Trying to track faults
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Trying to track faults
There are two visible symptoms.
The system will be left working but periodically, the tuners seem to become detached from mythtv (blank screen after selecting live TV); and
The mouse cursor movements have become small, requiring lots of movements to the mouse.
A reboot brings it back again ... for a time.
The system was built just over 3 years ago and ran trouble free for about 18 months.
----------------------------------------------------------
I am running MythTV version 0.27.4 On Mageia 5.1 on a well endowed Intel core i3 micro-ATX custom build.
Both front and backends are on this machine. I can however access the backend wirelessly from another machine.
The latest mythpreviewgen log file showed some surprises:
DBHostName is not set in config.xml is not true, for example
Empty LocalHostName (presumably in config.xml) also not true
Error: Could not create builtinStorage Group directory '@syscondir@/mythtv/3rdParty' for '3rdParty'
Error: Could not create builtinStorage Group directory '@syscondir@/mythtv/channels' for 'ChannelIcons'
Error: Could not create builtinStorage Group directory '@syscondir@/mythtv/tmp/hls' for 'Streaming'
Error: Could not create builtinStorage Group directory '@syscondir@/mythtv/tmp' for 'Temp'
Error: Could not create builtinStorage Group directory '@syscondir@/mythtv/themes' for 'Themes'
Why would these show up?
Of course this may have nothing to do with the problem but I would like to be sure.
Any advice would be welcome. TIA
The system will be left working but periodically, the tuners seem to become detached from mythtv (blank screen after selecting live TV); and
The mouse cursor movements have become small, requiring lots of movements to the mouse.
A reboot brings it back again ... for a time.
The system was built just over 3 years ago and ran trouble free for about 18 months.
----------------------------------------------------------
I am running MythTV version 0.27.4 On Mageia 5.1 on a well endowed Intel core i3 micro-ATX custom build.
Both front and backends are on this machine. I can however access the backend wirelessly from another machine.
The latest mythpreviewgen log file showed some surprises:
DBHostName is not set in config.xml is not true, for example
Empty LocalHostName (presumably in config.xml) also not true
Error: Could not create builtinStorage Group directory '@syscondir@/mythtv/3rdParty' for '3rdParty'
Error: Could not create builtinStorage Group directory '@syscondir@/mythtv/channels' for 'ChannelIcons'
Error: Could not create builtinStorage Group directory '@syscondir@/mythtv/tmp/hls' for 'Streaming'
Error: Could not create builtinStorage Group directory '@syscondir@/mythtv/tmp' for 'Temp'
Error: Could not create builtinStorage Group directory '@syscondir@/mythtv/themes' for 'Themes'
Why would these show up?
Of course this may have nothing to do with the problem but I would like to be sure.
Any advice would be welcome. TIA
Re: Trying to track faults
Those errors indicate that the user running the program doesn't have the correct permissions to create those directories.
In the log you should see a line like
That is the config directory where the myth programs store theme, cache files, scaled images etc. I would sort that mess out before going any further.
In the log you should see a line like
Code: Select all
Using configuration directory = /home/paul/.mythtv
Re: Trying to track faults
The file shows:
Using configuration directory = @syscondir@/mythtv
I have searched for syscondir both as an environment variable and on the web. Nothing!
Using configuration directory = @syscondir@/mythtv
I have searched for syscondir both as an environment variable and on the web. Nothing!
Re: Trying to track faults
Hi,
Make sure the backend is starting as the expected user, typically mythtv
e.g. with the --user switch.
...tuners seem to become detached ...
I'd 1st look in the backend logs for clues. Plus this may yield a hint:
...The mouse cursor movements have become small, requiring lots of movements to the mouse...
Is the same true if the backend isn't started at boot time?
...The latest mythpreviewgen log file showed some surprises:
DBHostName is not set in config.xml is not true, for example
Empty LocalHostName (presumably in config.xml) also not true...
Looks like defaults are being used. DBHostName doesn't exist in a normal config.xml.
See: https://www.mythtv.org/wiki/Config.xml#Troubleshooting . I'd ignore the rest of the
messages 'til this is fixes. Note that syscondir doesn't exist in the source either. It should
be the value in $MYTHCONFDIR, so I'd check yours.
