weird random misbehaviour on MB classic on upgraded machine

[aziz 10]

Hi,

 

I have just finished upgrading my MB2.6.2 to MB3 server and MB Classic.

 

During test, everything worked perfectly....

 

here is the setup very briefly:

 

 - MB3 Server is on the same PC (living room) as the old MB2.6.2.

 

 - Clients are scattered around the house, 5 extenders and one additional PC running MB Classic only (no server).

 

During the testing phase, MB Classic was running on a different PC than the server, and it was perfect without any errors or issues.

 

Once uninstalled MB2.6.2 from the PC containing the MB3 Server (PC living room - the main machine attached to a main TV - Also a games machine, so high end) and installed MB Classic, the following problems occurred, and still occurring randomly.  about 85% of the time:

 

1. when you try to play TV show, it will allow you to drill down until you reach the show you want, but when you press play, nothing happens.  If you keep backing out, and trying again in different ways, it eventually plays it (some times)

 

2. Once you start playing TV show, and after few minutes you press stop.  The video freezes on screen instead of stopping and presenting you with background image of TV show.  occasionally, when you press stop, it will behave as designed.

 

3. When you have TV or other items playing, and you select view full screen, it comes back with Unable to Launch Media Browswer 3, sometimes.  it works correctly about 50% of the times.

 

I am pretty sure this is a registry issue for MB Classic on the server machine, and it is due to the install, and uninstall I have been doing for the last 10 days or so.  As, I can run MB Classic from another PC, and it runs without any of these issues.  indecently, I can repeat this issues/problem on all the extenders as they are running as clients on the main machine.

 

I am also sure the server is working perfectly, since the MB Classic on a separate machine worked perfectly.

 

So, I have noticed that there are many log files under the MB Classic log folder, and I was not sure if you just need the last log file (125k) or all of them.. it seems to have created over 50 of them in the last few hours, and they are all around the same size.

 

thanks

 

PC (living room - main PC):  Running windows 7, with latest windows update - was MB2.6.2 server and client, and now MB3 server and MB Classic client.

 

MB Server Version 3.0.5347.22095

 

MB Classic version: 3.0.207.0

 

[ebr 14959]

Make the problem happen and then post the most recent MBC log.

[aziz 10]

Thanks Chief B. Washer ....

 

I have started WMC fresh, and did nothing but use MB Classic, and recreated the problem few times over in the hope that something will stick to the log file...  Log file is in dropbox link below.

 

some of the issues are... it will not play when you press play on tv episode.  if you click the Greenbutton (WMC) and drill down again, it will play on some.  once it plays, and after the OSD fades, it will lose track of the playtime (and will show 00:00) when you bring the OSD again by pressing arrow keys (new OSD layout)..  It will freeze the video instead of closing the video when I press stop.  I have also noticed that it does not resume and if you watch the whole thing, it will not change the playstate (it remains unwatched.)

 

Thanks

 

https://www.dropbox.com/s/fmkrl4dyhajhu5t/MBClassic-992014aac15e902bf441dfa61ef303e870b28e.log?dl=0

[ebr 14959]

Lots of problems inside WMC itself.  What codecs do you have installed?

 

Also, I notice you are using local drive paths.  Even though this is on the same machine right now I highly recommend changing that to UNC paths.

[aziz 10]

I am using Shark007 codecs only (great product, highly recommend it), and have no trouble with viewing anything currently, including live TV.

 

WMC is running smoothly and does not appear to be broken in anyway!!  Is there a way to test/fix the integrity of WMC??

 

I will follow your recommendation and change the path to UNC (but does this means MB3 server is decoding/processing the files and sending them to my android clients without the UNC?? and does this slow the server if I had many clients doing this??)

 

thanks

[ebr 14959]

Using UNC paths will only speed things up and make for the highest quality in clients that can direct play.

 

I would also suggest dumping Shark and installing LAV (much simpler) but that is up to you.  Your WMC environment is telling us that playback is disabled when we are trying to play something so something that is on the system is blocking it.  We've had one other report of this same issue with no resolution that I know of yet.

