Users of private torrent tracker Torrents.Ru were in for a surprise today. When they tried to access the site using its regular URL www.torrents.ru, they got redirected to a different domain. This was not a simple mistake or a prank played by Torrents.Ru’s admins – the Russian based tracker is apparently having a dispute with authorities about it’s old domain name. It appears that the domain torrents.ru has temporarily been suspended until the matter is resolved. However, the site’s members need not worry – Torrents.Ru is up and running on an alternative location http://rutracker.org. Earlier, TRU’s old URL used to automatically redirect users to the new location. However, this seems to have stopped now, causing panic among quite a few user’s who are unaware of the new domain.

Torrents.Ru

As we once discussed on this blog, Torrents.Ru is probably the world's largest private BitTorrent tracker. It has more than two million registered users and when the site goes down, some of these users begin to worry :p Thankfully, TRU administrators have been kind enough to post an update on the current situation on site’s new homepage. A translated version of the announcement (which was originally in Russian) is given below:

Dear users!
Today (February 18, 2010) by "Ru-Center" (Moscow, Leningrad Prospect, д.74, korp.4 Tel 7 (495) 994-46-01 7 (495) 737-06-01, www.nic . ru) without warning, and any notice has been suspended domain delegation TORRENTS.RU. According to information from the "Ru-Center" Delegating domain TORRENTS.RU suspended by order of the Investigative Division of Chertanovskaya Moscow regional prosecutor's office from 16.02.2010g "
In "En-Center sent the corresponding request, however, it is likely that the clarification would take some time, during which torrents.ru address will not be available.

In this regard, we had to urgently change the domain name to rutracker.org. Technically, this means that in order to continue the exchange of information you need to change the address in the tracker have downloaded a torrent file with bt.torrents.ru on bt.rutracker.org, (instead of bt can be bt2, bt3 and bt4) or download the torrent files again (they already have a new address tracker). All the other links on the forum will be changed automatically, but you may need to re-enter login and password when you log on the forum to the browser to remember the new address.

Good news about the move is that there hasn't been any data loss apart from the domain change - all user accounts, torrents, stats, forums posts, etc are in tact. The site is now up and running on RuTracker.org and guess what, even registrations are open.

Site URL: Torrents.Ru (http://rutracker.org/forum/index.php)

Signup URL: http://rutracker.org/forum/profile.php?mode=register

IRC Channel: irc.p2p-network.net/torrents.ru

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8 Comments

  1. steinbolt // 2/19/2010 04:23:00 PM  

    This is very very sad indeed.
    While those living in Western Europe, the US and Australia have a real chance to buy everything available on trackers as a licensed product it is very different for the Russian folk. The selection in our shops is limited to say the least and internet trade is still in its early stages of development. Many people will be devoid of access to many products (and I'm not talking about mainstream commercial stuff) if torrents.ru disappears :-(

  2. Peter // 2/19/2010 05:44:00 PM  

    Unfortunately rutracker.org is down. Either the extensive traffic at the site made it jammed or it was simply closed by the authorities as well. Let us wait a day or two.

  3. Unknown // 2/19/2010 06:21:00 PM  

    Don't panic, it's up again:)

  4. Peter // 2/19/2010 07:15:00 PM  

    I do not panic. It was just an observation. Nevertheless, it is up again. Many thanks to the people who run it.

  5. Unknown // 2/19/2010 07:19:00 PM  

    I asked for help signing up on the IRC Channel.
    They said that the tracker was open between 8 and 10 am (Moscow time) and they insulted me dirty U.S. and more ...

  6. Unknown // 2/19/2010 09:19:00 PM  

    it was a surprise,and an unpleasant one at that,for me to see the usual url not working.
    after all this tracker has been just wonderful.films that can not be found anywhere else and so much more at great quality is available.
    although the new url is working fine now,after a little downtime,i just hope this tracker is not shut down.it'll be a big loss.steinbolt is right on it.i live in a third world,developing country.and for middle class people like me,peer to peer file sharing is the only way to access wonderful art whether it be films,music or useful software.and this tracker has been a treasure.
    well louis,the registering process was smooth for me,after i came to know of the time interval it was open in.
    it's unfortunate you had to face problems.
    maybe the russian fellows there had some old,cold feelings to share with you.
    i'm sure you do not need any help for the registering process.just decipher the time according to your time zone and go ahead.
    you can use this translation facility for translating from russian to english:
    http://translation2.paralink.com/

    my best wishes for this tracker's future.
    спасибо torrents.ru/rutracker.org!

  7. Unknown // 2/21/2010 08:30:00 PM  
    This comment has been removed by the author.
  8. Unknown // 2/21/2010 08:37:00 PM  

    To louis:
    As of 02/19/2010 the sign-up is free and without time-limitation.
    You are welcome at http://rutracker.org/forum/profile.php?mode=register (page with Rules)

    At the foot of this page you have to click on «Я согласен с этими условиями /I agree to the Terms and Conditions», then you will come to your account sign-up form (the same link): http://rutracker.org/forum/profile.php?mode=register)

    Here you have to fill in a form to create you account (the usual sign-up procedure; below is the short translation of the account sign-up form for you):

    Имя:/ Username *
    Адрес email / Email: * (На этот адрес вам будет отправлено письмо для завершения регистрации / Please enter a valid email address as you will need to confirm it)
    Пароль / Password: *
    Подтвердите пароль / Confirm Password: *
    Код подтверждения / Validation Code (you have to enter the signs you see to avoid robot registrations):
    Откуда / Country -> Select a country:
    Часовой пояс / Time zone (select):

    Further you will see «Для продолжения регистрации Вы должны принять наше ПОЛЬЗОВАТЕЛЬСКОЕ СОГЛАШЕНИЕ / In order to proceed with registration you must accept the User Agreement».

    (You can translate this User Agreement with any online translation facility, e.g. as indicated by kankar above, to better understand what you sign)

    Now select the field to the left of «Я прочел ПОЛЬЗОВАТЕЛЬСКОЕ СОГЛАШЕНИЕ и обязуюсь его не нарушать / I read the User Agreement and shall not infringe it»

    Then click on field «Отправить. Я согласен с условиями / Submit. I agree to the Terms and Conditions» and finish your sign up procedure.

    On the next page you will see a message regarding the e-mail confirmation and have to click on activation link to activate you account with rutracker.org.
    Now you must be able to log in and search for downloads in different sections. Recommended Client is µTorrent, but you may use an alternative at you option.

    Be aware - rutracker.org is a rating based tracker with conservative rules regarding the preparation and execution of releases and strictly moderation of the downloads. In exchange the users receive the properly checked releases.
    Also you can read the users comments to the relevant download.

    You may free download the first 5 Gb, then you have watch your rating. You may not download new torrent-file if you rating ≤ 0,3.

    BUT: there is freelech till the end of this Month, so you can sign up and build up you rating so far.