well, everything has been going great with mythtv, but im stumped at the moment since my working box suddenly stopped scheduling recordings.

basically, i have several programs in the recording schedules yet my upcoming recordings remains empty. I tried telling it to record a program using mythweb and the frontend and neither worked. Ive rerun mythfilldatabase, deleted my tuner cards and reinstalled them with mythtv-setup, i've attempted mythbackend --resched (doesn't sem to work) and mythbackend --testsched seems to work just fine.

some of the errors?

from /var/log/mythbackend.log
[code]2006-10-10 23:21:40.476 Using runtime prefix = /usr
2006-10-10 23:21:40.681 Unable to read configuration file mysql.txt
2006-10-10 23:21:40.790 Trying to create a basic mysql.txt file
2006-10-10 23:21:40.999 Could not create //.mythtv
2006-10-10 23:21:41.057 Failed to init MythContext, exiting.
2006-10-10 23:34:51.142 Using runtime prefix = /usr
2006-10-10 23:34:51.346 Unable to read configuration file mysql.txt
2006-10-10 23:34:51.566 Trying to create a basic mysql.txt file
2006-10-10 23:34:51.699 Could not create //.mythtv
2006-10-10 23:34:51.701 Failed to init MythContext, exiting.
2006-10-10 23:50:19.226 Using runtime prefix = /usr
2006-10-10 23:50:19.440 Unable to read configuration file mysql.txt
2006-10-10 23:50:19.532 Trying to create a basic mysql.txt file
2006-10-10 23:50:19.742 Could not create //.mythtv
2006-10-10 23:50:19.807 Failed to init MythContext, exiting.
[/code]

i made sure all mysql.txt files are read/write

running mythbackend and outputting errors to a file:
[code]
2006-10-11 00:01:39.896 Using runtime prefix = /usr
2006-10-11 00:01:39.950 New DB connection, total: 1
2006-10-11 00:01:39.959 Connected to database 'mythconverg' at host: localhost
2006-10-11 00:01:39.978 Current Schema Version: 1160
Running as a slave backend.
2006-10-11 00:01:40.179 New DB connection, total: 2
2006-10-11 00:01:40.181 Connected to database 'mythconverg' at host: localhost
2006-10-11 00:01:40.184 EITHelper: localtime offset -4:00:00
2006-10-11 00:01:40.292 New DB connection, total: 3
2006-10-11 00:01:40.294 Connected to database 'mythconverg' at host: localhost
2006-10-11 00:01:40.440 EITHelper: localtime offset -4:00:00
2006-10-11 00:01:40.501 Main::Starting HttpServer
2006-10-11 00:01:40.600 Main::Registering HttpStatus Extension
2006-10-11 00:01:40.620 mythbackend version: 0.20.20060828-3 www.mythtv.org
2006-10-11 00:01:40.621 Enabled verbose msgs: important general
2006-10-11 00:01:40.623 AutoExpire: Found 2 recorders w/max rate of 144 MiB/min
2006-10-11 00:01:40.626 AutoExpire: Required Free Space: 3.1 GB w/freq: 10 min
2006-10-11 00:01:41.645 Connecting to master server: 127.0.0.1:6543
2006-10-11 00:01:41.648 Connected successfully
2006-10-11 00:01:50.805 JobQueue: Transcode Starting for NFL Football "Miami Dolphins at New England Patriots": 3.0 GB (Low Quality)
2006-10-11 00:01:51.537 Using runtime prefix = /usr
2006-10-11 00:01:51.608 New DB connection, total: 1
2006-10-11 00:01:51.636 Connected to database 'mythconverg' at host: localhost
2006-10-11 00:01:51.640 Enabled verbose msgs: important
2006-10-11 00:01:51.643 New DB connection, total: 2
2006-10-11 00:01:51.645 Connected to database 'mythconverg' at host: localhost
2006-10-11 00:01:51.681 Transcoding from /myth/tv/3028_20061008130000.nuv to /myth/tv/3028_20061008130000.nuv.tmp
2006-10-11 00:01:51.811 Connecting to backend server: 127.0.0.1:6543 (try 1 of 5)
2006-10-11 00:01:58.818 MythSocket(810ad90:6): readStringList: Error, timeout (quick).
2006-10-11 00:01:58.820 Unexpected response to MYTH_PROTO_VERSION:
2006-10-11 00:01:59.643 Copying Audio while transcoding Video
2006-10-11 00:02:11.696 MythSocket(8171328:9): readStringList: Error, timeout.
2006-10-11 00:02:11.827 Unknown socket closing
2006-10-11 00:02:11.828 adding: mythtv as a slave backend server
2006-10-11 00:02:11.831 MythSocket(815c140:-1): writeStringList: Error, socket went unconnected.
2006-10-11 00:02:11.833 MythSocket(817bd80:-1): writeStringList: Error, socket went unconnected.
2006-10-11 00:02:17.833 AutoExpire: Found 2 recorders w/max rate of 144 MiB/min
[/code]

