I have gone back a few pages and now realise that this has problem has been raised several times before with either no replies or insufficent resolution or explanation .

In the circumstances , in order to save stress and anguish , an official sticky should be posted stating the fact that at present FDM does not work with Premium Hotfile accounts.
or :-
If this problem only applies to certain browsers/systems , then these also should be identified in the sticky.

If FDM can work with certain browsers/ systems these should also be identified and their detailed settings and choices stated.

I have been using FDM for at least 2 years with RS with no problem . With the probable demise of RS I have decided HF is the one to go to. I do not want to change to JDownloader , but it looks like I will have to unless this problem can be quickly addressed .

Hotfile.com server does not support HTTP authorization. That is why it does not work when you trying to download just by entering hotfile URL in FDM.
Currently the only way to authorize on this server is via cookies. But FDM can't know cookies unless you add a new download via browser monitoring. Additionally, this should work for Internet Explorer and Firefox only. Adding hotfile download from e.g. Opera will not help.

_________________
Alex,
FDM development team

So we request our users failing to download from Hotfile to please write to Hotfile support.

_________________
Alex,
FDM development team

How come IDM and Orbit work fine with Hotfile then?

We did not test if Orbit or IDM really works with Hotfile, but if yes - this means they did the special processing for this site.

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Alex,
FDM development team

Hi,

I just wanted to support Morpho's comments. I have enjoyed FDM and been impressed with its easy functionality. Like Morpho I am also moving from RS to Hotfile because of the former's changes, but FDM's inability to support scheduled downloads could force me elsewhere.

Come on FDM, if others can make changes to accommodate, can't you too please?

Hello all, I had exactly the same problem on here with Free Download Manager on Hotfile and I have just fixed it.

I dont know if you have already done this and its just me being stupid - but I would make this your first port of call if you are having the problem where hotfile links simply download 15 - 20 kbs of the file and say they are complete.

Go to hotfile - login to your account and at the top there is a drop down menu for 'My Account' hover your mouse on that then click edit my account. On the edit my account page there is a check box under the title 'Premium options' for direct download.

Check the box and try to download files again, worked for me so hopefully will do the same for others!

For regular Hotfile downloads you should do as follows:

* Wait for the download link, then right click it and select "Download with FDM". If you just click the link in Internet Explorer, you should immediately choose "Open" from the IE dialog window, because FDM's "Add download" window probably will not show automatically.
* In the FDM's "Add download" window click "Advanced" button, go to "Connection" tab, set 1 (one) as "Maximum number" of sections and unmark "Restart if speed is too low...".
* Unfortunately, FDM ignores configuration set in its Site Manager, so you should repeat the same procedure for every download from Hotfile or change default settings in Options | Settings | Downloads | New Download | Advanced.

The procedure described above should work for Firefox and Infernet Explorer (and possibly for Opera with oGet plugin instead of FDM's one) and for other downloads limited to a single connection without resuming possibility.

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Andrzej P. Wozniak
FDM user and forum moderator

I note this is for Regular downloads , I am more interested on a solution or workaround for Premium downloads , if there is one , but thanks for the attention so far.

I have also tried the "check the direct download "box in the Premium Account settings , no effect - still downloads 20kb files. Perhaps there are some settings to be also applied within FDM in conjunction with the change to the Hotfile Account setting ?

I have checked the Hotfile site and can see no mention of a problem with FDM , is it still your view that it is totally Hotfile that is at fault. ?
Meanwhile I am using JDownloader with no problem to use my Premium Hotfile account , but I would much prefer to use FDM with it

What browser do you use?

_________________
Alex,
FDM development team

I use IE 8 , Windows 7 . Virgin Media 10mb Cable. The Hotfile Premium account works ok through the browser , Rapidshare account works ok in FDM , as it always has.

It should work normally after you login to Hotfile in Internet Explorer and then add a download.
Note: this will not work for temporary sessions (i.e. you should enable "Remember me" option, if it exists).

_________________
Alex,
FDM development team

No sorry Alex , does not help.
Things I have tried:

Altered the Cookie Level in IE from Medium to "Accept All Cookies" with various attempts , no difference, 20kb ....finish

Pasted a HF link in the browser when Logged out of HF. Taken to option of Regular or Fast Download......select Fast DL.........asked to Log IN ....log in and file is then downloaded succesfully (at fast speed) via the browser . Then copy another link add to FDM (entering HF log on details to the FDM window).......start DL ....vanishes after dl 20kb.
Have deleted HF log in details and re-entered in various ways, no difference.

What is really annoying is that I`m sure I cannot be the only one , If I am , I wish the succesful ones would publish the complete configurations/ solutions that they have used .
I think its something to do with cookies.....but only it seems when FDM is being used , JDownloader (which did have probs a couple of weeks ago) , seems to be fine (at the moment)

In my search for solutions/alternatives elsewhere ~I see that FDM is highly regarded , which is why i wish to continue using it. Thanks for your efforts so far .

I'm using Orbit 2.8.something right now, for a lack of a better alternative, as I find it least annoying out of all the available download managers out there. JDownloader handles all file hosters with ease which is nice, but the fact that it uses Java disqualifies it. IDM just plain sucks, I wouldn't use it if it was free and I've no idea why this app receives so much praise -- its interface, especially the handling of queues, is simply atrocious. There exist a couple more downloaders that handle hotfile premium well, but they're all worse than the two apps mentioned above.

I, too, wish I could go back to using FDM, as its interface coupled with its performance make it subpar to none. They way I used to use it with RS was I'd take a bunch of links and CTRL+SHIFT+V them in FDM, then choose a predefined group and happily start downloading. Clicking separate links doesn't really work for me.

Thanks for your observations . I had also considered Orbit and IDM , in view of your comments I will now definitely discard IDM and look into Orbit a bit deeper.
I am using RS and HF successfully (at the moment! ) in JDownloader , but following the JD Forum I see that JD and its ability to keep up with hoster changes is in a constant state of flux.

I want something which is tried ,trusted and steady , like FDM. I am still using FDM for RS occasionally , just to keep it "alive" on my system.