Unstable Media Server

[smytus]

I have been having major issues with the media server on my n2100.

I had no problems the first few days, adding music, updaing tags to it would all sort right. But now it all messed up. When I had it working, I saved a conficuration. After messing with a bunch of settings to try and get WMA to work, it started doing this. I reloaded the config file, and everything was working again. I have left it alone since then, resigned to the limitations of mediabolic. Well now it doesn't work at all. The admin menu won't add or remove folders. The onlything that seems to work is enable/disable. But my PS3 would only see 2 artists, SoftDMA would see what I had before the last update (rescan) I did. I reloaded the config, nothing, same issues. I finally got it to remove the folder, and re added it, then SoftDMA sees nothing, then the whole server dropped from SoftDMA. What can I do?

[smytus]

OK, so it does shows up after a reboot or disable/enable cycle, but only long enough to show up, if I try to access it, nothing is there, and it I refresh the server list in softDMA, it's gone.

[Thecus - Yvon]

Dear Sir,

If possible, please provide us some description about your media contents, probably system in list generate perocessing.

Also please verify the iTunes server is working fine or not, to rid off other system instable issue.

Yvon

[smytus]

I probably have 120-150 albums so far. All MP3, and the last time I had it working fine was 50-70 albums. I will have to try the itunes server, I haven't used it yet. The list generation has actually been a bit of a mystery to me, as for how long it takes, and what my corrupt it.

Thanks

[MMC65]

yes I seem to have the same problem I have even disable the drive power saver features, In the likelyhood that the linux/mediabolic softeware does not like the drive to be powering off to save power. But even with this as far as I have got it to go was up to seeing the 3 mail folders
(Photo Album/Pictures) (Videos clips/Videos) (Music library/music) with the PS3 and with the Acer at3507T-MGW which both support DLNA/UPNP and do work with Windows Media Player 11 but seem to show nothing on the N2100 with mediabolic server software.

The PS3 said there is a network problem after showing the 3 main folders it does not show any media files. The PS3 (v1.90 firmware) works with the window media player 11 (media server) but fails with the N2100 cannot see any files in the 3 main folders reports a network problem with the N2100 mediaserver.

The Acer 3507T-MGW with Media Gate seems to pick up the Windows Media Player 11 files OK but
again only show the 3 main folders and when you try to go into music or pictures or videos it TIMESOUT after search again indicating a problem with the N2100 Mediabolic servers file sharing or XML being corrupt ... the PC Windows Media files for the pictures/music/videos shows up OK and streams OK ..... but the N2100 Mdiabolic seems to FAIL if you have more than a few thousand files on it ...

There is no indication of :
1) How many files are being shared from the media folders - how do you know if it is 0 or 5234 files in music ...
2) RESCAN does not show in the log how many files have been added or removed
3) RESCAN does not show it the scan worked in the log or failed
4) RESCAN does not show if a error occured during the scan in the log
5) RESCAN does not show if a error occured with the file data or name or sub-directory name in the log and if it stopped due to a possible corrupt file name or data/directory
6) there is not status available to the admin to show how many files are shared from each mediabolic - media folder next to the RESCAN/DELETE buttons .... This makes the administrator totally blind to what if anything is working with the MEDIABOLIC tab on of the administrator console/web page.

Does anyone know if there how to test mediaservers from a Windows XP/Vista PC to try diagnose why this problem happens???????????????

[MMC65]

yes I seem to have the same problem I have even disable the drive power saver features, In the likelyhood that the linux/mediabolic softeware does not like the drive to be powering off to save power. But even with this as far as I have got it to go was up to seeing the 3 mail folders
(Photo Album/Pictures) (Videos clips/Videos) (Music library/music) with the PS3 and with the Acer at3507T-MGW which both support DLNA/UPNP and do work with Windows Media Player 11 but seem to show nothing on the N2100 with mediabolic server software.

