Frostwire wont install

scout_vet · #1 (**permalink**) August 13th, 2022

I recently had to reinstall windows on my laptop. I kept my files but had to reinstall all my programs. I have attempted to install frostwire and it will not let me. First it won't let me because it may be unwanted or contain viruses. I then try to run as admin and it says I dont have permission. I tried removing all past files from frostwire and reinstalling java. Nothing helped.

Lord of the Rings · #2 (**permalink**) August 13th, 2022

Being an older application, FrostWire 4 is not signed (or properly) by the developer (or expired.) Thus you need to make an exception to run the program, possibly both the installer and then the FrostWire application itself.

In the Windows warning message, there will be a difficult to see option that allows you to run the application anyway as an exception (I think it's bottom of the popup window.) I noticed this on Windows 10 recently.

There is a chance you also have security software that is preventing the app from opening. Frostwire would need to be put on the exception list should that be the case.

Lord of the Rings · #3 (**permalink**) August 13th, 2022

I have identified two issues (problems.)

1. First is dealing with the installation. The Unknown Publisher is something you need to deal with for older applications.

Frostwire wont install-install-unknown-publisher.png

Then of course, allowing the app Windows Defender permissions:

Frostwire wont install-frostwire-windefender.png

FrostWire's lack of an option to disable Update notifications always annoyed me; such a dangerous choice by the last developer of the project.

2. After installation, I found FrostWire was crashing immediately after startup. It turns out this is due to the earlier Java versions having a limit on their version number (thus the way FrostWire was designed.) Java now often uses more numbers to represent sub-versions of Java (java update version is greater than 256.) WireShare fixed this issue by replacing the icu utility but unfortunately for FrostWire, the only answer I can think of is to use an older java version. I'm using Java 8 which is showing the issue.

Code:

Caused by: java.lang.IllegalArgumentException: Invalid version number: Version number may be negative or greater than 255 at com.ibm.icu.util.VersionInfo.getInstance(Unknown Source)

But only if this crashing at startup is applicable to you.

Where to get other versions of Java:
You should probably uninstall any present version of java. I recall in the past it was possible to have more than one version that might or might not cause issues.
(note: the larger JDK are developer versions, the smaller JRE versions are what most Windows users would use)

Java Archives (need to register and login): https://www.oracle.com/java/technolo...loads/archive/

Java 6 for MacOS and Windows (32 and 64-bit): https://www.mediafire.com/folder/9qm3b7mi5do31/LWJav (3rd-party hosting site)
(Too many linux variations to include.)

Lord of the Rings · #4 (**permalink**) August 14th, 2022

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lord of the Rings

... 2. ... WireShare fixed this issue by replacing the icu utility ...

After discussing the issue with bigjx we might be able to provide the equivalent fix depending upon how FrostWire has icu incorporated. But it might take a little time. I shall investigate.

Other option: as suggested earlier, changing java to a different version (as long as the sub-version is of correct length) will fix the issue.
That might mean going backward a version or more and turning Java updates off in java settings.

Edit:

Quote:

Originally Posted by scout_vet

... I then try to run as admin and it says I dont have permission.

Your computer user account you are logged into might not be designated as an Administrator.

Quote:

Originally Posted by scout_vet

... I then try ... reinstalling java. Nothing helped.

Which version of java are you using? Do you know how to check the java version?

Is there anything you do not understand from my post replies?

Lord of the Rings · #5 (**permalink**) August 14th, 2022

I've tested an icu package replacement on Windows 10 and FrostWire now opens without errors or crashing.
Now it's a simple matter of a public installer.

Pity no prior FrostWire 4 users notified us of this problem over the past few years.

Lord of the Rings · #6 (**permalink**) August 17th, 2022

No reply from the OP. I guess they gave up.

I found a complication with the installer I created. It works fine with FW 4.21.8 on Win 10 each time. But fails with FW 4.20.9 (due to a program support files hash check at startup) on Win XP. I'll be away for a few weeks, so after I return I'll investigate further to see if this issue affects the FW 4.21 sub-versions and other earlier FW versions and on different Windows releases. If so, looking at possible alternative methods of solving the issue for the other FW 4 releases.

FrostWIre 4.20.9 startup error:

Code:

com.limegroup.gnutella.gui.GUILoader$StartupFailedException: file [icu4j.jar] has hash of [797A3C51B62EB424D3EA70901ECAD9E4] instead of expected [C2ABF69CF358294B54323F0BA8539D91]
	at com.limegroup.gnutella.gui.GUILoader.verifyHashes(Unknown Source)
	at com.limegroup.gnutella.gui.GUILoader.sanityCheck(Unknown Source)
	at com.limegroup.gnutella.gui.GUILoader.load(Unknown Source)
	at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke0(Native Method)
	at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(Unknown Source)
	at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(Unknown Source)
	at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Unknown Source)
	at com.limegroup.gnutella.gui.Main.main(Unknown Source)

STARTUP ERROR!

If and only if you have the same problem and only if you are using FrostWire 4.21.*, you can try the FrostWire 4.21 patch bug-fix installer beta here.
Please do not try using it with any other FrostWire 4 version at this point in time. (You might not be able to open the program after using the above fix.) If you have any problems using such as with system permissions, please report them here if you are willing to.

Edit (2022-09-12): I have widened the compatibility recommendation to all FrostWire 4.21 sub-versions. Apologies for the installer's online translations for non-English.

I've tried FrostWire 4.21.4 and 4.21.7 and File_Girl's FrostWire 4.21.3 and all run fine with the patch.

FrostWire 4.18.6 failed for same reason as 4.20.
At this point I am not sure how to deal with the gui Hash checker for FrostWire 4.20 and 4.18.
My only thought would be a somewhat complex jar patcher to remove the hash verification by replacing certain content(s) within the jar. Probably beyond my abiities. Though I have viewed the contents, would need to check the source code to attempt to ascertain what needs to be changed.
Any volunteers?

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