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PostPosted: Sat Sep 22, 2007 9:17 pm 
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Joined: Tue Feb 10, 2004 12:56 am
Posts: 6
Location: Livermore, California
The last upgrade I performed, R5F1, worked just fine. This time R5F27 didn't. After install the system boots up then drops into a black screen. As far as I can tell there is no network yet, the console doesn't see, to respond. The system appears to be in a state of catatonia.

I'm running the following:

EPIA M10000 Nehemia Core (1GHz)
PVR-350

The auto-upgrade works just fine (apparently) then when I reboot the system, I get the normal boot up. The end of boot screen looks like:

INIT: Entering runlevel: 5
runlevel 5
ok
Starting System log daemon...
Starting kernel log daemon....
Starting web server (apache2)... apache2: Could not reliably determine the server's fully qualified for ServerName.
Setting Concole frame buffer images... using theme "current"... done
Starting MySQL database server: mysqld
Checking for corrupt, not cleanly closed and upgrade needing tables.
= Not starting internet superserver: no services
Starting OpenBSD Secure Shell server: sshd.
Removing Stale PID file /var/run/dbus/pid.
Start system message bus: dbus.
Starting MythTV server: mythbackend.
Starting periodic command scheduler: crond.
Checking nVidia video driver installation.


At this point the screen is just black. This is the time where I expect to the normal tv watching Tux wallpaper, and to start answering questions for the upgrade.

So, my question is: Is there a fix for this or did I do something wrong?

By the way, a downgrade to R5F1 worked fine, the system is back in gear (with out the Schedules Direct support :cry: )


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PostPosted: Wed Oct 03, 2007 6:19 pm 
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Joined: Tue Feb 10, 2004 12:56 am
Posts: 6
Location: Livermore, California
Well, it must be something unique with my system, doesn't seem to be any other comments on the problem. Guess I look for the Myth upgrades to use Schedules Direct.


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Wed Oct 03, 2007 6:33 pm 
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Joined: Wed Nov 16, 2005 8:55 pm
Posts: 1381
Location: Farmington, MI USA
Are you using the TV-out from the 350? Searching the forums should give you solutions, also be sure to see http://mysettopbox.tv/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=16384 - section 5 of Known Changes


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Wed Oct 03, 2007 9:04 pm 
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Joined: Thu Mar 25, 2004 11:00 am
Posts: 9551
Location: Arlington, MA
mallison wrote:
Well, it must be something unique with my system, doesn't seem to be any other comments on the problem.

Actually there have been a bunch. You must be searching for the wrong keywords. The R5F27 Hints should point you to the right threads.


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Mon Oct 08, 2007 1:05 pm 
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Joined: Sun Aug 05, 2007 6:01 pm
Posts: 15
i am getting the same thing on a fresh install and im using an nvidia 8400gs video card (no pvr 350).

I just get that installing nvidia bla bla and then boom black screen and I can't do anything but hit reset on the case.


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Mon Oct 08, 2007 2:03 pm 
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Joined: Sun Oct 29, 2006 7:36 am
Posts: 11
Location: Wellington, New Zealand
Getting a similar result with a clean install.

I've been through a few installs trying to work it out.

Have consistently found the problem does not occur until I run mythfilldatabase to import the channels and listings. The next reboot after that, I get the same symptoms as you have noted. If it's the same, you'll notice can ssh etc to the box until 'nVidia video driver installation'.

With mine, it does seem to be importing channel data that triggers it. If don't run mythfilldatabase and set everything else up, it reboots fine. Can change my xorg config, upgrade nvidia, etc. Reboot a few times. Then as soon as load the channel data the next reboot crashes the box after 'Checking nVidia video driver installation. '

Booting the box on a boot disk have found that it is crashing on starting x.
Had a look at the xorg.log, didn't noticed errors (although not sure what am looking for).
In the mythfrontend log am getting:
Code:
mythfrontend: Fatal IO error: client killed


If I rename startx, the box then boots fine. Can manually run startx as the mythtv user and start the front-end.

I'm manually using mythfilldatabase as grabbers don't work for New Zealand. Have tried to channel data sources, same result for both (xmlTVNZ http://www.reven.co.nz/xmlTVNZ/xmlTVNZ.aspx and data from http://nice.net.nz/epg/).

Have a 7600GS if it is card related (occurs both with a monitor only config and dual screen config).


mau108, does this sound the same as your issue?


Can anyone suggest ideas of why the issue is only trigged when channel lists are imported?


My next steps are to try and get it down to a set of steps to cause the issue and minimum xml file.

