Why does Download Station show my download tasks as inactive?
Applicable Products
QTS, QuTS hero, Download Station
Scenario
After I have created BitTorrent download tasks, Download Station still shows my download tasks as inactive.
Root Cause
Unlike traditional download methods (e.g., HTTP/FTP), BitTorrent uses a peer-to-peer model:
Seeders have the complete file.
Peers have parts of the file and exchange these parts with other peers.
BitTorrent download tasks depend on the availability of files from other users. If your torrent is shown as Inactive, this typically means:
The download task is waiting for missing parts.
No active peers or seeders are available.
Your download will remain inactive until:
The missing parts become available.
A seeder or peer with those parts comes online.
Solution
Verify seeder/peer availability:
- Check task details in Download Station.
- Check whether there are any seeders or peers available.
- Try a well-seeded torrent (e.g., Linux ISO) to verify its behaviors.
Download Station provides information on the number of seeders and peers connected to your torrent:
- Seeders (Seeds): Devices that have the complete file and can share all parts.
- Peers: Devices that are downloading the file just like yours. They may only have some parts, not necessarily the ones you need.
If the number of seeders is 0, your download task depends on whether any peers happen to have the parts you need—usually it’s a matter of luck.
If both seeders and peers are 0, it’s very likely that the torrent is no longer active, and continuing the download may be pointless.
We recommend checking the torrent’s tracker page or community information for updates, or you may try finding another source with active seeders.
Recommendation
Keep the torrent active; seeders may come online later.
Avoid private or niche torrents with few seeders.
Use only trusted and well-seeded torrent sources.
