents of UK Nova members. If you have upload rights then you're permitted to upload your own original work in this category for the enjoyment of other members.
Unless the torrent is a reseed, please do not upload the work of others in this category without their permission.
Note: Upload rights will not usually be given to members solely for access to the Sitting Ducks section.
Why can't I connect? Is my ISP blocking the site?
In the first place, it's unlikely your ISP is doing so. DNS name resolution and/or network problems are the usual culprits.
If your ISP is truly blocking the site then there's nothing we can do. You should contact your ISP (or get a new one). Note that you can still visit the site via a proxy. In this case it doesn't matter if the proxy is anonymous or not, or which port it listens to.
Notice that you will always be listed as an "unconnectable" client because the tracker will be unable to check that you're capable of accepting incoming connections.
When should I use the 'Report' links?
The 'Report' links can be used to alert the staff if you notice that a user, torrent or forum post breaks the site rules. It will then be investigated ASAP and you will usually (but not always) receive a response by PM.
Where can I get a copy of the site source code?
The UK Nova source code is not currently available.
What time is it in the UK? Is the server time wrong?
UK local time is equal to GMT in the winter and BST in the summer. BST is British Summer Time which is GMT plus 1 hour. The UK Nova server runs to GMT all year round (i.e. like most servers it doesn't adjust for daylight saving time). To see the correct time in the UK right now click here.
Additional Information
Where can I find guides and tutorials?
There are a number of guides and tutorials to assist with uploading, video capture & editing and other subjects. These can be found in the forums and are listed in the UKNOVA INDEX.
How do I avoid getting banned?
Read this annoucement which we published last year to help new members understand how to use the site responsibly and thereby avoid getting banned. It's slightly out-of-date now but still contains a lot of good advice.
Where can I learn more about bittorrent protocol?
For those of you who are interested... click here for information about the "Anatomy of a torrent session". You can also find a lot of information in Wikipedia and of course by using Google!
What if I can't find the answer to my problem here?
You can try posting in the Forums; you'll find they are usually a friendly and helpful place - provided you follow a few basic guidelines:
Make sure your problem is not already answered in this FAQ. There's no point in posting just to be sent back here.
Before posting read the sticky topics (the ones at the top). Many times new information that hasn't yet been incorporated into the FAQ can be found there.
Help us to help you. Don't just say "it doesn't work!" and leave it at that. 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 you tell us the easier it will be for us, and the more likely your post will get a reply.
And needless to say: be polite. Demanding help rarely works, asking for it usually does the trick.
You can also contact our "First Line Support" team for further assistance.