MP1 not restarting after crash (1 Viewer)

[hongkongpom]

Hi there was no dialogs that appeared over MP or after switching to the desktop

 

[mm1352000]

there was no dialogs that appeared over MP or after switching to the desktop

From the way you say this, it seems like you may not understand what I mean by "a dialog within MP". As stated in my previous replies, I'm not talking about dialogs from Windows or other programs that appear over MP or on the desktop.

Here's an example of what I mean:

That question - "This will delete your recordings from hard drive..." - is a dialog.

 

[hongkongpom]

Hello there. Yes I understand. There is no dialog that appears over the MP screen.

 

[mm1352000]

Well, I don't know what to say. Your statement obviously contradicts the log files.

The log files very clearly show the following dialog sequence at the end of SYTYCD and before OTR:

1. A dialog/menu.
2. Another dialog/menu.
3. A yes/no choice dialog.
4. Another dialog/menu.
5. Another dialog/menu.
6. A final yes/no choice dialog.

Each of these dialogs were open for approximately 2 seconds. Altogether the sequence took approximately 20 seconds. I can't imagine how it would be possible to miss that.

There's nothing further that I can glean from that set of log files. Assuming the screensaver configuration change doesn't solve the problem, you'd be welcome to provide fresh log files.

 

[hongkongpom]

Good morning. This is a strange one that's for sure. Thanks for this information. I can assure you that we see no dialogs. After SYTYCD ends (it can be any show that we are watching) MP returns to the Programme sub list. I then switch to another sub list which lists the OTR programmes.

Everything is working normally so far. I then click the next programme on the list. The programme sub list doesn't change but now we can hear the programme's audio starting. After about say 5 seconds, the audio stops. There is still no dialog showing. I now cannot close MP as the title bar? doesn't drop down as normal.

I can only switch to the desktop and manually reboot the laptop. When I do that there is a dialog saying that MP is still open and do I want to force it to close. When I click yes, the laptop will reboot and things continue to for the next few days as normal.

 

[hongkongpom]

Howzit here's an update.

Unfortunately disabling the Windows screensaver and just using the MP screen blanking didn't make any difference. Below is the only thing that I see on the screen. There are no dialogs as you can see.

After I clicked the title shown below, I can hear the audio but the screen remains as in the image. After about 10 seconds the audio stops. I can't click to close MP because the toolbar that normally drops doesn't show. When I use another tool to get back to the desktop so that I can restart my laptop, I am told that MP is still running. I then have to force close MP to reboot.

As mentioned before, things work normally again for another few days.

Best wishes,
hkp

 

[mm1352000]

Hello again

Unfortunately disabling the Windows screensaver and just using the MP screen blanking didn't make any difference.

Okay.

Below is the only thing that I see on the screen.

This is consistent with the window manager locking up (as previously diagnosed). Something is blocking the window manager from completing its transition process from the window/scene shown in your screenshot to full screen video.

There are no dialogs as you can see.

I have the impression that you think I've been referring to dialogs that are shown at the point or immediately before MP freezes... but that's not the case at all. If you think that, you've misunderstood me. The dialogs I've previously referred to have been significantly prior to the freeze.

In your previous log files the sequence was:

1. SYTYCD finishes; full screen video closes and you see the file/video list again
   
2. 10 seconds idle
   
3. series of dialogs over the course of almost 20 seconds
4. 1 minute idle
5. screensaver kicks in and/or MP is deactivated (meaning you're using another program)
   
6. 1.5 seconds idle
   
7. screensaver stopped and/or MP is reactivated (meaning you're using MP again)
8. 6 seconds idle
9. navigation to C:\Users\Media Server\Videos
10. 9 seconds idle
    
11. navigation to C:\Users\Media Server\Videos\Over The Rainbow
12. 2 seconds idle
13. attempt to start viewing OTR
14. freeze, 10 second audio etc. as you describe

So the dialogs were more than a minute before you attempted to play OTR.

Again and in other words, I wouldn't have expected to see dialogs in the final frozen scene that you've captured in the screenshot. I'm focussed on events prior to the freeze because the freeze itself is just a symptom of what has occurred leading up to that point.

After I clicked the title...

