Resume download of PART extension file in Firefox

In some cases, when a large file had been downloaded through Mozilla Firefox, downloading of file gets interrupted for some reason. The Firefox would tag the download as “failed” and you are left with nothing but a .PART file. You right click it, it would ask you to ‘retry’ which would restart the download from the beginning. In my case i had been downloading a 100MB zip file and it failed once 97MB of it was downloaded.

Fortunately, we have a workaround for resuming the failed download. After the download failed, there should be two files in the download/destination folder. One with original name of the file and another with an extra “.PART” extension. If you have just .PART file there and not the original file, just copy the .PART file and rename it to the same name of original file – by removing .PART extension of it. Now you should have two files there in any case, one with the original name and one with an extra “.PART” extension. Let’s move on.

1 – Move both files to a new location (only cut / paste and no copy – if you copied, just delete source files).

2- Start download again from the beginning.

3- Let it download a few bytes, just to have those two files created again, with the exact same name. Now PAUSE this download.

4- Go to the folder where files were backed up. Copy both of these files to download folder and replace the new created files when asked.

5- Now go to Firefox’s Downloads window and resume the download.

It worked for me and it should work for any as well (Thanks to orion188 for posting at http://forums.mozillazine.org/viewtopic.php?p=3069821&highlight=).

35 thoughts on “Resume download of PART extension file in Firefox

  1. Hi,

    I’ve downloaded 10 mb out of 300 mb file. Internet connection disrupted. Hence, I’m tried to resume but I’m unable to find part file and original file in the location specified by me.

    What to do?

  2. Worked really well! I was remote in a starbucks and worried I wouldn’t get my whole download! thanks again…

  3. absolutely fantastic….was downloading a 683 megabyte driver file for my hp laptop and when it was 99% complete, it failed. i tried what you did and the results were positive! thank you

  4. Hi,
    I have only part file and I made a copy of it by removing .part.
    later I moved it to another folder but this is not working for me.
    Please tell me where I am doing wrong. I am retrying from download window for file which was failed.

    Please help me.

    1. As i did not had access to website i tried to reply you last night through email address you posted but the email returned as ‘Mail Delivery Failure..’:

      I hope you have got your download issue resolved till now. I tried to send you the following message.

      “If u have just one .part file create another file by copying it and removing .part extension. Now u should have two files. One by original file name and one with .part extension. Move both out of ‘download’ folder. Start download again. After a few bytes have been downloaded pause the download. Now copy both backed up files to download folder to replace new files been created by download. Resume the download. It should work.”

  5. Just posting a comment here to say Thank you so much ..your info saved lot of my work, time along with getting peace of mind back after screwing it up with broken download which was at 98% of 2 GB download !

  6. It worked and saved my time.
    Previously I faced this problem but the solution was unknown to me.
    This time I searched to fix this problem and got the solution walking on your shown way.

  7. @harsha yeah… i got that problem too… but it cant be helped
    the unpause download is a strict rule where you must finished your download at that time (frustating isn’t it ?)

  8. “I faced a problem as i could not pause the download in the first place.”

    did any of others faced a similar problem.

  9. You just saved my 8.5GB download after it cacked out with 1GB to go. You sir, are a saviour, even a year on from posting this!!

  10. if we could have been able to pause and continue the old download y would any body want to try ure method..

  11. Thank you so much, my file was only 484 mb and stopped at 370 mb. Not as big as the other commenter’s files but I have a terrible isp lol.

  12. thanks so much mann!!!!

    had 700mg of a 1gb download, and it failed and this fixed it :D

    thanks so much :D

  13. thanks booss

    i downloaded 2 gb file in firefox an its failed in 1.48 gb
    and i readed your post it was awasom….

    thanks thanks thanksss.

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