_________________
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Scott Walsh
http://zone3.net.nz/

Knoppmyth R5F27 on Silverstone LC-16m


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Mon Oct 08, 2007 7:45 pm 
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Joined: Sun Aug 05, 2007 6:01 pm
Posts: 15
profnz wrote:
Getting a similar result with a clean install.

I've been through a few installs trying to work it out.

Have consistently found the problem does not occur until I run mythfilldatabase to import the channels and listings. The next reboot after that, I get the same symptoms as you have noted. If it's the same, you'll notice can ssh etc to the box until 'nVidia video driver installation'.

With mine, it does seem to be importing channel data that triggers it. If don't run mythfilldatabase and set everything else up, it reboots fine. Can change my xorg config, upgrade nvidia, etc. Reboot a few times. Then as soon as load the channel data the next reboot crashes the box after 'Checking nVidia video driver installation. '

Booting the box on a boot disk have found that it is crashing on starting x.
Had a look at the xorg.log, didn't noticed errors (although not sure what am looking for).
In the mythfrontend log am getting:
Code:
mythfrontend: Fatal IO error: client killed


If I rename startx, the box then boots fine. Can manually run startx as the mythtv user and start the front-end.

I'm manually using mythfilldatabase as grabbers don't work for New Zealand. Have tried to channel data sources, same result for both (xmlTVNZ http://www.reven.co.nz/xmlTVNZ/xmlTVNZ.aspx and data from http://nice.net.nz/epg/).

Have a 7600GS if it is card related (occurs both with a monitor only config and dual screen config).


mau108, does this sound the same as your issue?


Can anyone suggest ideas of why the issue is only trigged when channel lists are imported?


My next steps are to try and get it down to a set of steps to cause the issue and minimum xml file.


Exact problem. I get the C7 init error, then I manually force the 9755 drivers, reboot and and after that mythfilldatabase and then when it says Checking nVidia video driver installation and boom black screen (ill call it the black screen of death lol, who says windows is crap, nix has a bsod too!)

So how did you get it to load? I'm a complete noob when it comes to nix so I will need exact commands step by step. (maybe you can add me on msn or something...)

I got so fed up with this crap I just unplugged my nix drive and left my windows mce hdd on boot, works perfectly :)

thanks


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Mon Oct 08, 2007 10:16 pm 
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Joined: Sun Oct 29, 2006 7:36 am
Posts: 11
Location: Wellington, New Zealand
I haven't solved the issue yet (welcome suggestions if people have on why startx is causing a system crash only after loading channel data with a xorg.conf that otherwise works).

For me, 9755 was installed, so didn't need to install it myself.

I just the box to start with a command prompt instead of a GUI and then manually started the GUI (the black screen didn't occur when did this).

To get it start with a command prompt, did the following:
Booted off a CD of Knoppix.
Opened a command prompt.
Mounted the HDD. (The below is based on an auto install with a SATA drive. If you have a IDE drive it would be /dev/hda1)
Code:
mount /dev/sda1

Rename startx (this is the path from memory as don't have the box in front of me)
Code:
mv /mnt/sda1/usr/bin/startx /mnt/sda1/usr/bin/startx.org

Remove CD and reboot.

The box box starts, it'll complain about not finding startx, then give you a command prompt.

To start the GUI (and mythfrontend), I can't remember the exact command off the top of my head.
If you run:
cat /etc/inittab
You'll see a config entry near the end of the file which is the command that starts up mythfrontend as the mythtv user.
It's along the lines of:
Code:
su - mythtv -c 'path to startx and mythfront end command etc'

As you renamed startx to startx.org, you'll have to enter that command line using startx.org instead.

_________________
---
Scott Walsh
http://zone3.net.nz/

Knoppmyth R5F27 on Silverstone LC-16m


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Tue Oct 09, 2007 5:32 am 
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Joined: Sun Oct 29, 2006 7:36 am
Posts: 11
Location: Wellington, New Zealand
Having done another clean install, have again found that it is only after importing channel listings that my box crashes on boot.
It seems to be that loading data with mythfilldatabase is the trigger for this weird issue.

I haven't solved this, but do a have a little work around.

Have found if insert a 10 sec pause in the boot process before X starts, then it then carries on and boots X with no issues.

My best *guess* is the install-nvidia-debian is still doing something in the background with mythfrontend loads and then it causes a crash. But most be something mythfrontend does with channel data. Given only a couple of people have noticed this, maybe it is quite hardware specific.

If anyone has ideas to try that that might fix it, let me know me, would be good to solve so that it does not cause other people an issues in newer versions. I can get the problem back again by removing my pause.

For anyone that has this issue, paste all of the below into a root prompt. (it creates a new init script to do a pause and sets up the links so it is after the install-nvidia-debian).

