Abstract: A method for downloading a data resource includes: at the beginning of downloading a target data resource, determining, by a first device, a plurality of candidate devices storing data slices of the target data resource and slice serial numbers of data slices of the target data resource stored by each of the plurality of candidate devices; acquiring, by the first device, a total number of slices for data slices of a same type of data resources as the target data resource that have been downloaded from each of the plurality of candidate devices; and downloading, by the first device, the data slices of the target data resource according to the slice serial numbers, the total number of slices downloaded from each of the plurality of candidate devices, and a preset time-length for overtime switch.