1.15.0 Schedules Direct channel removal caused "IRQL_GT_ZERO_AT_SYSTEM_SERVICE" Blue Screen (1 Viewer)

[kmanmark]

MediaPortal Version: 1.14.0

Description
In MP 1.15.0, which is not in the drop down list... I have tried removing unwanted channels from the schedule by unselecting them in the TV Configuration with no effect. So I went to Schedules Direct > logged in > and unselected the channels I didn't want in my list. A little while after that I started to get blue screens with "IRQL_GT_ZERO_AT_SYSTEM_SERVICE". After a lot of system trouble shooting I tried undoing my Schedules Direct channel exclusions and presto! No more blue screens.
I hope this helps others!

Steps to Reproduce:
As described above. I haven't reproduced it since fixing it. I try to avoid blue screens. But if needed. I can research and reproduce it again.

 

[mm1352000]

Hi

In MP 1.15.0, which is not in the drop down list...

Sorry, I don't understand what you mean. Can you please explain which drop down list you're referring to.

unselecting them in the TV Configuration with no effect.

If you don't want a certain channel to be visible, untick it (or delete it) on the first tab in TV Server Configuration -> TV Channels (or Radio Channels) section. Unticking it on the other tabs (channel groups, eg. "All Channels") is almost certainly not effective. Also note that you definitely need to restart MediaPortal and may also need to restart the TV service (TV Server Configuration -> manual control section) for the change to take effect.

So I went to Schedules Direct > logged in > and unselected the channels I didn't want in my list. A little while after that I started to get blue screens with "IRQL_GT_ZERO_AT_SYSTEM_SERVICE". After a lot of system trouble shooting I tried undoing my Schedules Direct channel exclusions and presto! No more blue screens.

I can guarantee there's no valid association between SD and the blue screens, because blue screens are caused by hardware and/or driver problems. What you've described here would be a co-incidence.

Regards,
mm

 

[kmanmark]

At the MP1 Bug Report webpage
https://forum.team-mediaportal.com/forms/mp1-bug-report.1/respond
The "MediaPortal Version" does not list 1.15.0. Just 1.12 - 1.14 in the drop down list I see.
Thanks for looking into this.
And thanks for the tip on how to remove unwanted channels.
Not:e I am not submitting a bug report to complain. I just want to help this great piece of software get even better!
When I started getting blue screens, I presumed I had a new hardware problem and began trouble shooting by reseating my RAM and PC cards and such. No dust buildup, etc. But after each reboot, within the first few minutes... BLUE SCREEN. I removed a small but fast power hungry hard drive I didn't really need to lighten the load on the power supply, but no improvement. So I looked up the blue screen code. Then started going back in time to recent driver or MS updates. There were none that day. I did update video driver to see if blue screen would stop. But same before and after. Then I thought the only change that occurred before the blue screens started was the Schedules Direct change. Unlikely! But I undid my channel exclusions at Schedules Direct using another PC. Booted my MediaPortal TV PC and held my breath.... Fixed! I think the delayed blue screen after each reboot would occur when a new schedule download was run. And since each download failed. It would try again a couple minutes after each reboot. Maybe having exclusions in the TV configuration and Schedules Direct causes it? I guess I can experiment, although I hate to go looking for a blue screen : )
WIN 10 PC, MP 1.15.0 with latest updates. AMD Phenom x6, Nvidia Geforce GTX, 16GB RAM...
THANKS

 

[mm1352000]

Hello again

At the MP1 Bug Report webpage
https://forum.team-mediaportal.com/forms/mp1-bug-report.1/respond
The "MediaPortal Version" does not list 1.15.0. Just 1.12 - 1.14 in the drop down list I see.

Thanks for clarifying.
The 1.15 option shows for me:

Perhaps somebody has fixed it in the meantime.

Thanks for looking into this.
And thanks for the tip on how to remove unwanted channels.

You're very welcome.

Not:e I am not submitting a bug report to complain. I just want to help this great piece of software get even better!