[b]Unexpected response to MYTH_PROTO_VERSION:[/b] seems to be the error, and i dont know why it cant connect to the backend only seconds after it just connected?!?! then there are just all sorts of errors.

hmmm think it may be fixed... noticed that i had the transcoding going and a limit of one simultaneous job on the backend... changed both parameters and now i have scheduled shows? whatever, it's working again

Could you be more specific as to how you fixed this? I'm having the same problem and I haven't been able to get it fixed. Thank you.

Edit: I actually had a different problem with the same symptoms. Turns out on my original install I set the hostname to 'mythbox' and on the upgrade I left it 'mythtv'. After changing the hostname in the backup database to 'mythtv' and restoring the database I was able to get it working.

I'm not sure this is related cause-wise, but I have the exact same symptoms. mythbackend --testsched prints 297 entries, but --printsched just gives an empty list. It started Wednesday, I think possibly after I came home and found the machine frozen. I rebooted and after an fsck everybody was happy, I thought, but no recordings since then. I know there were scheduled recordings at least up through next week, so it's not a case of the scheduler failing, but actually the existing schedules got hosed.

Briefly, I've tried some stuff I found in old mailing list archives, like running mysqlcheck on the database or removing recently-added schedules (though none are anywhere near as new as the problem). I'm running up against a wall, and that wall is my limited troubleshooting ability


Can anybody help me follow the trail back to a functioning system?

I have also been having a similar sounding problem, and have found that it is my program.MYI database table has become corrupted. There is a detailed thread on fixing database tables somewhere, but basically what I do is the following:

shutdown backend and mysql (I su to root before doing this...):


to check DBs:


search the output for 'corrupted', and/or 'fix'. This will give you a list of DB tables you need to fix. Typically it has been my program.MYI where the problem is... which results in the symptom of recordings being there, etc... but no upcoming recordings and program listings aren't working.

to fix:


You would substitute other DB table names in place of 'program' if others show corrupted as well.

When this is done, I just reboot the box, though I'm sure you could restart all the DB and the backend again... but reboot is the easy way.

I've actually been having a LOT of DB corruption problems with R5F27, but I was also having problems with my previous hard drive, so I thought that was the root of the problem. But, I put another drive in... and all my other issues have gone away, but I'm still experiencing DB corruption. I'll give it a few more days though and see. I've only been running on the new drive for about 3 days. It has been corrupt 2 mornings since. (maybe it could have something to do with the nightly program guide update?)

-Steve

Just a general note, if you're seeing any kind of flakiness with your system, RAM and HD are always good things to check. EVERYTHING goes through your RAM so a problem there can show symptoms that look like almost any other kind of system problem. Your disk (and disk subsystem, meaning cables, controller, ...) is a close second, since it contains all your programs and data. Finally, don't discount a bad install. Some of the most bizarre problems we've seen reported here have been traced back to problems with install CDs. Even the developers and testers aren't immune to this problem.

here is the thread you spoke of.
http://mysettopbox.tv/phpBB2/viewtopic. ... base+error
But I didn't find anything and I still have no upcoming recordings.

So long story short Make sure you have ALLLLLLLLLLL of the settings in mythtv-setup are correct.
I just wasted HOURS because first my tuner card came unseated (I replaced the cpu heatsink today) and then the settings in setup got erased.
Keep It Simple Stupid
KISS KISS KISS KISS KISS KISS KISS
KISS KISS KISS KISS KISS KISS KISS
Lean from me children I make many mistakes.

Just another followup.

