Index / Frequently asked questions
Frequently asked questions
The questions that arrive most often, answered in the order they usually get asked.
Asked often enough to write down
Is an account needed to download anything?
No. There is no account system on this site at all. Every page is readable and every transfer path is reachable without anything being created first.
Why do the packages get flagged by protection software?
Heuristic detection. Installers of this type touch the same parts of a system that protection software watches most closely, so they are flagged on behaviour rather than on anything found inside them. Pause protection during installation and turn it back on afterwards.
Are there passwords on the archives?
No. Nothing in this index is password protected. If an archive claiming to come from here asks for a password, it came from somewhere else.
What does pre-activated mean on an entry?
It means the package installs into a working state without a separate step afterwards. The entry says so in the release type field, and where a title instead needs a tool from the utilities category, the entry says that instead.
Which transfer path should be used?
Direct for anything small, torrent for anything very large or on a connection that drops. The backup mirror carries an identical package and exists for when the primary is busy.
How current are the versions?
Every entry shows when it was last refreshed, in relative terms, in the updated field. The whole index goes through a refresh pass regularly and version bumps appear on the recently refreshed list on the homepage.
A transfer path is dead. What now?
Try the other two first, since a single path failing is usually temporary. If all three fail, report it through the contact page with the title name and the path that failed, and it gets rebuilt on the next pass.
Can a specific older version be requested?
Yes, and older versions are the most common request. Name the exact version number on the requests page, since a request that names only the application is much harder to fill correctly.
Is anything here installed silently or bundled with extras?
No. Packages are listed as they are, and where a vendor installer itself offers optional bundled software during setup, the installation notes on that entry say to decline it.
Why are some packages so large?
Because they are complete offline installers rather than small downloaders. A collection carrying an entire application line is genuinely tens of gigabytes, and the size shown on the entry is the real one.
Do 32-bit builds exist for everything?
No. Most current professional software is 64-bit only, and the entry says so in the platforms field. Where both architectures ship in one package, the entry says that too.
How is a takedown notice handled?
Through the takedown page, which sets out what a notice needs to contain. Complete notices are actioned and the entry is removed from the index and the sitemap on the same pass.
If the answer is not here
Questions about a specific title are usually answered in the frequently asked section at the bottom of that title's own page, which covers the things particular to that build rather than to the index as a whole.
Anything else goes through the contact page. Questions that come up repeatedly get added to this list, so a question asked here is worth asking.