Problems with Replay 5040 - Reboots often - Page 2

I've unplugged my network cable and the problems have stopped.

Now i don't believe that all of us are using the same networking hardware (i have a very basic hardwired/wifi setup from verizon fios, nothing weird on the network, been working for years, etc...) so something has gone weird.

BTW, i posted about this weeks ago, and everyone said i was crazy.

Anyway, it has been 4 days, no network hooked up on either of my two boxes, and no problems. I'm gonna wait a few more days, then plug only one of my two boxes into the network.
Perhaps it is interaction between two or more boxes? Does anyone here have the rebooting problem and only have one box?

Eric

I would like to determine if maybe the external network app(s) may be causing this... I currently run RTVrc, DVArchive, and IVSMagic on a server on the network. For everyone that has experienced these reboots, maybe we can find a common denominator on our respective networks?... Here's my list:

- DVArchive V3.2 on two Windows XP computers on the network... one of them gets unhibernated and hibernated when I use the treadmill (I use it to watch videos with VLC while running)
- RTVrc V0.2 (I keep this running all the time so I can access via VPN from my office)
- IVSMagic V1.0.0.0 Final (I only started running this when I restaged my computer at the end'ish of October. Before I was running a previous version.)

Mark

By the way... I only have one physical RTV on the network. As I said in my previous posting a couple of minutes ago, I do run 2 instances of DVArchive, though.

For the record... when I reinstalled IVSMagic at the end'ish of October, I set it up to run in "virtual replay mode". I am going to disable that mode today and see if maybe it is the culprit.

I did install a new network management program about the same time. IT is called Network Magic. About the same time I started getting many errors in my DVArchive log. I cannot remember what the exact error is. I will check when I get home.

The timing could be a coincidence, and the error could be from my 5080 going a little wacky.

The first time I noticed this happening was when I was using DVArchive to offload a bunch of shows from the RepayTV to my PC overnight. Since I removed the limit on the transfer speed, I know that any other activity taking place on the 5040 while transferring can cause reboots, so I initially attributed the problem to this.

However, I don't usually have DVArchive or any other ReplayTV related equipment running on the network other than my 5040, and all subsequent reboots have occured with nothing else on the network (other than maybe a PC or two running non-ReplayTV stuff).

Now that I think of it, I suppose it is possible that one of the recent security patches that Microsoft has pushed out (and I have installed on my Windows XP box) may be causing new network activity (maybe with UPnP?) that could potentially cause the problem. I suppose if disconnecting the network cable from the ReplayTV causes the issue to stop, it is a possibility.

Does everyone experiencing this problem have a Windows XP box running on the same network?

I noticed my ReplayTVs rebooting a couple of weeks ago also. My set up is:

2 ReplayTV 5040 (upgraded to 160GB) running 530511440
Both hooked directly to Comcast Cable
Both connected via ethernet
No 3rd party apps running
Other devices on the network:
1 Windows XP desktop connected via ethernet and running the latest MS updates
3 Windows XP laptops connected via wireless. All running the latest updates
1 Xbox 360 connected via ethernet (it just showed up yesterday under the tree so the problem preceed the Xbox)
1 HP printer connected via ethernet

My guess is that it is channel guide related. Too much of a coincidence for hardware failure and no new software updates in years.

Mark

I'm not running any of the external apps (I only turn on DVA when I need it and I haven't used it in months) and it would appear that one of my RTV-5k's only went about 3 days between reboots.

I don't watch much TV anymore, so all I'm doing is leaving the 411-zone screen up and checking the machine once a day. If it's gone, it rebooted.

I'm going to turn of IVS and close the IVS ports on my router and see what happens. I know that a few years ago, a couple of members (who shall remain nameless for the moment) figured out how to reboot replays remotely via the IVS port, I'm not saying that's what it is, but it's all that makes sense for my unit at this point.

According to the person I gave my 4k to ages ago, it's being affected by the random reboots too, BTW.

I've got an email into replay tech support, they said they don't know what is going on. They say they're going to look into it.
I don't have any external apps.
I don't have any ports open from the outside world pointing to my replays.
Curious!!!

Oh, and since i unplugged the boxes, no random reboots. So i'm plugging in one for now, leaving one out. I'll report back when/if one screws up!

Only one 5040 on my network, and although I use DVA, it's only up and running when I'm transferring shows to my PC (not that often). I would safely say all of my reboots have occurred when DVA has not been running. And no new network hardware in the mix.

Now I also have a Showstopper in the house and I don't know if it gets the *exact* same channel guide data/files as the 5XXX series, but it has *not* showed any reboot issues during this same time period.

This is a good line of thinking too. I'm also running Windows XP and regularly update my OS to keep on top of security holes. I always install the latest critical updates as soon as they are available.