I understand and appreciate it.

I think the delayed blue screen after each reboot would occur when a new schedule download was run.

A schedule download couldn't trigger a blue screen (BSOD). However, an issue with your tuner's driver could. For example, if TV Server attempted to use your tuner to grab EPG, that could trigger a blue screen.

Maybe having exclusions in the TV configuration and Schedules Direct causes it?

No, that's not possible.

I guess I can experiment, although I hate to go looking for a blue screen : )

What would be more helpful is if you could:

1. Tell me which tuner(s) you have - vendor and model name.
2. Provide your TV Server log files:
   1. Open TV Server Configuration.
   2. Click "open log directory" in the top left corner.
   3. Zip all the files in that folder.
   4. Attach ("upload a file") the zip file to your next reply.
3. Tell me on what date (eg. 31 August) you most recently experienced the blue screen.

Thanks in advance,
mm

 

[kmanmark]

Tell me which tuner(s) you have - vendor and model name.
Ha! You may have something there. I am running an old pair of ATI TV Wonder 600 PCIE cards. The hardware in this PC is pretty new, except for the tuners : ) Time to update?

Provide your TV Server log files:
Open TV Server Configuration.
Click "open log directory" in the top left corner.
Zip all the files in that folder.
Attach ("upload a file") the zip file to your next reply.
OK... attached

Tell me on what date (eg. 31 August) you most recently experienced the blue screen.
Wow. I can't remember if it was August 30 or 31..... Easiest question is the most difficult 8 ]

I have attempted to replicate the Blue Screen failure, but am unable to so far. I will experiment some more.

Mark

 

[mm1352000]

Thanks again for the follow up.

Time to update?

Perhaps; I'm not sure.

OK... attached

Great
On at least two occasions the log files show that a BSOD occurred before the TV service had fully started:
[collapse]
[2016-08-30 18:53:49,121] [Log ] [4 ] [DEBUG] - Setting up EventWaitHandle with name: Global\MPTVServiceInitializedEvent
[2016-08-30 18:53:49,652] [Log ] [4 ] [INFO ] - Set loglevel to: Debug
[2016-08-30 18:53:49,668] [Log ] [8 ] [INFO ] - TV Service: Starting
[2016-08-30 18:53:49,668] [Log ] [TVService] [INFO ] - TVService v1.15.0.0 is starting up on Windows 8 [6.2.9200.0]
[2016-08-30 18:53:49,668] [Log ] [TVService] [INFO ] - Controller: Initializing TVServer
[2016-08-30 18:53:49,684] [Log ] [TVService] [INFO ] - Controller: 1 init attempt
***** BSOD *****
[/collapse]

This eliminates SD as the cause without any question or doubt. After all, the BSOD occurred before TV Server had any opportunity to access the SD service. Therefore something else was or is causing your problems. Unfortunately I'm not able to say what that "something else" is from the provided log files. Best I can say is that there doesn't appear to be any pattern relating the BSODs to TV Server (ie. the system doesn't BSOD whenever TV Server performs a specific action/job). That implies that your tuners are probably in the clear.

I have attempted to replicate the Blue Screen failure, but am unable to so far. I will experiment some more.

Your earlier reseating efforts may have been effective...

 

[kmanmark]

Resolved.
Since stopping the frequent BSOD problem after startup, I was still getting a BSOD once or twice a day. Note: I figured out how to look up BSOD history in the Windows System Events. Looking at this, I can see BSOD restarts that occurred when I was not around and the original frequent BSODs occurred on 08/30.
Although I ran the Windows disk check during original trouble shooting and found no problems, I tried the drive manufacturer's quick test and found that 1 of my drives dedicated to MP TV recordings had a couple errors. I had the drive errors corrected which was probably sectors blocked from further usage, but then decided to replace it. Since then the daily BSOD errors have discontinued.