[aziz 10]

Thanks for all your help Chief B.. ,

 

Since yesterday, I have done the research on this, and just wanted to share my knowledge so far, as it may come useful for someone else.

 

I have ran the command "sfc /scannow" after uninstalling Shark007 codecs, and ensured my windows 7 (WMC included) are error free and running as designed..  it found few errors, and it used my install CD to fix them.

 

The problem persisted, and MB3 failed to play any episodes or movie..  However, if I press the Greenbutton and select MB Classic again, it will go back to the last MB screen, and this time, pressing play will work.

 

I am not a technical man, but if I have to guess.. I would say the following:  1. MB Classic is working as designed.  2. Win 7 and WMC is working as designed.  3.The link between the two is broken in someplace (but not everywhere), i.e. when MB Classic needs to jump into WMC subroutine, it fails to find it (possible name change?), hence the unable to launch Media Browser 3 when I try to switch to full screen and doing nothing when I press play.

 

Sooooo, like any logical person, I decided to downgrade to see what happened, and guess what....   MB2.6.2 now exhibits exactly the same issue as MB Classic...

 

at this stage... I am pretty sure Win7 install/uninstall program screwed something up in the registry, or one of the .dll that links to Media Browser, and this is the reason for my trouble...

 

Question:  Does anyone out there knows how to fix the links between MB classic and WMC.  (and I fear the answer maybe big NO)

 

It appears, my only option is start with a fresh win7 install and without any traces of MB2.6.2, but that would be a HUGE project and with that kind of downtime, I would be kicked out of the house    (it is the family's TV, Video recorder, Music player, YouTube, Radio, Photo Album, DVD player and Games Machine)  all my eggs are in one basket am afraid!!. 

[ebr 14959]

The fact it is happening with 2.6.2 also points to a problem with either WMC or the codecs.  Did you install LAV?

[aziz 10]

No, I did not install LAV, but before my attempt to explore MB 3, the system was working fine with MB2.6.2 and Shark007 codecs and was running like clockworks.

 

There is one venue to explore before I give up.  I have made a system image a few months ago, and I will attempt to restore that and see what happens.  I will report back once it is done.

 

Again... thanks Chief B

[ebr 14959]

You had said you uninstalled Shark so if you didn't re install it or LAV or some other codec pack then nothing much would play.

[aziz 10]

Good point...   I missed that part... but I was lazy and I only tested to see if it will get the unable to launch Media Browser, which it did, so I assumed that's the reason why it is not playing...  Anyway.. I have finally dug out a system image that belongs to few months ago, and in typical Microsoft fashion, it took me the good part of today just to find out why Restore image will not work from a network drive.., cut a long story short.. I copied the system image to the root of drive D:, and I am still waiting for the restore to finish... I can't wait to see if it will work as before... 

 

If I am lucky, I will first uninstall MB2.6.2, and then scan the system, and after I get the all green, I will install MB server and MB classic.

 

wish me luck.

[aziz 10]

Hi,

 

Just quick update.  I have managed to successfully restore system image of my drive, and it just confirms that something went wrong in the registry or dll's between Media Browser and Win7 WMC.  All is working now, and I have both MB 2.6.2 and MB3 Server working as designed on the same machine and all the 6 different clients are working perfectly.

 

Once I get my playstate migrated using trakt for MB2.6.2, I will be able to migrate all my clients into MB3 Classic, and close a chapter on MB2.6.2 (sad and happy at the same time  )

 

The upgrade process is easy if I can get hold of trakt for MB2.6.2, but there are many pitfalls that needs to be considered and planned for (I will write a short project diary once done) ... but ultimately, it is worth the trouble, as you will get all the features of MB2.6.2, plus tons more.  My Media Browser 2.6.2 needed to be changed , but I did not know it until I tested Media Browser 3, which thank good can be done while still using the old and trusted MB2.6.2.