For me, I have a 5040 on a network without any other Replay units. On occasion, I run DVA to download a show to the PC, but I haven't done that in well over a month. My Replay is connected via ethernet to a NetGear wireless router. The only other things on the network are my PC and Xbox 360.

My friends downstairs have their own network, with both their Replays, PCs and a PS3 hooked in. They've been having the same problem.

I've been watching this my Replay recently, and for the past 2-3 days, it doesn't seem to be happening. I'm going to keep an eye on it however.

Well, I'm not running either Wirns nor IVSM. DVArchive is turned only only when I need it, it wasn't on the last two reboots but yesterday an XP box was on. At today's reboot it wasn't. This is being posted from a Vista box. However, yesterday's and today's reboots occured at about the same time, a couple of minutes past 7:30 PM. This lends credence to the bad guide data theory. Something daily at 8:00 PM. I'm now going to look at the visible portion of the guide data in case there is something obvious.

Nope, nothing obvious in the visible portion of the guide.

I've had most of my reboots in the mornings, between 11am-noon, and some in the wee hours of the mornings, if that helps anything.

Maybe if we talk shows, we can pinpoint it?

I'm on Charter Digital for the Replay (Charter HD for the TV), and these are the two shows I remember it interrupting:

- The Price is Right (Drew rocks )
- X-Play

Add me to the list. Frequent reboots, while watching/recording, over the last three or so weeks.

Well, couple times a day, anyway.

Bayside,

Do you still have some of your 5k's on modem connections?

So i have two boxes, and i had the network pulled from them for the past few days. I didn't experience any reboots. I just put the network back into one of the two, and next thing i know, a show that got partially recorded. (good eats on verizon FIOS)
I am not running DVA. I am not running windows XP. I am running a linux server and a few win2k boxes that aren't even usually on when this problem happens. Oh, and one mac os computer.
The box that has been disconnected from the network is still okay. No erroneous reboots.
I would blame my network settings if it weren't for the fact that we're all getting this!
I have an email discussion going with a tech at replaytv, but he hasn't gotten back to me after i've presented the most recent details.

Here is the email that i just received from a tech:
-------------
Yes I did read the entire thread that you sent. There are several
things that can cause reboots especially when streaming between multiple
units. As mentioned, heat, disk errors, network errors, status of the
hard drive capacity (approaching max capacity) to mention a few. While
you are eliminating issues with the network by having the units
unplugged, I wanted to see if there are errors reported on our network
from your unit (the reason for your serial number). I'm doing some more
research and will be in touch.
----------------
I have responded to him with the information regarding my recent findings (plugging one unit in caused a reboot mere hours later) and am waiting for a response from him. I did mention that since the problem is so widespread among the community, it is unlikely to be disks, network errors, capacity, etc.

Hopefully they can dust off a few boxes there and reproduce the problem!

anyway, try unplugging your boxes from the network and see if it gets better temporarily! To be sure, delete all of your half shows so you can see if new ones crop up. I am wondering if my fix is merely a coincidence, or fact. Lets gather more data!

Say, i'm going to go install ethereal and watch the box's network activity. maybe i'll see something crazy.
-----------
Ok, overnight, 1 box on the network, one off, and ethereal (apparently, it is now called wireshark) watching the box, no reboots, no odd network traffic so far... I will post info if it comes along!

This house has three separate apartments, all with one Replay unit each. One is on it's own network and other connections, and two are on the same LAN but with different cable feeds. All three of them have been exhibiting the same behavior, with reboots happening about daily right in the middle of recording or playing. It happens while somoene is actively watching it, or all by itself as evidenced by two-part recorded shows with like a 6 minute segment and a 22 minute segment or something. They all started doing it in the past couple months. Seeing it couldn't possibly be hardware related or an isolated oddity, I came to this forum to see if others had the same experience, and voila. Obviously something big has happened. I was worried this was their way of phasing out the service, they will say there is some problem with the servers and since it's an obsolete product they won't fix it so will be dropping support and the Replay servers. I've owned a Replay since the day they were offered for sale over a decade ago, and have dreaded this moment for most of that period because thoughts of life without a Replay is just terrifying

Just add me to the list of replaytv 5040 that is rebooting out of the blue (pun intended)
usually watch the poopli forum, new to this site, but looks like a lot of good info here.
Riley

Well, I've got 2 55xx's, a couple of XP's (one running WiRNS), a Myth Linux, and a Vista box all on the same network. So far I've seen no unexpected reboots or partial recordings. Is it isolated to the 50xx's?

I know of one 4k that rebooted after 3 days rather than 10.