The PS3 said there is a network problem after showing the 3 main folders it does not show any media files. The PS3 (v1.90 firmware) works with the window media player 11 (media server) but fails with the N2100 cannot see any files in the 3 main folders reports a network problem with the N2100 mediaserver.

The Acer 3507T-MGW with Media Gate seems to pick up the Windows Media Player 11 files OK but
again only show the 3 main folders and when you try to go into music or pictures or videos it TIMESOUT after search again indicating a problem with the N2100 Mediabolic servers file sharing or XML being corrupt ... the PC Windows Media files for the pictures/music/videos shows up OK and streams OK ..... but the N2100 Mdiabolic seems to FAIL if you have more than a few thousand files on it ...

There is no indication of :
1) How many files are being shared from the media folders - how do you know if it is 0 or 5234 files in music ...
2) RESCAN does not show in the log how many files have been added or removed
3) RESCAN does not show it the scan worked in the log or failed
4) RESCAN does not show if a error occured during the scan in the log
5) RESCAN does not show if a error occured with the file data or name or sub-directory name in the log and if it stopped due to a possible corrupt file name or data/directory
6) there is not status available to the admin to show how many files are shared from each mediabolic - media folder next to the RESCAN/DELETE buttons .... This makes the administrator totally blind to what if anything is working with the MEDIABOLIC tab on of the administrator console/web page.

Does anyone know if there how to test mediaservers from a Windows XP/Vista PC to try diagnose why this problem happens???????????????

[smytus]

OK I have been able to test the iTunes server. It seems stables, so what recourse is left for the mediabolic server?

[MMC65]

I have further changed all devices on my network to use DHCP addressing via my LINKSYS WRT54G router.
I the network settings I have added thecus.com and dynamic addressing since it seems the N2100 wants a domain name of some type and I do not have my own domain as I am not a business but a private residence.

Again only the 3 media folders show picture album/video clips and music library ... No files show inside the folders as either a network error or time out ocrror from my PS3 (1.90) and my Acer AT3705-MGW media gate client TV.

This seems to me to indicate that the firmware is BUGGY on N2100 as works with windows media player 11 sharing. THECUS need to provide more detail instuctions for the average home user as not everyone is a LINUX geek/wizard.

THECUS a small utility to test the mediabolic server from a PC under XP/XP64/Vista would greatly help
e.g.
1) Confirm connection - possible things to check if fails (I see the N2100 mediabolic server)
2) Confirm file are availability/XML intoperability fo DNLA (I cannot see these at all -no files in 3 main folders)/// what can I check here is it a firmware issue/reload need? Is it a router configuration issue/firewall etc what else can be checked
e.g. N2100 checklist / recommended rounter checklist /recommended firewall checklist


Is it possible the THECUS is not V1.0 DLNA backward compatible?

[MMC65]

After further testing of the Thecus with SoftDMA from Cyberlink (30 day trail) I was able to test the Thecus N2100 immediately after a reboot from a PC right next to it.
This is what I found so far was within seconds of the N2100 rebooting completing the Cyberlink SoftDMA from (DigitalHomeEnablerkit.zip) detected the N2100: Mediabolic Server.

Was able to get SoftDMA to show the 3 main folders then the sub-folder/categories/genres etc went in and displayed a picture, it worked, then when back and forth thru the menu and tried to display the same picture a few seconds later ... error file was not available/accessible .. a few seconds later the N2100: Mediabolic Server was not accessible. Rebooted it again the same thing happened.
Yet the samba shares and web-shares still accessible of the same folders.

Conclusion: The Mediabolic Server was finding a folder/file name or data it did not like and crashed or shutdown the service/server this seems very UNFORGIVING it should instead skip such a file or folder and continue serving what it can i.e. some form of exception testing in its script and log these exceptions to the log file so the administrator can rename or take the required action to fix the problem rather than guess and hit and missing or 4000 plus files and folders.


