download manager for XP SP2

[chermany4ever]

Hello guys. Decided to ask you 'cause can't seem to find one. Is there a download manager that still works with XP SP2 and most downloads links?

 

I know SP3 offers greater compatibility but last time that tried SP3 it completely broke my system.

 

My pick was FDM but all legacy versions give me an installation error and the same with portables. Assume they're for SP3 only. No browser extensions, please. I'm one of those who uses a separate download manager. Any suggestions?  

[we3fan]

Hi @chermany4ever, try this for SP2:

http://web.archive.org/web/20150624071056/http://f0.freedownloadmanager.org/fdminst_3.9.4.exe

Edited March 2 by we3fan

[NotHereToPlayGames]

Thanks.  You beat me to the punch.  Was in-process of installing SP2 to verify.  I've used FDM on XP x64, but didn't have a frame of reference for XP x86 SP2.

[chermany4ever]

Hi guys. Thank you for joining the conversation. 

 

5 hours ago, we3fan said:

try this for SP2

 

This version is exactly the one recommended for XP at the official FDM site and as I said, tried to install it several times, even use the portable and couldn't neither install it nor run it. Downloaded this executable from this link and was able to install it without problems but the downloads do not start. No firewall blocking. Tried downloading several links from different sites and couldn't get anything to download. My intuition tells me it is this SP3 issue that mentioned before. 

[jumper]

What non-https links are you testing with? Any ftp?

 

[chermany4ever]

1 hour ago, jumper said:

What non-https links are you testing with? Any ftp?

Hello again jumper. 

 

Don't think I ever use ftp. I use the most common links around the web to download files. Checked all the FDM networking settings and everything looks normal. I know the program very well, used it for a long time. If it's not a compatibility problem due to not upgrading to SP3 I must be needing a security patch that applies to this 3.9.4 v. Was testing this same version on Win 11 and still works like a charm.  

 

Now I've been trying several versions of EagleGet and it seems the last one that worked on XP is 2.0.4.11. The good thing is I was able to download several files at very good speed. The bad thing is it does not detect video and media links in general and the Chrome extension no longer works. Have to use the clipboard monitor and copy the links by hand.  

Edited March 2 by chermany4ever

[NotHereToPlayGames]

It's something on your setup.

That version of FDM is working just fine for me in XP x86 SP2 (original SP2, *NO* updates installed, Windows Updates DISABLED).

Edited March 2 by NotHereToPlayGames

[chermany4ever]

6 minutes ago, NotHereToPlayGames said:

your setup

 

Thanks for the feedback NHTPG. This is Win UE 6. They took a lot of things away from the original XP SP2. It must be that. Happens every now and then. I'm going to try other managers.  

[NotHereToPlayGames]

22 hours ago, chermany4ever said:

Hello guys. Decided to ask you 'cause can't seem to find one. Is there a download manager that still works with XP SP2 and most downloads links?

 

I know SP3 offers greater compatibility but last time that tried SP3 it completely broke my system.

 

My pick was FDM but all legacy versions give me an installation error and the same with portables. Assume they're for SP3 only. No browser extensions, please. I'm one of those who uses a separate download manager. Any suggestions?  

 

2 minutes ago, chermany4ever said:

 

Thanks for the feedback NHTPG. This is Win UE 6. They took a lot of things away from the original XP SP2. It must be that. Happens every now and then. I'm going to try other managers.  

 

Well...  You didn't ask about Win UE 6 (never heard of it).  Or even SP3.  You asked about SP2. 

I did a sh-tLo-d of testing when SP3 came out.  While it was "minor", I found it to be superiour in every way to SP2.

Some of us, whether we admit it or not, cling to our own ideologies whether technically true or not.
Are you sure that SP3 broke your system?
Because from what you just kind of revealed, Win UE 6 kind of broke your system, did it not?

 

That aside...  I'm now off to hunt down "Win UE 6" for the curiosity of it...

[NotHereToPlayGames]

2 minutes ago, NotHereToPlayGames said:

I'm now off to hunt down "Win UE 6" for the curiosity of it...

If I'm hunting for the right thing, I'm only finding it in Spanish 

[chermany4ever]

2 minutes ago, NotHereToPlayGames said:

You didn't ask about Win UE 6

 

Exactly, my bad. XP SP2 Unattended Edition 6. The first "stripped down" XP SP2 versions that were very small and ran very well. Didn't clarify this 'cause these kinds of hiccups are rare thou they do actually happen.

 

7 minutes ago, NotHereToPlayGames said:

did a sh-tLo-d of testing when SP3 came out.  While it was "minor", I found it to be superiour in every way to SP2

I don't doubt it. I'm one of those who customizes the system to the extreme and when a massive update like SP3 comes along it simply breaks everything. It's no good for me. Using Windows 7 I realized that what Microsoft calls "security" is actually a way to block doors that I need open to continue customizing. I know it's good to have a robust system but if you restrict me too much to achieve that... I'll stop liking it.  

 

I acknowledge the progress thou. Just a few days ago discovered that there are patches that allow XP to see up to 128gb of RAM. No more of that 3.7gb limit. And more programs that are still compatible with XP and work perfectly fine. But only for SP3. It's just that in my case not all programs I use to customize my desktop work. Ain't that a shame? 

 

https://retrosystemsrevival.blogspot.com/2019/12/fix128-128gb-ram-patch.html

 

11 minutes ago, NotHereToPlayGames said:

I'm now off to hunt down "Win UE 6" for the curiosity of it

 

I love it. Think it takes up 200mb freshly installed. Amazing. Still my favorite thou I sometimes complain about it... like now.  

[NotHereToPlayGames]

Just now, chermany4ever said:

I'm one of those who customizes the system to the extreme

Same here!  Win10 works great on 20yr old laptops with only 2 GB RAM.  And I am not referring to those "x-lite" variations!

DIY is the only way!

[chermany4ever]

20 minutes ago, NotHereToPlayGames said:

only finding it in Spanish

 

If I remember correctly the person who made UE 6 is a Latinamerican guy and that must be why it only exists in Spanish. I hope not. I think there were English versions. Or there must be a way to install and translate it. Win UE 6 was one of many. I know there were many trimmed versions of XP even more famous than UE 6.

[NotHereToPlayGames]

6 minutes ago, chermany4ever said:

allow XP to see up to 128gb of RAM

I've tried several.  All worthless and resulted in crashes.  But it's been a couple years since I last tried any of them.

And I have no need for them nowadays.  10 is way better than XP.  Once tweaked, of course.

[chermany4ever]

4 minutes ago, NotHereToPlayGames said:

10 is way better than XP.  Once tweaked, of course.

 

I'm getting along really well with Windows X-Lite Micro 11. Works great. Tweaked it quite a bit and managed to achieve stability. It's making me think about abandoning XP. Believe it or not, I still can't do with it what I can do with XP.

 

Win11 isn't as malleable. None of the subsequent versions were. They're more robust, sure. But that peak development era combined with XP's malleability is still holding up for me.