My system has been working really well the last week or so.... except for my program.MYI getting corrupted a couple more times. It has been less frequent (hasn't happened for a couple days now), but it is odd that it has only been that one DB. I suppose that DB sees the most activity, so it might be most likely to become corrupted? (Gosh, I sure hope I have eliminated my hardware issues, after video card, RAM, and Harddrive ).

-Steve

I knew if I posted that it was all happy, it would do it again... lol.

Here is what myisamchk *.MYI reports on program.MYI if it is of any help. It happened sometime overnight. Otherwise the box seems fine.



Easy to fix, but I have no idea why it keeps happening.

-Steve

Do you have a UPS on that system? Could someone be turning it off or unplugging it (even temporarily) on you? The most common cause of DB crashes are non-clean system shutdowns.

Disk or memory problems would be next on my list. Cecil includes the memtest utility on the CD for this very reason.

I second that memtest suggestion and add that you should run it for a long time, like 48 hours if you can.

I posted because I also find that heat, and that means the random temperature changes in the house, can be the indicator of weak components.

WARNING: Note that the following can make a bad problem worse so if you have minor corruption now, it may be worse. Back up your irreplaceable recordings before trying this and be aware that it could even cause a weak component to completely fail leaving your system dead.

Fry's often sells seagate 500gig external USB hard drives for $120 (mount it readwrite, mount it with ntfs-3g, or reformat it as EXT3) and you can take the hard drive out of the plastic case and use it as normal (internal, non-USB) hard drive that you could buy for $100. MythTV "Optical disks -> Archive files -> Export video files -> Create Native Archive" allows you to archive to any mounted device (after selecting the recordings you want to archive). ...or use Clonezilla, GPartEd or even dd, to back it up at the hard drive level, but I digress.

WARNING: Modern hard drives have something like an aircraft "black box" built into them with S.M.A.R.T.. They know what temperature they are running at and excessive heat is sometimes listed as voiding the warranty.

Throw a blanket over the whole PC case so that the exhausted heat recirculates under the blanket and memtest it that way for 24 hours. If there are no errors use it normally that way for 24 hours. Did the symptoms get worse? Take the case off and put a desktop fan blowing in to keep everything cool. Use it for another 24 hours. Did it get better?

Once you get it running well under the blanket, you know you have an extra heat margin while running it normally. This is a good way to find usable settings if you are overclocking too.

If your find that it gets really flaky when hot then you can buy a can of "air duster in a can" to cool off individual componenets. Just hold the can upside down and carefully spray suspected components until it starts to work better. Hot spots inside the case can often be cured with case mods and an added fan once you know what component needs extra cooling.

Hope you find your problem. It sounds like a hardware issue. I hope your motherboad doesn't have a VIA chipset in it.

Cliff

_________________
R5F27 using R5F1 Nvidia drivers
HD-5500 analog from NTSC Sat Rx, with OTA DVB too
GeForce MX-440 SVideo tvout to a TV
Older dual core 3.4ghz Intel CPU
Asus P5PE-VM Motherboard
2 GB RAM
1 TB LVM2
VirtualBox
Samba

Yes, it could be a power problem, however, I don't have indications that the box shutdown or restarted at the times in question. I have been having a problem where my box has shutdown when the UPS beeped (a surge maybe), where my router and such (also on the USP) didn't go down... so my box is more picky about power. However, at the times where my program.MYI has gone corrupt, there is no signs of this having happend that I can tell.

I also ran memtest for over 14 hours... though I've not gone anything near 48 hours. S.M.A.R.T. doesn't show any problems with the drive, however, it didn't catch any problems with my previous hard drive which was obviously having issues... so I think S.M.A.R.T. is a probably about as effective as the RAM test the BIOS does... only catches the most severe and obvious of problems.

-Steve

I too noticed this today. I followed Steves post and it sorted itself out.

Only occured since the upgrade, have put different drives in, but the rest of the hardware has been running solid for the last couple of years.

_________________
DRM 'manages access' in the same way that jail 'manages freedom.'
_________________
Intel P4 2.6
Intel Desktop Board
2GB DDR400
nVidia 6600GT
Dvico HDTV+
Dvico Dual 4
200GB WD for Swap /boot & /
2x 500GB WD with LVM & XFS for /myth/tv

BTW - There are a couple different scripts available to do this in an automated fashion. For complete directions see: http://www.knoppmythwiki.org/index.php?page=RepairingMythConvergDB