TV Service doesn't start automatically with XP (2 Viewers)

[CathodeRay]

Well, C:\Windows\Temp wasn't that bloated (around 600 items, 125MB, but quite a lot of it was mysql garbage) but I cleaned it out for good measure and went even further by creating a MySQL_TEMP directory and adding a tmpdir= line to my.ini and then confirmed mysql was using MySQL_TEMP (it was) and rebooted...twice...and each time mysql started...sloooooowwwwly... so I think we can rule the temp dir scan out as a cause of slow starts, though no harm done in cleaning out the Windows temp directory.

 

[CathodeRay]

Some more information on debugging/logging MySQL: apparently you need a specific binary compiled with debug options turned on, which outputs to a file called mysql.trace. The debug version of mysqld.exe (the terminal 'd' stands for daemon ie server, not debug) is usually called mysqld-debug.exe but it isn't always available in the installer, and it isn't in the MP MySQL installer - I checked using LessMSI - so it doesn't get installed. I managed to find an zipped archived version of MySQL 5.1.38 which did have have a copy of mysqld-debug.exe (and two other mysqld-debug files with different extensions) (and running the file with --verbose --help did indeed confirm it was wired for debug) so I copied all three to the HTPC, modified the image path for the service and started the service, which started OK (but adding --debug made it conk out), but no mysql.trace. Checking the mysql.err log we've been using all along confirmed the debug version started, but was missing some freaking ?func(tions)... at which point I started losing the will to live again...

Bottom line I think is we are not going to get a mysql.trace, at least within a time frame of reasonable effot.

 

[CathodeRay]

OK, it's been a very long time, but for completeness: the MySQL problems persisted (slow startup) whatever I tried. Then a recent power cut messed up my HTPC and I had some repairs to do - and thought I'll have another go at getting MySQL to work properly. Tried a complete uninstall (including relevant program and app data folder deletions after exporting my TV channels etc) and reinstall (if you run the deploy tool thingy it will only reinstall the MySQL bit) - check at the final before install screen) => no improvement. So I thought well how about finally trying MS SQL Server? MP seems to be set up ready to do it with at least the 2005 Express version (no complex ini files to cut and paste etc). So deleted MySQL again as above, and did the deploy tool thing again, only selecting MS SQL Server as the database - and it installed with out error. Needed a reboot (the TV service was still tied to MySQL) and of course import of the exported channels etc and Bingo - MP started! Plus none of that hanging around while MySQL got going...

So if anyone else has the same problem, and is like I was too nervous to try switching from MySQL to MS SQL Server - all I can say is that having bitten the bullet, it seems to work!