There is another problem that the experts may have some incite on. This problem was present before and after the original problem I reported. I can trigger an eventual BSOD by using the TV Guide. Just opening it and browsing will cause a BSOD later. I think when a program recording starts or ends. I work around this by either avoiding the TV Guide or restarting the PC after I am finished using MP(only if I opened TV Guide). Using the TV Guide to switch between program viewing will likely lead to a BSOD too, so I just don't do it. Could this be because of the old ATI TV Wonder 600 PCIE cards? They do a nice job of recording. It may also be worth noting that I have "a volunteer computing project" running on this PC, which uses 100% of the CPU all the time and the GPU when the PC is not in use. I can set this up and send zip of log if it will help.
Thanks!

 

[mm1352000]

Mark,

...but then decided to replace it. Since then the daily BSOD errors have discontinued.

To be short, honest, and with the greatest respect: I'm not convinced that the drive replacement has done much to solve the problem. It could have helped, but in my opinion the fact that the daily BSODs have stopped [...perhaps only for now...] is more likely to be co-incidence considering that you still have the BSODs with the TV guide. Given the nature of BSODs - particularly their relationship to specific hardware and their semi-random occurrence pattern - I think it's likely that the same hardware or driver fault that was causing the earlier daily BSODs is the same fault that is causing your new TV guide-related problems. The only thing that's changed is when the BSOD occurs... and like I said, BSOD occurrences are semi-random in the first place.

I can trigger an eventual BSOD by using the TV Guide. Just opening it and browsing will cause a BSOD later.

I think this may be coincidence... or at least, it certainly has nothing to do with your ATI tuner cards. Using/opening/browsing the TV guide doesn't use the tuner cards. However, that action will use your system's CPU, memory (RAM) and GPU. If simply opening the TV guide is enough to trigger a BSOD, I'd suspect a problem with the CPU, memory or GPU... or perhaps the power supply, or even the motherboard itself.

I think when a program recording starts or ends.
...
Could this be because of the old ATI TV Wonder 600 PCIE cards?

If you're able to perform recordings as the first statement implies, I think it's highly highly unlikely that there's anything wrong with the tuner cards.

It may also be worth noting that I have "a volunteer computing project" running on this PC, which uses 100% of the CPU all the time and the GPU when the PC is not in use.

To me this seems far more relevant than anything you've previously said. Running the CPU and GPU like that means you're effectively always stressing your system. Over time you'd expect components to wear out faster, and over-heating is always a possibility.

Surely the information you've found in the system event log can help point you towards the cause???
...or if not, you can use tools like memtest86 and prime95 to test the stability of your system's memory and CPU respectively.

 

[kmanmark]

"To me this seems far more relevant than anything you've previously said. Running the CPU and GPU like that means you're effectively always stressing your system. Over time you'd expect components to wear out faster, and over-heating is always a possibility."

Heat is not likely an issue. Running hot 24-7 is not a problem. I regularly clean out dust build up. The worst thermal stress comes from thermal cycling. Hot - cool - hot - cool, etc.. Or overheating. Neither one is an issue here. I was thinking running SETI@home might be interfering programmatically somehow, although it seems unlikely since it runs at the lowest priority level. But now the TV Guide instability problem seems to have gone away too. Perhaps the recent monthly Windows Update changed something for the better. Woohoo! A self repairing system : )

 

[mm1352000]

Or overheating.

This is what I was thinking of. If you're confident that's not happening, rule it out.

I was thinking running SETI@home might be interfering programmatically somehow...

I'd say that's impossible unless there was a serious Windows or hardware bug. MP and S@H are 100% independent.

But now the TV Guide instability problem seems to have gone away too. Perhaps the recent monthly Windows Update changed something for the better. Woohoo! A self repairing system : )

Hmmmm nice to take the optimistic view.
Honestly, if it were me in your position, I'd still try testing your system's CPU and memory as previously suggested. Like I've previously said, hardware instability can result in random behaviour/results. In my opinion the way you've described the BSODs coming and going fits the description of "random" to a T. The stranger it gets, the less confident I'd be.