If you are unable to make the initial connection (yellow flashing light never turns green) to the WinMX Network, please follow these steps in order until the problem is fixed.

Step 1

1. Download and install MXPie Patch. Exit WinMX before running the installer.

Download Here

When the installer is finished, open WinMX and wait a couple minutes to connect. If you are still unable to connect, continue to Step 2.

Step 2

Check for programs that may be interfering with MXPie Patch. If you use any of the programs listed below, follow the instructions to turn off the features that prevent the patch from installing properly.

   a. WinPatrol
     i. Open WinPatrol
     ii. Click the Options Tab
     iii. Uncheck "Lock HOSTS file"

   b. Spybot
     i. Click "Mode", selecting "Advanced Mode".
     ii. Click "Tools" in the left pane.
     iii. Click "IE tweaks" in the right pane.
     iv. Uncheck "Lock Hosts file read-only as protection against hijackers".

   c. ZoneAlarm
     i. Open ZoneAlarm | Firewall | Advanced
     ii. Uncheck Lock Host File
     iii. Click OK

   d. SpySweeper
     i. Open SpySweeper and click Options
     ii. Click Shields
     iii. Click the "Hosts File" tab (In newer versions this is called the "Network" tab)
     iv. Uncheck Hosts File Shield

   f. PC Tools Spyware Doctor
     i. Open PC Tools Spyware Doctor
     ii. Click OnGuard in the left-hand menu
     iii. Click Network Guard in the sub-menu
     iv. Uncheck the Host File Protection option

   e. StopZilla
     i. Right-click the StopZilla icon and select Tools > View ADVANCED OPTIONS > Options
     ii. Uncheck "Protect system 'HOSTS' file"
     iii. Click Apply


Now run the MXPie Automatic Installer again.

Open WinMX and wait a couple minutes to connect. If you are still unable to connect, continue to Step 3.

Step 3

Verify that the necessary entries to connect to WinMX have been added to your hosts file. Pick your Operating System from the list below and follow the instructions.

   a. Windows Vista
     i. Click Start button
     ii. Click All Programs
     iii. Click Accessories,
     iv. Open Notepad
     v. From the File menu select Open
     vi. Open the hosts file on your computer by looking in the following location:
          C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts
     vii. Look for entries containing “winmx.com”. There should be a lot of these entries.
     viii. If you see only one entry containing “winmx.com” or none at all, close the file and continue to Step 4.
     ix. If you see many entries containing “winmx.com”, close the file and go directly to Step 6.

   b. Windows XP
     i. Open My Computer
     ii. Paste the following in the Address bar and then click Go:
          C:\WINDOWS\system32\drivers\etc\hosts
     iii. When asked to choose which program to open the hosts file with, select Notepad from the list and click OK.
     iv. Look for entries containing “winmx.com”. There should be a lot of these entries.
     v. If you see only one entry containing “winmx.com” or none at all, close the file and continue to Step 4..
     vi. If you see many entries containing “winmx.com”, close the file and go directly to Step 6.

   c. Windows 2000
     i. Open My Computer
     ii. Paste the following in the Address bar and then click Go:
          C:\WINNT\system32\drivers\etc\hosts
     iii. When asked to choose which program to open the hosts file with, select Notepad from the list and then click OK.
     iv. Look for entries containing “winmx.com”. There should be a lot of these entries.
     v. If you see only one entry containing “winmx.com” or none at all, close the file and continue to Step 4.
     vi. If you see many entries containing “winmx.com”, close the file and go directly to Step 6.

   d. Windows ME and Windows 98
     i. Open My Computer
     ii. Paste the following in the Address bar and then click Go:
          C:\WINDOWS\hosts
     iii. When asked to choose which program to open the hosts file with, select Notepad from the list and then click OK.
     iv. Look for entries containing “winmx.com”. There should be a lot of these entries.
     v. If you see only one entry containing “winmx.com” or none at all, close the file and continue to Step 4..
     vi. If you see many entries containing “winmx.com”, close the file and go directly to Step 6.

Step 4

Manually add the WinMX entries to your hosts file.

   a. All Windows Versions
     i. Rename hosts to hosts.old
     ii. Download the MXPie Manual Install from: http://www.mxpie.info/downloads.html
     iiii. Unzip the MXPie Manual Install file.
     iv. Copy the hosts from from the MXPie Manual Install package to the directory where hosts.old is.
     v. If you have Windows 2000, XP, or Vista, continue to Step 5
     vi. If you have Windows ME or 98, open WinMX again and wait a couple minutes to connect and if you are still unable to connect, skip to Step 6.

Step 5

Flush the DNS cache so the new entries will take effect. Follow the instructions for your Operating System.

   a. Windows Vista or Windows XP
     i. Click Start
     ii. Click Run
     iii. Type cmd and click OK
     iv. In the command window type the following and then hit enter:
          ipconfig /flushdns
     vi. You will see the following confirmation: Windows IP Configuration Successfully flushed the DNS Resolver Cache.
     vii. Open WinMX again and wait a couple minutes to connect. If you are still unable to connect, continue to Step 6.

   b. Windows 2000
     i. Click Start
     ii. Click Run
     iii. Type cmd and click OK
     iv. In the new window type the following and then hit enter:
          ipconfig /dnsflush
     v. You will see the following confirmation: Windows IP Configuration Successfully flushed the DNS Resolver Cache.
     vi. Open WinMX again and wait a couple minutes to connect. If you are still unable to connect, continue to Step 6.

