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[tzr916]

Thankfully MC crashes/hangs don't happen often! Figuring out why, and possibly solving them, is another discussion.... Currently if a MC crash/hang occurs, the result is missed tv recordings and hung tuners that can go undiscovered for hours or even days. An auto restart feature with notification for a 24/7 Tv DVR media server is a VERY high priority for me. Adding this to MC has previously been requested, but I am not waiting. https://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php/topic,112588.msg779813.html#msg779813

I gave up trying all the free programs but having excellent success so far with AlwaysUp. It's not free but if we can get 10 or more people interested, there's a discount  Download: https://www.coretechnologies.com/products/AlwaysUp/

Notes: The example below should be useful for situations when MC goes "not responding" or "crashes" or "hangs" (currently waiting for that to actually happen). Also, if YOU close media center & server manually - AlwaysUp will restart it, so be careful to use the STOP feature inside AlwaysUp instead.


***This setup is for running MC in Theater mode and starting MC Server***

In MC Options:
1. Set your MC Server Startup Option to "Nothing".
2. Set your MC Server Startup Interface to "Theater View".
3. Close MC and MC Server.

The rest is done in AlwaysUp (see screenshots):
1. Tools > Autologon (enter your Windows username & password)



2. Click Add Application


3. General Tab browse to your Program Files/J River/Media Center 23/Media Center 23.exe


4. Logon Tab (again enter your Windows username & password)


5. Restart Tab (restarts MC with delay)


6. Monitor Tab  (stops when MC Hangs)


7. Email Tab (fill in all YOUR email server etc in Configure...)


8. Startup Tab (nothing here)


9. Automate Tab (starts MC SERVER on delay)



10. Extras Tab (dismiss error message, forces mc to close, & reboots all 3 of my HDHRP tuners)




Save your work and reboot the PC. Watch as AlwaysUp starts MC and SERVER. Test by manually closing MC and Server - AlwaysUp should restart them! Customize to your liking.

[tzr916]

During my tests I've been noticing Media Center GUI can't be opened as long as AlwaysUp has MC Server 'under control'.

Unsure why you want only the MC Server controlled by AlwaysUp. It's way more likely that the MC GUI crashes (taking the MC Server service with it). Unless you aren't doing it for that reason (crashes).

Only clue for you is take a look at MC Tools>Options>Startup>Run on Windows Startup> make sure it's either "Nothing" or "Media Center". Do not include MC Server here, as this setting actually affects the desktop shortcut, not just Windows startup.

EDIT: And/or don't use the MC desktop shortcut to launch the GUI. Use MC23.exe /startup with a batch file, create shortcut to the batch file.

[JimH]

Media Server is Media Center.  It's just running in a different mode.  It might be helpful to read the wiki topic on Media Server.

[tzr916]

"Media Server is Media Center" - The exact reasoning behind this topic... and several others requesting that each should be a completely separate program/service, so that if one crashes the other is NOT affected.

[JimH]

"Media Server is Media Center" - The exact reasoning behind this topic... and several others requesting that each should be a completely separate program/service, so that if one crashes the other is NOT affected.

That's not going to happen.  It would be good to try to find out why you're seeing crashes. 

[Mans]

Thanks for the feedback, appreciated,

-Yes I've read the wiki on Media Server.
-Thanks for mentioning the desktop shortcut is linked to the start-up setting aswell, i wasn't aware of this.

My main idea or goal is monitoring the 'un-monitored' part of my specific set-up: the MC Server (only server into start-up folder).
Mainly the machine which is hosting the MC Server network service isn't attended. Same applies to the Engen service (which never stalls).
An isolation between Server and Client was something i was trying to achieve by this.

A while ago i noticed at random Clients a sudden freeze due to MC Server (incl lib) which seemed to be stalled.
Meanwhile I've found some causes of the stall, from a EPG Import which halts MC over a long time, format convertions, etc.
 
On the Client side: Media Center GUI your actually looking at and can be easily restarted when needed by the user.
IF the MC Server is back online and just this part is were AlwaysUp could be helpfull.

I will continue your instruction and include both MC23 and Media Center into the set-up of AlwaysUp.
It's not a problem to me if Media Center GUI is always activated on the server machine aswell.

Thanks and wishing you all a lovely day.

[tzr916]

...  It would be good to try to find out why you're seeing crashes.

Yes it would. I send logs every time.