qBittorrent seed files I've already downloaded

Question

I'm currently downloading a lot of files over bit torrent because I would like to just help out and reseed (Debian, Ubuntu, Xubuntu isos). I'm downloading them now because I have good download bandwidth and free time, but I've got an external drive coming in a few weeks. I'd like to move all those files from my array to the external and then keep seeding (possibly using a different computer). Is it possible to move the files (I'm saving the .torrent files too) and keep seeding without having to re-download the whole file?

BTW, I'm using qBittorrent.

Solution

Yes. If you open/load the .torrent file in qBittorrent (or any client, for that matter), and set the save path to the directory containing the file you already downloaded, then qBittorrent will see that a file of the same name exists and that all pieces of the file have already been downloaded. It will then proceed to seed the file.

This feature is also beneficial if you have a partially-downloaded file and want to download the remainder of the file through bittorrent, but don't want to start from the beginning.

Comments

[user315118]

Ok. Can I use this with the auto download feature? ie. make all the configurations, put the torrents in the "to be downloaded" folder and the files in the "where to download" folder, and then just start the client?

[user315118]

...oops, now comments are out of order.

[user315118]

Great! I have to wait a few minutes longer to accept your question, but thank you.

[user315118]

To anyone reading this in the future. I broke my installation and after reinstalling used this exact method successfully.

[JinSnow]

If you have chosen the option to save completed and non completed in separated folder (or drive) you can't just share your own torrent file by clicking on it and set its location file to the completed one. if you did use the option "keep incomplete torrent in:" it should work but it doesn't, there is a known bug.

[Markus Zeller]

What about files without a torrent file used a magnet link? How can I seed them, again? Will the client take care for that using the Download directory?