A friend asked how I download binary files off of the newsgroups, so I sent him the following instructions via email. His computer had a Windows operating system and he had already subscribed to the unlimited download service offered at www.newshosting.com. Another variable is I set him up with a download program I like called "Power-Grab." This was a free program offered at Cosmic-Wolf, but that site has been down for a year now, so I will host it here for you readers until I find out what is happening with the maker of that great program. Here is what I wrote to my friend:
Utilizing the newsgroups is different from regular downloading because newsgroups are not part of "the web," they are a feature of the internet that came before browsers. Not many people use the newsgroups because you have to pay a little extra, but you will soon see it has THE BEST STUFF….
Download this file:
http://www.djskyler.com/eBay/POWER-GRAB-2002-v2_6.ZIP
You have to install this program manually. It doesn’t install itself like most programs you are used to. But here are the step by step instructions for getting it running on a Windows OS computer. Open your C: folder and then open "Program Files".
Inside "Program Files" create a folder called PowerGrab, open the zip file you just downloaded and copy those unzipped files into PowerGrab. Now you can close all those folders.
Go to your Start button in the bottom left, right click it and choose "Open All Users. That should open your Start Menu.
At the very top right of Start Menu click on File and choose New > Shortcut. That will open a Create Shortcut box. Click on Browse and that will open a Browse for Folder Box, a file directory for your computer. You want to navigate back to the PowerGrab folder you created, open the folder and choose the actual POWERGRAB.EXE file (this is what we are shortcutting to). When you hit OK the actual location will show back in the create shortcut box.
Hit next and rename the shortcut to "Power Grab" and click finish. You have now manually installed Power Grab onto your computer. You can now activate it by clicking on your start button and "All Programs" and you will see a new Power Grab button in the first list of programs in that menu, with a nice icon and everything.
Okay, now you have to set up Power Grab to work with Newshosting.com.So open up the Power Grab program and click on View > Program Settings. In the Server Tab, you have to fill in the blanks:Server = unlimited.newshosting.com (I assume you purchased Newshostings’s best plan, the unlimited plan)
Port = 119
Max Connections = 4
Server Requires Authentication = Check This Box
Username = (whatever you made up when you purchased the subscription)
Password = (again between you and newshosting)
Download and Group Scan should automatically have 4 checks after you changed Max Connections to 4.
Click on the Test button by Max Connections and if you get four greenlights you are good (may not work the very first time, so give it a 2nd chance in case of initial failure)
Click on OK and you are ready to start using this program.
Before you can download, you have to download the groups list and choose which ones you want to download from. There are 66,000 different groups offered by Newshosting. Another alternative is the Rolls Royce of newsgroup ISPs, Giganews Newsgroup Access. They offer more groups and longer retention for just a few dollars more.
Click on Group > Server Group List, this opens the Server Group List Box, click on "Refresh Group List" and let it complete.
You will soon see the list appear and you can shorten the list with the "Filter Names" field (enter mp3 for example to see only mp3 groups).You choose groups by clicking on their name and clicking the "Add to Power Grab" button. Before it adds it will ask you where to save these files on your computer. Choose your location well as your downloads can fill up hard drives very fast! The statistics on my Power Grab says I’ve downloaded 82 gigs in the last two months.
As you add these groups they will appear in the Group box on the left of Power Grab. Once there, you right click the group name and choose Scan. The group name then drops into the Download Queue as one of the tasks you’ve requested. You start Power Grab’s downloading by clicking on the triangle button at the top (to the right of the speaker on/off button).
After the group is scanned, you can double-click the groups name back in the Group folder and you will see what is currently posted in the newsgroup appear in the Header folder. In there you find what you want, right click that and choose "Get and Decode" ~ the actual file will again appear in the Download Queue and disappear from the list (which means the actual file is now on your hard drive ready to enjoy.
Newsgroups files are different from Kazaa and the web insofar as they have a cyclical life ~ Newshosting.com has their server set up to keep posted files for about three weeks, after which they "die" (are erased to make room for newly posted files). In the header box is a "Life" column, files which have a life of 99% are brand new and should remain available for a few weeks, files with a life of 1% are probably already partially erased and are no longer available.
Here are some of the groups in my Group list:
The MP3 Supergroups:
alt.binaries.sounds.mp3
alt.binaries.sounds.mp3.complete_cd
alt.binaries.sounds.mp3.full_albums
alt.binaries.sounds.mp3.highspeed
MP3 Specialty Groups:
alt.binaries.great
alt.binaries.mp3.audiobooks
alt.binaries.mp3.audiobooks.highspeed
alt.binaries.mp3.comedy
alt.binaries.sounds.78rpm-era
alt.binaries.sounds.audiobooks
alt.binaries.sounds.misc
alt.binaries.sounds.mp3.1950s
alt.binaries.sounds.mp3.1960s
alt.binaries.sounds.mp3.1970s
alt.binaries.sounds.mp3.1980s
alt.binaries.sounds.mp3.1990s
alt.binaries.sounds.mp3.2000s
alt.binaries.sounds.mp3.audiobooks
alt.binaries.sounds.mp3.beatles
alt.binaries.sounds.mp3.christmas
alt.binaries.sounds.mp3.comedy
alt.binaries.sounds.mp3.holland
alt.binaries.sounds.mp3.soundtracks
alt.binaries.sounds.music
alt.binaries.sounds.radio.coasttocoast.am
alt.binaries.sounds.radio.misc
Movie and TV downloading groups:
alt.binaries.dvd
alt.binaries.dvd.image
alt.binaries.dvd.movies
alt.binaries.multimedia
alt.binaries.multimedia.cartoons
alt.binaries.multimedia.cartoons.vintage
alt.binaries.multimedia.comedy
alt.binaries.multimedia.disney
alt.binaries.multimedia.disney.parks
alt.binaries.multimedia.reality-tv
alt.binaries.multimedia.vintage-film
alt.binaries.multimedia.vintage-film.post-1960
alt.binaries.tv.big-brother
Program Downloading Groups (try programs before you buy)
alt.2600.cracks
alt.binaries.cracks
alt.binaries.warez
alt.binaries.warez.ibm-pc
alt.binaries.warez.uk
alt.binaries.warez.uk.mp3
alt.binaries.warez.win95-apps
alt.new.cracks
In conjuntion with the files you download from Usenet, you are going to need some file management and unzipping programs like:
Tag&Rename
QuikPar
WinRar
Master Splitter
Again, you can get these free from the warez and cracks groups.
