@scatslut The display you get depends on the client you're using. I use uTorrent, and let's say I get a display like this:
Capture.JPG
This shows green because the torrent on that line is still active; a dead torrent would show red. But the things to look at are the Seeds and Peers columns:
This one shows 13 seeders present, although I'm not connected to any of them because I've finished downloading what I want. If you still want to download material from a torrent, this number will need to be something other than zero. If it shows zero, the tracker won't hook you up with a seeder, and you won't be getting any data from them.
Similarly, it shows 10 peers (also called leechers) present, and I'm connected to three of them. This means that 10 users have not yet fully downloaded this torrent, and three of them are connected to me, able to get data from my files. If the torrent is deleted by the system, I might still be connected to some of them and be able to send them data, but I don't think the system gives me upload credit for that. You can also receive data from other leechers--if they have data that you don't have.
If the client shows that you're not connected to any seeders or leechers (0 in both columns), then you won't get any new data. Depending on the torrent you might have some complete files, and maybe some semi-useful partial files...but that's it.
I hope this helps.