These may help:
Make sure the backend is starting as the expected user, typically mythtv
e.g. with the --user switch.
...tuners seem to become detached ...
I'd 1st look in the backend logs for clues. Plus this may yield a hint:
Code: Select all
curl --silent yourBackend:6544/Dvr/GetEncoderList | sed "s/></>\n</g" | egrep "<CardId>|<DisplayName>|<Status>"
Expect lines like these (with either Recording or Unknown for status):
<CardId>26</CardId>
<DisplayName>ATSC-0</DisplayName>
<Status>Recording</Status>
<CardId>28</CardId>
<DisplayName>ATSC-1</DisplayName>
<Status>Unknown</Status>
Is the same true if the backend isn't started at boot time?
...The latest mythpreviewgen log file showed some surprises:
DBHostName is not set in config.xml is not true, for example
Empty LocalHostName (presumably in config.xml) also not true...
Looks like defaults are being used. DBHostName doesn't exist in a normal config.xml.
See: https://www.mythtv.org/wiki/Config.xml#Troubleshooting . I'd ignore the rest of the
messages 'til this is fixes. Note that syscondir doesn't exist in the source either. It should
be the value in $MYTHCONFDIR, so I'd check yours.
These may help:
Code: Select all
ls -ld {~mythtv,~}/.mythtv/config.xml
diff {~mythtv,~}/.mythtv/config.xml
- dizygotheca
- Developer
- Posts: 267
- Joined: Wed Sep 03, 2014 9:02 am
Re: Trying to track faults
Empty LocalHostName is normal. It just means your config.xml isn't overriding the box's hostname.
Seems @syscondir@ is a Mageia var
https://bugs.mageia.org/show_bug.cgi?id=10972
https://bugs.mageia.org/show_bug.cgi?id=19127
Myth checks environment vars MYTHCONFDIR, MYTHTVDIR, LOCALAPPDATA & HOME
They're expected to be absolute paths, i.e. your startup scripts should be expanding @syscondir@ when it sets them.
Seems @syscondir@ is a Mageia var
https://bugs.mageia.org/show_bug.cgi?id=10972
https://bugs.mageia.org/show_bug.cgi?id=19127
Myth checks environment vars MYTHCONFDIR, MYTHTVDIR, LOCALAPPDATA & HOME
They're expected to be absolute paths, i.e. your startup scripts should be expanding @syscondir@ when it sets them.
Re: Trying to track faults
After checking that all permissions were correct, from the command line I stopped the backend, deleted all the logs and restarted it using the --user switch.
It has been working fine for about 16 or 17 hours so far.
During the the backend startup no errors showed up on the terminal but no fresh log file(s) have been created in /var/logs/mythtv.
I'll just hold my breath for now. It has sometimes failed after a month or so.
It has been working fine for about 16 or 17 hours so far.
During the the backend startup no errors showed up on the terminal but no fresh log file(s) have been created in /var/logs/mythtv.
I'll just hold my breath for now. It has sometimes failed after a month or so.
Re: Trying to track faults
Running fine after four days but I still have queries:
1) The only change that I made was to run the backend with the "--user mythtv" argument.
Surely mythtv is the default user? Why then would I have needed to force it with an argument?
2) How can I get the argument to be observed at boot-up?
1) The only change that I made was to run the backend with the "--user mythtv" argument.
Surely mythtv is the default user? Why then would I have needed to force it with an argument?
2) How can I get the argument to be observed at boot-up?
Re: Trying to track faults
The user is selected at startup. At boot time, it's the user that starts the backend
typically from an init script, Upstart .conf, .service file etc.
I looked at the Mageia site and saw conflicting information about what's
used, e.g. a script or systemd. If you know, folks here can explain how
to change the user. The --user switch is one way.
I use systemd and just put: User=mythtv in the [Service] section.
typically from an init script, Upstart .conf, .service file etc.
I looked at the Mageia site and saw conflicting information about what's
used, e.g. a script or systemd. If you know, folks here can explain how
to change the user. The --user switch is one way.
I use systemd and just put: User=mythtv in the [Service] section.
Re: Trying to track faults
Thank you. That's very helpful.