I would say keep an eye on your 411-zones screens, right now, I'm just leaving them up on my 5k's, because I am currently recording so few shows (the last thing I recorded was the ARMY/NAVY game on Dec 1st) and rarely watch tv these days, if someone else hadn't mentioned it I never would have noticed that my RTV's were rebooting. Now it seems like they go about two-three days and then reboot.

bla bla bla

tlgs333 said his reboot problems stopped after pulling the ethernet cable. It might be that A-Hole directTV put in a software update without changing the version number. If indeed that conspiracy theory is true, someone might be able to find out by puting on the most current image from the ftp site and do a manual connect. If it says it's doing a software update but shows the same version number when finished: bingo. If not it's still vaguely possible the update will only happen upon a nightly connect (unlikely, but if you want to be thorough).

It would be good if a few others merely did a manual connect then unplugged their network cable for 6 days and report if there were any reboots.

It's possible that a DTV update is screwing up the local LAN connections. And of course I don't rule out it being on purpose.


With all that said, my bet is still on some kinda erronous guide data, and that all of the above isn't. But it would be nice to test a bit and figure out what the heck is going on..

bla bla bla

I'd do it myself but my replaytvs arent hooked up
I'd do it myself but my stupid U-Verse STP isn't hooked up
I'd do it myself but my 42" panasonic plasma TV (got it for $720!!) is still boxed at Liz's house (5 weeks so far).

I'm an idiot

'cow, the reboots started before DirecTV acquirred the IP and patents.

Yeah, dude, this has been happening to me for at least 3 weeks, possibly a month. at first i shrugged it off.

anyway, ethereal (wireshark) watching all day, no reboots. so i have no news. The replay tech says he'll be contacting me soon. perhaps they've discovered something.

Has anyone else tested their rig by pulling the network cable(s)? Does anyone else have a network monitor going?

Hey, someone mentioned that they get 6 minutes of a show and 22. I noticed this too - it is never 15 minutes adn 13 minutes. It is always ~6 and ~25. Sometimes it is the first 6 minutes, sometimes the last 6 minutes.
Also, watching the early part of the reboot recorded show near the part where it reboots - crashes my replay. I don't mean that it reboots it - it totally freezes the thing! I guess a messed up mpeg can do that!

No, I haven't been on modem in 18 months. No reboot at 7:30 tonight, so there goes that theory. One of the others has been rebooting on and around 11PM [when it was recording]. But the unit I was talking about rebooted yesterday just three hours later. I'll try to keep an eye on reboots both by checking for split recordings and checking 411Z whenever I'm using a unit in non-streaming mode. Pulling a unit out of service would be unfair to my poopli friends as I'm averaging 100 sends per month.

I noticed that too. The unit that reboots around 11PM exhibits that behavior, roughly. But the unit that was rebooting in the evening was doing it at 7:34. I never tried to watch the segments though.

Just throwing this out there... but the www.myreplaytv.com service has been discontinued since Oct. 26, 2007. I wonder in that has anything to do with this. If you goto the http://www.myreplaytv.com, you'll see a page stating the discontinuance of the service.

I know that when I do a 411Zones on my RTV, the last line says the following:

MyReplayTv: ENABLED

At this point, anything is possible, but I haven't had that service enabled for any of my units for over three or four years now. I suspect that at least some of the other people posting in this thread have similiar situations.

Add me to the list. I started noticing odd behavior 2 or 3 weeks ago. It had rebooted twice in that time while I was watching tv. I believe I was watching a show while recording it. Tonight it happened again. Started watching Deliverance, a few minutes delayed, and just after the dueling banjos, it reboots. When it comes back up it resumes recording. I did a manual net connect to refresh the guide data and while I was in the menu I noticed I had new messages, and there were a bunch in there, going back about 2 months, regarding not being able to contact the network. I very rarely have network outages, can't even remember the last time.

For now I'll leave the Ethernet connected, and maybe refresh the guide data every day. Hopefully, if it is corrupted guide data it'll get flushed soon. My buddy in another state is experiencing this problem as well. A lot of us in the same boat, and who knows how many others that don't frequent this forum.

Only other stuff on the network is a Vista machine with DVArchive, a networked HP printer, and another identical 5160. I just checked that Replay and it has zero messages, and I haven't seen that one reboot but I don't watch tv in that room much at all, mostly just used for conflict resolution. Since there's no error messages on the second Replay I'm wondering if this problem is only affecting the one unit. I know the error messages may not be related to the reboots but makes me think...

I've been experiencing the same behavior over the past several weeks. Once a night, every night, replay will reboot and then everything seems to be fine for the rest of the evening. I have two 5040s, wired to DLink router, pc windows XP Media Edition, with DVarchive running.