Connecting to network shares has no timeout? (1 Viewer)

[seco]

I have My Music and My Movies folders configured as a network share from another computer than my MP is running on. If shares are unavailable, e.g. the other computer is turned off, I don't get any timeout when entering to My Music or My Movies, just blue screen (=background of the BlueTwo skin). When network shares come available, the directory listing appears almost instantly and everything works great.

The problem is that when the connection is being made, I cannot cancel the operation in any way and it doesn't time out: I'm forced to watch blue screen or bring the network shares alive.

Any ideas?

TV-Server Version: SVN 17418
MediaPortal Version: SVN 17418
MediaPortal Skin: BlueTwo Wide
Windows Version: Windows XP SP3
CPU Type: Intel E8200 2.66GHz
HDD: Seagate IV 40GB
Memory: Corsair 2GB 800MHz
Motherboard: Asus P5E-VM HDMI
Motherboard Chipset: Intel G35
Motherboard Bios:
Video Card: Intel X3500 IGP HDMI
Video Card Driver:
Sound Card:
Sound Card AC3:
Sound Card Driver:
1. TV Card: FireDTV DVB-C
1. TV Card Type:
1. TV Card Driver:
2. TV Card:
2. TV Card Type:
2. TV Card Driver:
3. TV Card:
3. TV Card Type:
3. TV Card Driver:
4. TV Card:
4. TV Card Type:
4. TV Card Driver:
MPEG2 Video Codec: MPV
MPEG2 Audio Codec: MPA
Satelite/CableTV Provider:
HTPC Case: Antec Fusion 2
Cooling:
Power Supply:
Remote:
TV: Mirai Full-HD 42"
TV - HTPC Connection: HDMI

 

[Marcusb]

I think this must be some windows setting that you may have changed.
On my set up, I have the same issue, but there is a timeout. It's quite long (a minute or something) but this is the same timeout when I do the same thing in Windows Explorer.

In your case, to test, open windows explorer and try to connect to a share that is not available and see if there is a timeout there.

 

[seco]

Okay, thanks.

So the timeout comes from the Windows environment rather than Mediaportal?

It would be great if the timeout value could be configured to something like 10 seconds (should be enough in 100MBit LAN environment)..

The "file server" that provides the network shares is usually on standby and not powered off, so what I'd really like is that my HTPC could somehow send a magic packet (Wake-On-Lan) to file server automatically so the shares would come back online.

Any ideas for this? (a bit off-topic)

 

[blackheart42]

The "file server" that provides the network shares is usually on standby and not powered off, so what I'd really like is that my HTPC could somehow send a magic packet (Wake-On-Lan) to file server automatically so the shares would come back online.

Any ideas for this? (a bit off-topic)

I'm in the process of setting up a Linux server to do exactly that. It turns out that Wake-on-Lan has more capabilities than just 'Magic Packet'. Depending on the NIC card in your server you can probably configure it for either Wake on ARP/Ping or Wake on unicast. Check the advanced properties for your NIC card to see what it supports. Either of these options opens up the idea of having the server wake up just by trying to access it - i.e. by navigating to it in windows explorer or in this case by entering it in My Music or My Movies. The next task is having the server drift off to sleep when there's no activity. Linux is giving me some trouble with this, but Windows shouldn't be too troublesome (knock on wood!)

Blackheart

 

[seco]

Sounds good

My network card settings show "Wake on magic packet" and "Wake on pattern". The NIC is nVidia integrated on nForce 570 chipset.

So I'm not sure how to wake the server up automatically when connection to network share is attempted. I'm running Windows XP on the server.

I think one option would be to write a plugin, which would send a magic packet to specified MAC address when network share is accessed..

 

[blackheart42]

Sounds good

My network card settings show "Wake on magic packet" and "Wake on pattern". The NIC is nVidia integrated on nForce 570 chipset.

So I'm not sure how to wake the server up automatically when connection to network share is attempted. I'm running Windows XP on the server.

I think one option would be to write a plugin, which would send a magic packet to specified MAC address when network share is accessed..

That's all you've got for options?? My Linux server has a ratty old Realtek 8139 100BT card. It supports Magic Packet, Unicast, Multicast and I think Broadcast but not ARP/Ping. My media system running XP has an 8139/810x on the Motherboard and supports ARP/Ping, but apparently not Unicast

If you have access to any other NIC cards (and room in your server), I'd check them out to see what their capabilities are. Otherwise, your idea for a plugin to send the magic packet might be your only option.

Blackheart