Temporary resolution until THECUS can fix the SCAN script to handle/skip exceptions and log them:
1) Remove all files and folders from N2100 to Computer backup
2) Add or move 1 file or folder or sub-folder 1 at a time to N2100
3) Re-scan the folders then test
4) if test worked go back to step 2)
5) if test failed remove last moved data back to Computer /Rescan and perhaps reboot N2100 in case Mediabolic server crashed or shutdown. Check files/folders names contain no invalid characters that are invalid under Linux as folder names or file names or for XML special tag characters, These may include , : [ ] ! @ % ~* ; etc check the release notes for firmware about these.
6) after a reboot test again.

I found after removing the file and rebooting the N2100 this work after 1 put 1 picture and 13 avi and 20 or so Mp3 in the various media folders and rescanning ... left the thing on overnight and tested it from the Acer AT3705-MGW which is a DLNA/ DMA player and it worked Mp3 played and avi Divx videos and the picture showed as well.

I guess now a process of elimination only 3962 files to go and then some.

NOT VERY FORGIVE THE MEDIABOLIC software or should I say DIABOLIC ... logging of scan problems would have made this easier to find rather the 5 bold patches I have from pulling my hair out.

[MMC65]

Update 3 Sept 2007 11am

Tested some more over the weekend and have managed to get 4.8gb out 5.1gb of my MP3 collection into the MUSIC folder under Mediabolic

I have also found in addition to the special characters / \ : * ? ” < > | [ ] = + ; , I also avoided double spaces in names and ['] single quote.

Now have not to the point where I am trying to put the last few folders and it crashes the MEDIABOLIC(DIABOLIC) server not sure why.
I remove the folder I last put on there and reboot/re-scan it works.
I am now wondering if there is a limits on the amount files or directories you can have under one share folder ...does the long files cause a problem e.g. 4000 or so long names fills the XML ?
I will try tonight to add that folder again and if it crashes again will remove another folder of the same size to elmininate this theory of number of files/directories issue..
Failing this and the renamed fils I might try the USHARE if I can fine some instruction on installing it.

[smytus]

I have followed the same path and have been able to get roughly 4gb of my 10gb back on an running. This is tedious at best, but I should only have to do it once.

[MMC65]

Sent them a detailed description step by step confirming lastest firmware - reformatted Raid to ensure latest Filesystem was being used and re test and put folders up 1 at a time even in MUSIC1 share and MUSIC2 share same problem hit a limit and the Mediabolic server software stopped responding.
Sent a 2 page detailed description that point to either some kind of folder limitation being hit like the old 100 file/folders in the root of a floppy issue but this maybe the amount of subfolders and folders and/or files count. Even tried put the folders within other folders to reduce the root count but this may not be the same under Linux.

Any way reply below from THECUS so looking forward to trying the new patch/firmware when they finish it. Think the long haul will be worth is because when I was under the limit it seem to work OK with PS3(Mp3 only tested) and Acer TV 3507-MGW gateway(for movies/mp3/pics) and tested with SoftDMA as well.

Dear Sir,

Thanks for your detail description about this issue and help us found the possible root cause about this issue, we will mail a patch for your updaet in recently, and inculded with this patch in new version firmware too.


Best Regards,

Yvon Lei
Technical Support
Thecus Technology Corp.
15F, No. 79, Xin Tai Wu Rd., Sec. 1, Xi-Zhi, Taipei County, Taiwan 221, R.O.C.
TEL: +886-2-2698-1788 ext. 611

[Thecus - Yvon]

Dear All,

The patch complete already, this pacth improve the Mediabolic index database over flow issue, please mail to support@thecus.com to get the patch and try.

Yvon.

[Thecus - Yvon]

Dear All,

Since V2.01.09 included with the patch and new Media Server V1.0.01 support SONY PS3 V2.20:

Firmware V2.01.09
http://www.thecus.com/Downloads/N2100_FW_2.01.09.bin
http://www.thecus.com/Downloads/N2100_FW_2.01.09.sum

Media Server V1.0.01:
SYSTEM->FIRWMARE UPGRADE
http://www.thecus.com/Downloads/Modu...LNA_1.0.01.zip

Yvon.