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RapidShare: 404 Not Found for Free Users

rapidshareEarlier today we reported how RapidShare is throttling accounts of free users to drive away pirates.

Now, just a few hours later, the popular file-hosting service is entirely unavailable for users without a premium account.

All download links go to a ” 404 Not Found” page instead (example).

For paying users the service works normally.

At this point it’s unclear whether the message is intentional or a technical glitch.

TorrentFreak contacted RapidShare and we will update this post when a response comes in.

Update: Rapidshare explains that the 404s were not intentional. “This error is due to a website update and therefore not intentional. RapidShare is working on a solution so that these “false” links should work again soon,” a spokesperson said.

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  • Yoshiuro

    Am I to much of a conspiracy theorist to guess that the whole Megaupload debacle was secretly manipulated by Rapidshare in order to eliminate competition and then force every user into paying for their “premium service”?

    • http://profile.yahoo.com/SGXRDOR2HGBYJQ6A5FE7RZLZXE Someone's Granny

      dur hur, may be.
      Or, you need some fresh air and a few friends.

    • Peen_in_your_mom

      I guess you are. There are lots of other cyberlockers out there. MU made deals with artists released their own backed music then get shut down. RIAA at it’s finest no conspiracy

    • http://profiles.google.com/zerianis10 Christopher Kidwell

      Not a conspiracy theory in the slightest. My one cousin, who is in no way/shape/form that brought that up and outlined his reasoning…. the bottom line? VERY POSSIBLE!

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  • Josh

    I hope RS will become popular again and allow pirated stuff to be upladed. After Filesonic is closed i dont know which file host premium should i buy now.

    • blackbeard

      u don’t buy any. that’s what it means to sail the seven seas. yargh!

  • Fredrik Andersson

    Rapidshare is cockmunchers

  • Fredrik Andersson

    They might aswell chicken out like the rest…never liked rapidshare anyway

    • w00t

      true that. it really always was the shittier of all the file hosters. waiting times, slow shit downloads, and if u mess up and the file stops downloading ur ip gets banned for the rest of the day. i always avoided rapidshare as much as i possibly could

  • Anon

    Remove the rs257tl3 from your example link and it works fine.

    • Anonymous

      You’re right….. Let’s see what RS has to say.

      Might be another attempt to kill incoming traffic from link sites

      • TelezarZ

        I dont know a lot of link-websites that still using RS…

    • Anonymous

      indeed it does

  • why

    Works for me (Non-premium)

  • Oli

    I was going to say.. if this is an attempt to get more people to get premium accounts, where are all these people going to come from if all they get is a 404 when they visit the site?

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  • John Space

    I tried some recent links and they all seem to be online.

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  • Jeremy Rosenblad

    it weird that they cant decide on a policy. ironically there’s no throttle now, =)
    Thanks for the help.

  • Anonymous

    RapidShare now started screwing free customers? don’t think ToS or something allows this.

  • Delberty

    The example link works perfect and can download the 200mb file, What you on about 404 error?

  • http://profile.yahoo.com/SGXRDOR2HGBYJQ6A5FE7RZLZXE Someone's Granny

    Dur hur, no more free shit?
    *cries hoarsely*

  • Ifaigios2

    Both links work here from Greece.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=683894463 Anonymous

    Wow, these guys are assholes.

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  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Don-Dilly/1624894683 Don Dilly

    Nice way to force the MAFIAA into coughing up cash to verify file removal LOL

  • http://profile.yahoo.com/LPUXQ4L3G4PCLXTFI3OUOBXNRM dandor

    Goodbye to Crapidshare forever!!

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  • http://www.twitter.com/echoman74 echoman

    Rapidshare should have died years ago. It’s obvious they side with the industry.

  • Anonymous

    Who uses Rapidshare anyway??

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  • Mwhahaha

    Seems to work from UK.

    I’ve never really seen why these places are so popular. Each to his own I guess.

  • Mmm

    Rapidshit!

  • Fastload

    2 speed service…as always…only the rich will be able to get content now…capitalism at is best…

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  • Jack

    I find it hard to believe that there are enough non-pirates using (and/or paying for) RapidShare to support their business. And still, those that remain are probably more sympathetic to pirates than to MAFIAA. So they seem to be gambling their entire existence by pissing off most of their users. Idiotic if you ask me.

  • F4D

    tested right now from Tunisia & download it works without errors (even with the example you give) but with the same horrific speed.

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  • Guest

    No JavaSript – No RapidShare

    Your browser does not support JavaScript!
    But JavaScript is essential to use the RapidShare web frontend!

    Enable JavaScript and refresh this site!

  • Anonymous

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