[WHS] Home Media Server Part 3: Creating a Torrent Server

[Drumm]

If you're like me, you like to switch between OS's but what happens when you are downloading a huge Torrent file on Windows, and really don't want to interrupt it? This is where you need one server to download your torrents for you.
Credits go to Paul Marshall over at GeekZilla for creating the original guide I am now re-writing.

Start by RDP'ing into your server, and logging in as Admin. This allows you to install software from that new fangeldy internets. So open up your ghetto browser, and point it's address too http://www.utorrent.com/downloads/complete?os=win
Using this link will ensure you only download the latest version of uTorrent.
I will leave you to work out how to install the software yourself, I have more faith in my users than Mark. When installing don't enable "Start uTorrent at system boot" Or something a long those lines. It's trying to confuse you, it actually means when you log in. That isn't what we want.

Once you've finished the install, it's time to open uTorrent. Hit Options -> Preferences, then on the left click WebUI. A similar screen to below should come up.

Where I have circled in red, you should tick. (I missed one, the second check box, but I'm sure you can work it out by yourself)
Where I have highlighted yellow, I recommend you change. This won't necessarily make your uTorrent server more secure, but there is some security through obscurity.

Next, click "Directories" on the left, nearer the top than WebUI. Then set your download location. Again, this is incredibly simple. Just a case of click, click, click.


So far, we have a nice, simple uTorrent WebUI Server. But at the moment it requires you too log in on the server before it will load up. I want to completely bypass this by installing it as a Windows Service, which will make it run before log in. This is where things begin to get.. dirty. I don't take responsibility for your server blowing up, it asking to marry you, or breaking.
[code=bash]
copy "C:\Program Files\Windows Resource Kits\srvany.exe"
cd C:\Program Files\uTorrent\
instsrv uTorrent "C:\Program Files\uTorrent\srvany.exe"
[/code]
You want to run those commands in the command line. Then save the following file as uTorrent.reg and open.

Code:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\uTorrent\Parameters]
"Application"="C:\\Program Files\\utorrent\\utorrent.exe"

You then need to go to Control Panel -> Administrative Tools -> Services.
Scroll down to uTorrent, Right-Click and press properties. The video below pretty much explains itself after that, just to save me a helluva lot of explaining.

Then, simply, reboot :grin You're good to go :thumbs