Shareaza

So now that is painfully obvious that the latest version just doesn't work and it simply crashes in the most mundane of functions such as clicking a damn file for anything. What should I do make a backup of the data directories of ShareAza and then re-embed them when I erase the current version and install 2.4 again?

Obvious is only that it crashes for you, and most probably only for you as noone else has reporeted this. And obvious is that you don't want to provide bug report. So why should we help you when you don't want to help us?

See about clean install.
Make copy of incomplete files and add them.
I haven't downgraded so I have NO EXPERIENCES in downgrading, you do it on your own risk, don't blame me for eventual problems please. Especially when new file system has been introduced with 2.5.0.0.

My advice how to solve your problem I have described in other post. And seems rest of supporters agrees with me. I reply you once again mainly because I remember you from previous forums, so I'd like to show respect to long time user. And straightly: I think that your thinking about this problem is just wrong and will lead you to more then less problems.

And perhaps you just need a clean install.

double post sorry

I agree it would be better for you to try the debug build first, but I guess the best way to keep your downloads would be to save the incomplete folder, start the same downloads in the old version (you can get the hashes from the file names), and then merge with the saved files. No guarantees for that to work, but for ed2k and gnutella it should. Torrents not so good. If you have lots of incomplete torrents really at least try the debug builds.

I do have Visual Studio on my PC and it does give you the option of running it's Debugger when a program crashes. Could using the option of running the Debugger and emailing you a screencap etc with the contents of the Visual Studio Debugger's results help?

Use a debug build. I don't know how Shareaza is built but in theory the debug build gives more information. Also it is closer to the code the developers are using at the moment which may (or may not) make a difference.

You are still considering breaking in through opened door. It's open, thee is no need to break in. Please, it is so easy to install debug build...