[mythtv-users] Backend seems to be crashing frontend -- recurring problem??

Allen Edwards allen.edwards at oldpaloalto.com
Mon Aug 18 03:12:10 UTC 2008


On Sun, Aug 17, 2008 at 5:36 PM, Roger Heflin <rogerheflin at gmail.com> wrote:
> Allen Edwards wrote:
>>
>>
>> I am using CPU++ and the usage was much lower than before the system
>> started having problems.  I am using nvidia driver 173.14.05
>>
>> Before I switch video cards, do you find it strange that two frontends
>> act the same, either both work or both don't?  Do you think the video
>> card could hang up myth backend so that it won't serve either its
>> local or the remote frontend?  I don't have another PCI-express card.
>> I probably have an old PCI card or could borrow one from one of my
>> kids.
>>
>
> Yes, if the nvidia/X driver fails in the wrong way, it can take out the
> machine completely.    I have had it do it on at least one of my machines
> several times.    And it changes depending on the version of the card, it
> can change depending on the kernel and nvidia and X driver versions.
> There is really no easy way to validate that the combination works completely,
> and things can change with updates.
>
> And I have noticed that using GL or xvmc increases the chances of software
> issues (both appear to be less carefully tested, so more mistakes get
> through).
>
> If both frontends are identical hardware (and maybe just identical video cards)
> and they both have identical software the would both crash the same (if it were
> a software issue, if it were a hardware issue it would be unlikely for them to
> have the same failure.).
>
>                            Roger

Both frontends are completely different.  One is a AMD 5400++ and the
other is a 2.4GHz P4.  One has Mythbuntu 8.04, the other 8.04.1.  The
only  thing in common is that they both have 6200 video cards although
one is PCE-e and the other AGP.

This system worked for two months without problem, now I can crash it
at will.  I did another couple of experiments.
1) I started the master backend and shut down its frontend before it crashed.
2) I went to the other frontend and it acts just like the first one,
crashes easily.

Here is something interesting I noticed.  It plays most channels fine
but if I try and play anything from channel 9, it crashes.  Strange as
9 and 11 both are 1080i and 11 is fine.  Maybe I am imagining it but
it sure looks like it is turn to a program from 9 and it looks like
noise.  Remember that I can watch these channel 9 shows from mythweb.

Still stumped.

Allen


More information about the mythtv-users mailing list