IE6 FTP bug: can't handle files > 4GB

  • Thread starter Thread starter Guest
  • Start date Start date
G

Guest

I have a set of DVD ISO images, most of which are over 4GB, which I've hosted
both on Linux and Windows servers. In each case, I've gotten calls from
Windows users (using Windows 2000 and XP) trying to download the file --
Internet Explorer consistently truncates ftp transfers at 3.99 GB. The same
file transfers just fine using SMB-style file sharing. For now, I've been
advising my customers to either download and burn the image using Linux or to
use the DOS-based command line ftp client.

Does anyone have better advice? Is Microsoft planning to fix this bug
anytime soon?

I have duplicated the behavior myself and have a screen shot I can send
which proves the existance of this bug.
 
Though I see several threads on this, I don't see anywhere that the problem
was actually solved. Nothing there explains why an ftp listing in Internet
Explorer reports all files >4GB as being 3.99GB and downloads 3.99GB of data
whereas the same file listing using ftp.exe from the DOS command line shows
the correct file size. What's more, if I browse to the same directory using
\\server\path\filename notation I can copy the file just fine (but since the
protocol is slower, it takes longer). As noted by other posters in the
discussion group, recent versions of WSFTP seems to be able to transfer the
files just fine.

....but I have hundreds of people downloading my >4GB ISO files to their
machines using Windows. I'll continue to recommend they use alternatives,
but it would be nice to have Internet Explorer fixed.
 
Back
Top