Step 6

Check your firewall to ensure WinMX is not being blocked.

   a. Windows Firewall (applies to Windows XP SP2 and Windows Vista)
     i. Click Start
     ii. Select Settings
     iii. Click Control Panel
     iv. Double-click Windows Firewall [Note: If you are using the Category view, click on Security Center to find Windows Firewall]
     v. Make sure "Don't allow exceptions" is NOT ticked.
     vi. Click the tab that says "Exceptions"
     vii. Click “Add Program”
     viii. Select WinMX
     ix. Click OK

   b. Norton Internet Security 2004
     i. Double-click on the Norton Internet Security icon in your system tray, located in the lower-right hand corner of the screen.
     ii. Select Personal Firewall.
     iii. Select the Programs tab.
     iv. Under Manual Program Control, select and highlight WinMX and click Modify.
     v. Under “What do you want to do”, select Permit.
     vi. Click OK and then click OK again.
     vii. Click the X in the upper-right hand corner of the window to close Norton Internet Security.

   c. Norton Internet Security 2005
     i. Double-click the Norton Internet Security icon in your systems tray
     ii. Click Personal Firewall
     iii. Click Configure
     iv. Select the Programs tab
     v. Locate WinMX from the programs list
Note: If WinMX is not on the list skip ahead to step ix
     vi. Click the Internet Access setting
     vii. Select Permit All
     viii. Click OK
     ix. Click Add
     x. Select the WinMX folder
Note: Default location is C:\\Program Files\WinMX\
     xi. Select winmx.exe
     xii. Click Open
     xiii. From the dropdown list, select Permit
     xiv. Click OK
     xv. Click the Internet Access setting
     xvi. Select Permit All
     xvii. Click OK

   d. Sygate Firewall
     i. Double-click on the Sygate Firewall icon in the task tray to open the settings.
     ii. Click the Applications tab
     iii. Look for WinMX Application in the list of programs.
     iv. Click the box to the left of WinMX Application until a check mark appears
     v. Click OK
     vi. Click the X in the upper-right hand corner of the window to close Sygate Personal Firewall.

   e. McAfee Security Firewall
     i. Open the McAfee Security Firewall program
     ii. Control Internet Programs
     iii. Click Add
     iv. Locate 'WinMX', from the directory
Note: Normal path for WinMX is: C:\Program Files\WinMX\winmx.exe
     v. Click Open
     vi. Click the circle next to Allow this program to have full, unfiltered access to the Internet
     vii. Click Apply
     viii. Click the red X at the top right to close the program

   f. McAfee Personal Firewall Plus
     i. Start the McAfee Personal Firewall Plus Program
     ii. Click New Allowed Application
     iii. The Select Application to Allow box will appear
     iv. From the dropdown menu select the WinMX folder
Note: Default location is C:\program files\WinMX\WinMX.exe
     v. Select WinMX
     vi. Click Open
     vii. Locate the file from the Internet Applications list
     viii. Click on the Permissions
     ix. Select Allow Full Access
     x. Click the red X at the top right to close the window

   g. Zone Alarm
     i. Start the ZoneAlarm Firewall program.
     ii. Click Program Control from the left side, yellow menu.
     iii. Click the Programs tab under the Help button.
     iv. Within the Programs window you will notice that there are two columns; One for Access and one for Server. In addition, there are two separate settings for each; One for Trusted and one for Internet. Furthermore, there will need to be one of three options selected for each setting; Allow (shown as a green check mark), Block (shown as a red X), and Ask (shown as a blue ?).
     v. Locate WinMX and single click in the setting under Trusted and select Allow.
     vi. Repeat the above step under the Internet setting.(There should now be two green check marks under the Access setting.
     vii. Click the X in the upper-right hand corner of the window to close ZoneAlarm.
     viii. The next time you run the program, you will have to click Allow to let WinMX access the Internet.

   h. Other Firewall Programs
     i. Go to your firewall's settings option.
     ii. Look for a list of applications that are allowed or prevented access to the Internet.
     iii. Look for WinMX. If it is blocked or prevented access to the Internet, select it and change its setting to be allowed access.
     iv. Save your changes and restart your firewall program.


Open WinMX again and wait a couple minutes to connect. If you are still unable to connect, continue to Step 7.

Step 7

Check your PeerGuardian settings. If you use PeerGuardian with the recommended lists, ensure the WinMX-Allow list (http://files.sabmx.net/pg2/allow.txt) is set to Allow, not to Block.

   a. PeerGuardian 2
     i. Double Click the PeerGuardian2 icon in the task tray
     ii. Click List Manager
     iii. Select the WinMX-Allow list
     iv. Click Edit
     v. Set Type to Allow


Open WinMX again and wait a couple minutes to connect.


Note: If you have not already installed PeerGuardian2 with WinMX Block and Allow list, it is recommened you do so. PG2 Download Links and Tutorial

Step 8

Make sure you are not trying to connect via a proxy unless you specifically need to use one.

   a. WinMX
     i. Click on the Settings button in WinMX.
     ii. Click the + next to "Internet Connection" to expand the menu if it isn't already.
     iii. Click "Outgoing TCP Connections".
     iv. If it is set to use a SOCKS Proxy make a note of the information in case you need it at some point in the future.
     v. Select "Don't use a proxy server (connect directly).
     vi. Click the Close button to close the Settings Menu.
     vii. Close WinMX completly. Make sure it is not still running in the task tray.
     viii. Restart WinMX.


If you have followed all the instructions and still cannot connect to WinMX, please make a Help Request.