not sleeping, recording never finish, recordings not starting (1 Viewer)

[mrkaras]

my machine never sleeps anymore. I think it is because recordings aren't working properly (what's new) it looks like a recording (play school) from 9:30 am toll 10:00am is still active, still going now, at 6:15 pm. not sure what the hold up was before that but it didn't turn off last night either, in fact I don't think its ever turned its self off in the last week or two unless I disturb it by restarting the TV service or entire PC. Why?

 

[mm1352000]

Hello

I think it is because recordings aren't working properly (what's new)...

Yes, the two of us have talked these issues through previously. This feels like deja vu or ground-hog day!

Why?

Well, it looks a lot like what we talked about last time in December.

Can you give an update?
Did you follow up on the advice I gave you last time?
What [else] did you do to try to resolve the problems?
Has MediaPortal been reliable since then?

 

[mrkaras]

Since last time I now have a new motherboard & processor (so the bios issue should not be a factor) and new operating system (windows 10). I weren’t sure if I had reinstalled sql server or not but I did that shortly after posting and it seemed to be better at turning off but again tonight MP failed to record, 2 programs in a row are scheduled the first is almost over without the machine even waking at all and the next will start soon, what the chances it won't be getting recorded either

 

[mm1352000]

but I did that shortly after posting

When you did this, did you get rid of the old TV Server database contents (ie. channels, schedules, settings etc.)?

what the chances it won't be getting recorded either

Almost certain.

If you're asking for assistance with this situation, fresh log files are needed. Reinstalling SQL Server changes the situation. Therefore the old log files are completely obsolete and of no use.

 

[mrkaras]

OK, I have spent a day reinstalling mediaportal with a new install of sql server express using a new database, rebuilt my channels and rescheduled my recording and so fat it hasn't missed any and is turning off however today after a restart MP did not start by its self, again I had to manually start the TV service. this is probably the issue I pointed out a few years back of MP waiting for SQL server to be running but not necessarily the database to be available yet.

it also looks like I don't get MP watchdog when I install a server only install, so the attached is a zip of my logs folder, hope that's what you need.

I guess I'll have to go back to applying my workaround to continuously try to start the service if it is stoped as it can't reliably start by its self.

 

[mm1352000]

OK, I have spent a day reinstalling mediaportal with a new install of sql server express using a new database, rebuilt my channels and rescheduled my recording

Okay.

...and so fat it hasn't missed any and is turning off

Great.

it also looks like I don't get MP watchdog when I install a server only instal

Yes, that's correct.

so the attached is a zip of my logs folder, hope that's what you need.

Sorry, I'm not able to use those log files to help you.

For the previous recording failures...
The main log file starts at 4:48 PM on 22 October, so it doesn't include the failures.

For the startup failures...
The only startup-related error message I can see in the log is the "applyProcessPriority..." one in TVService.1.log. However, that's not an error that would prevent the service from starting. It's just a warning that the service couldn't use the configured priority (probably because the service doesn't have enough privilege to set its priority). Aside from that, there's no sign of trouble. Previous experience suggests with similar situations suggests Windows may not be attempting to start the TV service. That would happen because the service is not configured to start automatically, or because a prerequisite service - either the database or networking services - failed to start. I'd need access to the Windows system and application event logs (normally included by the Watchdog) in order to investigate further.

this is probably the issue I pointed out a few years back of MP waiting for SQL server to be running but not necessarily the database to be available yet.

Like I said, the log files don't show any signs of anything like that. MP is not waiting for anything. I reckon' Windows is intentionally not starting the service.

I guess I'll have to go back to applying my workaround to continuously try to start the service if it is stoped as it can't reliably start by its self.

Again, there are no signs of the service itself having trouble starting. Therefore your workaround shouldn't be necessary.

Please check that the service is actually configured to start automatically. If it isn't you know what to do. If it is, please provide the Windows system and application event logs so that I can check whether Windows is failing to start the database or networking services.

 

[mrkaras]

I checked and tv service is set to automatic, and does sometimes work.

the event log shows this:
Log Name: Application
Source: MSSQL$SQLEXPRESS
Date: 23/10/2016 1:13:57 PM
Event ID: 17187
Task Category: Logon
Level: Error
Keywords: Classic
User: N/A
Computer: Mediaserver
Description:
SQL Server is not ready to accept new client connections. Wait a few minutes before trying again. If you have access to the error log, look for the informational message that indicates that SQL Server is ready before trying to connect again. [CLIENT: 192.168.178.58]

followed by this:
Log Name: Application
Source: TV Server
Date: 23/10/2016 1:13:59 PM
Event ID: 0
Task Category: None
Level: Error
Keywords: Classic
User: N/A
Computer: Mediaserver
Description:
Service cannot be started. Error: DatabaseUnavailableUnclassified
Gentle.Common.GentleException: The database backend (provider SQLServer) could not be reached.
Check the connection string: Password=MediaPortal;Persist Security Info=True;User ID=Mediaportal;Initial Catalog=MpTvDb;Data Source=Mediaserver\SQLEXPRESS;Connection Timeout=30; ---> System.Data.SqlClient.SqlException: A connection was successfully established with the server, but then an error occurred during the pre-login handshake. (provider: TCP Provider, error: 0 - An established connection was aborted by the software in your host machine.) ---> System.ComponentModel.Win32Exception: An established connection was aborted by the software in your host machine
--- End of inner exception stack trace ---
at System.Data.ProviderBase.DbConnectionPool.TryGetConnection(DbConnection owningObject, UInt32 waitForMultipleObjectsTimeout, Boolean allowCreate, Boolean onlyOneCheckConnection, DbConnectionOptions userOptions, DbConnectionInternal& connection)
at System.Data....

 

[mm1352000]

Okay, looks like you were right.

Options would be:

• Investigate ways to get SQL Server to start faster.
  
• Try using a newer (and therefore, presumably, faster) version of SQL Server.
• Use MySQL instead of SQL Server.
  
• Apply your workaround.

Note that to the best of my recollection you're the only person who has ever reported experiencing this problem. I'm seriously wondering if there's something particular about your setup which is causing it. TV Server's database is not large, so SQL Server shouldn't take more than a few seconds to start and come online, unless...:

• you're using SQL Server for other more demanding applications
• you've used configuration to throttle SQL Server's access to resources (memory etc.)
• you've got a huge number of other services and programs trying to start at the same time
• you run over-zealous security software which is scanning every little thing any program tries to do, thereby dropping your system performance off a cliff
• you're running stuff in a virtual machine
• etc. etc. etc.

 

[mrkaras]

I already have upgraded the motherboard/processor to try to make things faster, but hopefully I can put an SSD in one day.
it is already sql server 2016
I don't have any particularly good reasons not to swap to MySQL, just like mssql (for no particular reason)
I guess I'll just work around it for now, it helps to have acknowledgment of the issue even if it won't be fixed.

I don't think I have anything else running on the sql server (hope not, as my resent reinstall would have broken them anyway!)
I haven't deliberately enabled any throttling
I may have too many things starting up at startup, I have tried to prune them but the PC still takes a long time to boot.
I currently have seen windows defender taking a lot of resources on other machine's at times but I don't think its that (though I might look at it)
not in a VM

I thought the PC was a reasonable fast processor with a reasonable amount of ram but is still very slow at startup, several minutes after logon before things are all started

I'll just try setting the service to restart on fail twice and see if that's enough, hopefully the delay after the first fail should be enough for SQL server to finish starting

 

[mrkaras]

and its back, missing more recordings. the only errors in the event log around that time are regarding bonjour service