Forgot to mention... the following python util, linearize.py, was checked into the bitcoin repo today:
https://github.com/bitcoin/bitcoin/tree/master/contrib/linearizeThis tool may be used to recreate bootstrap.dat byte-for-byte identical with the bootstrap.dat in this torrent.
If you are running bitcoind locally, create bootstrap.dat locally, then start seeding the torrent immediately at 100%!
The linearize python script does not appear to have a method to accept a starting block height. I was not sure if Bitcoin-QT would recognize a bootstrap file not starting at block height 1. But it seems it does. This appears to work -
def get_blocks(settings):
rpc = BitcoinRPC(settings['host'], settings['port'],
settings['rpcuser'], settings['rpcpass'])
outf = open(settings['output'], 'wb')
for height in xrange(settings['max_height']+1):
if height > 249999:
sys.stdout.write(str(height) + "\n")
It generated a 3GB bootstrap between 250-270k which Bitcoin-QT accepted.