Help wanted: stuttering playback and system freezes (NOT MP-related) (1 Viewer)

[Requiem]

Hi everyone,

I do have two issues with my HTPC in which I would appreciate any help to track them down.

1. For a couple of days (maybe a week or so) I have had some issues with my HTPC hanging on some actions sometimes. MePo reacts slow when going through menus, video playback hangs and will resume after 30+ seconds to hang again, audio playback hangs and resumes. This also happens when I use VLC media player, so I guess this is not a MePo specific problem, I just have no idea where to start looking. I've never had this before. I have a multiseat setup, media is stored on the server and is streamed to the client HTPC, everything connected through Gigabit-LAN. No changes were (intentionally) made to both server and client PCs as well as I didn't change anything on my network settings, nor did I upgrade any drivers. Only thing was the monthly Windows update patches on both systems and upgrading from 1.8pre to 1.8. I'm just trying a full system restore from a backup made a few weeks ago, but if this won't work I really have no idea where to start looking in logs. I haven't gathered MePo-Logs yet, but will do if the problem persists, maybe there's something wrong.

2. For a longer time, I have occasional freezes on my HTPC. As the system will just freeze and I can only reset, there are no hints in any logs what causes freezes. This will happen in MePos Main Menu as well as during playback and when I use the PC for casual gaming (only APU, no additional graphics card). After a reset, the system will run fine again and I cannot willingly make these failures happen. Memory test (Memtest86+) is doing fine. I have a feeling that it happens more when it comes to using 3d hardware accelleration, though driver updates etc do not change any of this behaviour. The system is not overheating and will run fine again after a reboot. Freezes may happen from a few minutes after power on to several days.
Any idea on how to nail this down and where to start?

 

[breese]

Logs will be needed to help with the issue and even better if you can start it with WatchDog and wait for it to happen, all the better
http://wiki.team-mediaportal.com/1_MEDIAPORTAL_1/16_Support/Submit_a_Bug_Report

 

[Requiem]

I know, as I wrote I have not gathered them yet and the problem 1 is most likely not MP related. As a first step, I wanted to gather ideas on how to approach if the system keeps hanging after the backup restore (problem 1). Problem 2 ist not MP related at all and as the system freezes, neither windows- nor MePo logs will show anything (windows will show an unexpected reboot as critical error but without any hints to the source of the problem).

 

[breese]

Your listed system spec's only show the SSD boot.
Where are the movie files being stored and is it possible there is an issue with that drive?
Is there anything in the System Events that might show some type of drive issue?
Another option is to (if you have space) move the movie over to the SSD and play it... Does it Shutter or cause a freeze?

 

[HomeY]

Another option is to (if you have space) move the movie over to the SSD and play it... Does it Shutter or cause a freeze?

I would start there also. Play some files locally to see if that changes things. If so, then you need to look into the network (check latency for example) and the source machine hosting the videos.
If it doesn't change things, then the next thing i would do is look @ the Windows Events logs and monitor the CPU loads / RAM usage.

Maybe you find more tips in this Wiki:
http://wiki.team-mediaportal.com/1_MEDIAPORTAL_1/16_Support/Troubleshooting/Stuttering_Playback

 

[Requiem]

I'll try, but I have a multiseat and kept playing files for quite a whihle now thru LAN connection. Biut youre right, to rule out it's a network thing I should try that. Restore of the system has just finished, I'll see what I can do in the next days to track this down if the issue persists. Need to go to work now....

 

[HomeY]

to rule out it's a network thing I should try that.

Bug-hunting starts with narrowing down the possible causes

 

[Edalex]

HDD failing, virus and ofc as you mentioned windows updates can easily fcked up everything.

 

[Requiem]

Okay, stuttering has been solved, this has been a server-side issue (USB3.0-intialization of the connected RAID failed for some reason). Anyway, backup of the HTPC has also been restored without any problems. So, this leaves the occasional freezes of the HTPC. I don't think it's an overheating issue, all sensor data show no temperatures above 50°C when running. I feel this happens more when 3D hardware acceleration is used, but how can I track/narrow these issues? Windows logfiles show everything is normal as long as the HTPC is running and show the unexpected reboot afterwards. It may be Memory, CPU, Harddisk, Mainboard, even Software.... I have no idea on how to approach this. (This has happend over several reinstallations of windows, sporadically after minutes, hours or days of the system running stable. After a reboot, the system is stable again without the need to cool down or the like. Windows, BIOS, drivers are all up to date)

 

[HomeY]

Everything that happens on your PC is logged into your system logs. You should be able to find a pointer to your solution in there somewhere.