Code:


cat > /etc/init.d/initpause << "EOF"

#! /bin/sh
### BEGIN INIT INFO
# Provides:          initpause
# Default-Start:     1 2 3 4 5
# Default-Stop:
# Short-Description: Introduces a 10 sec pause to the init.d process
### END INIT INFO

PATH=/sbin:/bin
LENGTH=10
. /lib/lsb/init-functions

case "$1" in
start)  log_daemon_msg "Starting ${LENGTH} second pause" "Pause"
        sleep ${LENGTH}
        log_end_msg $?
        ;;
stop)   log_daemon_msg "Stopping ${LENGTH} second pause" "Pause"
        sleep ${LENGTH}
        log_end_msg $?
        ;;
restart) log_daemon_msg "Restarting periodic command scheduler" "crond"
        start-stop-daemon --stop --retry 5 --quiet --pidfile /var/run/crond.pid --name cron
        start-stop-daemon --start --quiet --pidfile /var/run/crond.pid --name cron --startas /usr/sbin/cron -- $LSBNAMES
        log_end_msg $?
        ;;
*)      log_action_msg "Usage: /etc/init.d/cron {start|stop}"
        exit 2
        ;;
esac
exit 0

EOF

chmod 755 /etc/init.d/initpause
ln -s ../init.d/initpause /etc/rc5.d/S95initpause





_________________
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Scott Walsh
http://zone3.net.nz/

Knoppmyth R5F27 on Silverstone LC-16m


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Tue Oct 09, 2007 10:28 pm 
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Joined: Wed Jan 18, 2006 8:36 pm
Posts: 199
I had a similar, but different problem and I solved it in almost the same way. My whole system would lock-up at the "Checking Nvidia ..." message.

I modified /etc/init.d/mythtv-backend to add a "sleep 15" right before the "exit 0" at the bottom. I have a PVR-500 and a Air2PC which cause 3 firmware files to load. My hypothesis was this was causing some type of race condition when Xorg starts. The "sleep 15" allows more than enough time for all the firmwares to load.

I have been using KnoppMyth for quite a long time and this is the first time I have seen this. I suspect it's an ivtv problem since the kernel in R5F27 is almost the same as R5F1.


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Tue Oct 09, 2007 10:50 pm 
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Joined: Sun Oct 29, 2006 7:36 am
Posts: 11
Location: Wellington, New Zealand
The last entries I was getting in /var/log/messages before the whole box crashed were IVTV related....

_________________
---
Scott Walsh
http://zone3.net.nz/

Knoppmyth R5F27 on Silverstone LC-16m


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Wed Nov 07, 2007 1:22 pm 
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Joined: Thu Dec 14, 2006 6:22 am
Posts: 10
Sounds similar to my problem upgrading to R5F27 on an Epia ME-6000 (sorry, can't remember what I upgraded FROM...R5E something I think.)

I just got a black screen when it went to start X. Couldn't switch to a console, couldn't SSH in. I also renamed startx (just to make it unavailable,) and that finally got a command prompt in runlevel 5. At that prompt I had no network, no X capability, and little else to work with. I ended up going back to the older install and doing a manual upgrade to the most recent Myth, just to get the Schedules Direct.

Dumb question from a not-newbie: why am I messing with an nVidia driver when I have the Epia board? I thought that was a Unichrome driver? Am I asking an unbelievably dumb question? I have a 3-year-old boy, so I've got like 10 minutes a day to work on this stuff...that's the time between when he falls asleep and when I fall asleep. My Myth box has been down for 2 months!


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Wed Nov 07, 2007 4:26 pm 
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Joined: Wed Nov 16, 2005 8:55 pm
Posts: 1381
Location: Farmington, MI USA
scratch wrote:
Sounds similar to my problem upgrading to R5F27 on an Epia ME-6000 (sorry, can't remember what I upgraded FROM...R5E something I think.)

I just got a black screen when it went to start X. Couldn't switch to a console, couldn't SSH in. I also renamed startx (just to make it unavailable,) and that finally got a command prompt in runlevel 5. At that prompt I had no network, no X capability, and little else to work with. I ended up going back to the older install and doing a manual upgrade to the most recent Myth, just to get the Schedules Direct.
See http://mysettopbox.tv/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=16408 , particularly the solution(s) on the 2nd page...


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Wed Nov 07, 2007 6:19 pm 
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Joined: Thu Dec 14, 2006 6:22 am
Posts: 10
Slowtolearn, that looks like my answer!

Many thanks!


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 Post subject: Thank you!
PostPosted: Tue Feb 05, 2008 7:09 am 
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Joined: Sun Feb 05, 2006 10:28 am
Posts: 4
ProfNZ, you are awesome!!! You finally put an end to hours of frustration! Thanks again.


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