I understand this. As indicated above, everything you describe here is just a symptom of a prior cause, and so from my perspective it's largely irrelevant. What I'm interested in is the stuff prior to the start of your description; the stuff you/MP are doing before you select the video title and MP freezes.

When I use another tool to get back to the desktop...

What is the tool you refer to here?
Is the standard WINDOWS LOGO KEY + D keyboard shortcut (ie. switch to desktop) not effective?
...or what about the ALT + TAB keyboard shortcut?

...so that I can restart my laptop...

Why restart?
What happens if you use Windows' task manager (CTRL + ALT + DELETE) to kill/close MP, then immediately reopen MP without restarting the laptop?
(If you haven't tried that, please do.)

I ask about this because I noticed one additional thing in the previous log files that may be relevant: you have (or had at the time) very little free disk space.
c: (SSD system partition) had 1.8 GB of 219.1 GB free
d: (SSD partition 2) had 1.5 GB of 9.8 GB free
f: (USB-attached HDD) had 7.9 GB of 1908 GB free

In my opinion this is a bare minimum and rather risky. If the system partition/drive were to run out of space you could expect to see all sorts of unusual problems. Restarting may clear enough space for MP to operate normally again for awhile.

Regards,
mm

 

[hongkongpom]

Hello there,

Because the laptop is on a shelf of an entertainment unit I installed a third party app called "Mobile Buddy" to help me switch back to the desktop when MP stalls. However for this test I used the laptop keyboard keys as per your request

I took some screen captures below,

MP audio stops
use ctrl+alt+del to bring up menu options
Choose to "Start Task manager"
See that MP & Mobile buddy are running
Choose to End task MP
MP gives not responding error
Click End now
Windows checking for solution
Desktop appears and MP is closed
Re-launch MP (without rebooting laptop this time) and continue watching MP as before.

C: now has 8GB free
D: is rescue partition
F: has 9GB free

Best wishes,
hkp

 

[mm1352000]

Because the laptop is...

Ahhh, okay.

...and continue watching MP as before.

That's the key piece of info I was looking for. This implies that the issue is most likely confined to MP and less likely to have been triggered by a wider system (hardware or operating system) problem.

C: now has 8GB free
D: is rescue partition
F: has 9GB free

To be clear, did you free up this space before or after the latest incident?

...and an additional question: does the problem always or usually occur after moderate or heavy use (eg. a long video or "binge" session)?


So, where are we at in general?
I've said that I think the cause/problem is a window manager deadlock.
I've thought of 4 possible triggers:

1. prior dialogs - open question, awaiting more info from hongkongpom
2. screensaver - appears to be ruled out by testing
   
3. low disk space - open question, awaiting hongkongpom's answer about whether the problem has occurred after more disk space was freed
   
4. over-heating - open question, awaiting hongkongpom's answer about whether the problem always/often occurs after moderate or heavy use

In the interests of trying to get a solution, please...

1. Where requested, answer or comment on the triggers above.
   
2. Collect and provide new log files each time the problem occurs. The more log files I see, the more chance I have of spotting a pattern that gives a clue as to the trigger.
3. Actively think about the problem yourself. I can only do so much. You are the expert when it comes to your setup, and you have the best chance of solving this problem. In particular:
   1. Be on the lookout for patterns. Patterns give clues about causes. For example, does the problem always happen at certain times of day, or always with certain types of videos, or never with certain types of videos etc.
      
   2. Try to remember when the problem started. Problems don't just start for no reason. If you can remember when the problem started, you may also be able to remember (or work out) what changed at the same time (eg. MP configuration, another program installed, driver updated etc.) that caused the problem to start.

Best regards,
mm

 

[hongkongpom]

We watched and cleared a few shows between the penultimate and latest events. After this latest event I checked the hard disk space to see how much was left. Yes I would say this happens after watching several shows (not what I would classify as a few hour binge of back to back shows) that MP has this problem.

1. No dialogs are ever seen when this occurs
2. agree
3 answered
4 if over-heating I would of thought that a reboot or ending the task fixing the problem, rules this theory out as the laptop is still hot and it works again normally for the next several shows.

2. I will grab more log files for you
3.1 happens with all types of video files; mkv, avi

Cheers for beers
hkp