NOTE: For the most part I reference www.slyck.com/newsgroups.html, I learned everything I know about newsgroups there, if you read through it all, you should understand it fairly well.

Step 1: Background Information

Step 2: Download XNews

Step 3: Setting up Xnews

Step 4: Downloading

Step 5: Finding Files.

Step 1: Background Information

Before you start downloading, its best to head on over to www.slyck.com/newsgroups.html, this will give you some background information on usenet, which should help make things less confusing later on.  Read it all if possible.

Step 2: Download Xnews

To start things off, go to xnews.newsguy.com and download xnews. (xnews.zip, less than a meg)  This is the only newsreader I have used and I have no reason to switch, feel free to try others.

Step 3: Setting up Xnews

To setup xnews for your server check www.slyck.com/xnews.html

You may have to look up your isp's newsserver name to get in (dont ask me, just do a google search for "<isp name> news server" or consult your isp's tech support page, if that doesnt work, call/email them.  Notice some isp's may need a username/password, this will usually be your email address and password, again, consult your isp.

Most server addresses are pretty simple.  For instance, I have a local isp called Goldengate, and my newsserver is news.goldengate.net.  AT&T broadband users use netnews.attbi.com, and thats all I know off hand.

Also, make sure you disabled the two options in the display tab, "Expand all Threads by Default" and "Split Screen Display by Default"

If all goes well setting it up, when you press Okay at the setup screen, it should ask you if you want to get the complete list of newsgroups from your server, answer yes and hopefully your screen should fill with group names.  If not, something's set up wrong (it may say it in the bottom of the screen). Go to Special -> Setup Xnews to change a setting.  Scroll through the list for some alt.binaries groups that look interesting to you (that is where the files are), and subscribe to them (I.E. add them to favorites, hit "=" when they are selected).  Here are the groups I subscribe to:

alt.binaries.boneless
alt.binaries.cd.image
alt.binaries.cd.image.clonecd
alt.binaries.cd.image.dreamcast
alt.binaries.cd.image.games
alt.binaries.cd.image.highspeed
alt.binaries.cd.image.playstation
alt.binaries.cd.image.playstation.reposts
alt.binaries.dreamcast,alt.binaries.e-book.technical
alt.binaries.emulators.gameboy.advance
alt.binaries.emulators.gameboy.color
alt.binaries.emulators.mame
alt.binaries.emulators.sega
alt.binaries.games
alt.binaries.games.worms
alt.binaries.images
alt.binaries.kenpsx
alt.binaries.movies
alt.binaries.movies.divx
alt.binaries.movies.divx.repost
alt.binaries.multimedia
alt.binaries.multimedia.comedy
alt.binaries.multimedia.repost
alt.binaries.multimedia.utilities
alt.binaries.old.games
alt.binaries.pro-wrestling
alt.binaries.sounds.mp3.heavy-metal
alt.binaries.svcd
alt.binaries.vcd
alt.binaries.vcd.highspeed
alt.binaries.vcd.repost
alt.binaries.vcd.svcd
alt.binaries.vcd.svcd.repost
alt.binaries.warez
alt.binaries.warez.0-day.games
alt.binaries.warez.ibm-pc
alt.binaries.warez.ibm-pc.0-day
alt.binaries.warez.ibm-pc.apps
alt.binaries.zines

Step 4: Downloading

Now the screen will fill with text files and it will say its loading headers in the bottom right, wait for that to finish, and for it to thread (organize it so text files that make up a file are grouped together).

Now scroll through and find something you want to download, in this example, i'm getting megaman x4

I chose megaman x4 in this example, so I scrolled down til I found it, then selected all of the files that were part of it (you'll know its a file because of the light blue box on the left, that represents a file made up of multiple text files.  Notice I didnt download one of the files in the middle, as it clearly isnt a real file, being only 1 line, it is usually just a small message. With all files selected (use shift or control to select multiple files), hit the space bar to add the files to the queue (the bold number on the right) and hit the decode button on the bottom, and pick a folder to download the files to (don't do anything in the file name area)  And then it should start downloading.

Just a note, if you double click a line with the light blue box to the left of it, it will de-thread into many text files, click it again to re-thread it.

Another note, if a file has a dark blue box to the left, that means its incomplete and is pretty much useless to you (it could be still being posted).  To replace a broken/missing file, get .par files, which are explained on www.slyck.com/newsgroups.html

Step 5: Finding Files

There is no real search engine to find anything posted on usenet, but instead there are sites dedicated to reporting what is posted, and where.

Check out www.newzbin.com, they report stuff posted in the major groups (i.e. the groups I listed above)

Keep in mind that on an ISP news server, files only stay on the server for a few days, so check often, unless you want to get a premium newsserver, which usually offer 2 weeks or more, but can be costly.