.14 Corrupting Hard Drive & XP

[Snuffy2]

I've searched the forums for mentions of this but I'm unable to find any reference to this. If there is a fix, PLEASE tell me!!

I'm a new SageTV user and decided to go right to the newest Beta (2.0.14).

I'm running WinXP SP1a, Hauppauge PVR-350
on a PIII 933mHz w 256mb RDRAM.
I have my drive (60gb) partitioned into 2 partitions:
c: 20gb - WinXP & Programs
e: 40gb - Recorded Shows

I'm running SageTV in Software decoding because hardware decoding freezes up even faster, but Hardware decoding generated the same errors.

After running SageTV for ~10-15 min (watching LiveTV) my PC freezes and then typically (but not always) Blue Screens & restarts. Upon reboot, the chkdsk flag for the E: drive has been set so it runs and generally fixes errors on the E: drive. XP then starts & says there was an error with the registry that has been fixed sucessfully. Running Sage again repeats this exact same process.

After this has happened ~3-5 times, WinXP NO LONGER BOOTS. Some file on the C drive has becom corrupt and now I must reformat & reinstall XP. I've not done this 4+ times trying different configs, settings etc. I've tried different HDs (I've got a few lying around), tried software & hardware decoding, changing recording qualities.

I'm truly stumped!! Please help! If I can't solve this, I think I need to file for a refund

I really like Sage & want to support it over BeyondTV because of the PVR-350 Support (which I'm happy to wait for & use software decoding until it's more stable) but I can't do it by reinstalling XP every day.

Thanx

[falchulk]

What file on the c drive became corrupt?

[mlbdude]

Sounds like problems that are bigger than SageTV. Bad memory? HD controller? Can you run some tests on those items?

[gplasky]

This is not an app problem. If you've tried different hard drives verify the drives are good in another system. Look at testing/replacing the cables for the drive. Is the drive controller seperate or built in. If built-i what driver are you using and is it the latest. Try getting a hold of some diagnostic software and run it against the motherboad. Your motherboard could be dying.

Gerry

[Snuffy2]

Originally posted by gplasky
This is not an app problem. If you've tried different hard drives verify the drives are good in another system. Look at testing/replacing the cables for the drive. Is the drive controller seperate or built in. If built-i what driver are you using and is it the latest. Try getting a hold of some diagnostic software and run it against the motherboad. Your motherboard could be dying.

Gerry

I'd normally agree with you, BUT it's done it to 2 previously reliable drives.

I've run extended checks on both drives (through their respective manufacturers DOS diagnostic disks) and they have both passed with Zero errors. I also threw them onto another XP system & they both worked just fine.

Both drives are attached to a Promise Ultra100 (ATA100) PCI card. It is (& has been) running the newest firmware & drivers.

I've run both drives and tested them thoroughly after installing a clean XP and prior to installling SageTV, they both passed. The errors didn't start until after SageTV was installed & crashed repeatedly.

I'm relatively sure that SageTV is somehow corrupting the HDs. I know that this sounds unlikely, but I'm out of other ideas. Without Sage installed, the system is rock solid & will typically run for 2+ weeks without rebooting. The second I install Sage the drives become unstable.

I'll be happy to give you any other additional info, or run other tests, just tell me what. I'm truly open to any suggestions.

If anyone wants some more info on this PC. It is a Dell XPS B933r - with the latest BIOS (A08).
PIII 933mHz
256mb PC800 RDRAM - memtest passed with Zero errors
Maxtor 60gb HD - 1 of 2 thats failed
WD 120gb HD - 2 of 2 thats failed
IBM 80gb HD - Has critical data, can't risk testing on this drive
IBM 45gb HD - Haven't tried it on this drive
GeForce 4 w TV Out - Running Lates nVidia drivers (Can't remember details, will edit later)
Promise Ultra100 ATA100 Controller Card - running latest Firmware & Drivers
Hauppauge PVR-350 - tried both 22035 & 22037 drivers

[gplasky]

So let me get the rest out of the way:
Are you using the new 80-conductor IDE cables for supporting the ATA100 spec or are you using the original cables that came with your PC?
In the BIOS have you disabled your onboard IDE controller? If not is your Promise using a DMA other than DMA 2 which is what the internal controller uses?
Are you using any of the software that may have come with your controller to boot the drives or (see above) have you disabled the internal controller and it just finds your Promise as the only controller to boot from?
Does the BIOS from the Promise controller show your drives attached and identifies them correctly? Is this automatic or do you define them? I have seen drives that have been identified but set for the wrong size constantly corrupt the hard drive depending on what program was running. And yes it would boot correctly but corrupt upon any app running.

Gerry

[Snuffy2]

Originally posted by gplasky
So let me get the rest out of the way:
Are you using the new 80-conductor IDE cables for supporting the ATA100 spec or are you using the original cables that came with your PC?
In the BIOS have you disabled your onboard IDE controller? If not is your Promise using a DMA other than DMA 2 which is what the internal controller uses?
Are you using any of the software that may have come with your controller to boot the drives or (see above) have you disabled the internal controller and it just finds your Promise as the only controller to boot from?
Does the BIOS from the Promise controller show your drives attached and identifies them correctly? Is this automatic or do you define them? I have seen drives that have been identified but set for the wrong size constantly corrupt the hard drive depending on what program was running. And yes it would boot correctly but corrupt upon any app running.

Gerry

I'm using new Cables that support ATA100.

I have not disabled the onboard controller. Attached to that is my CDRW & DVD Drives.

The Promise card just has the HD attached to it.

I'm not sure how to determine the DMA of the Promise card. I'll look in windows once I reinstall it again, but that wont be till tomorrow probably.

Yes, the BIOS from the Promise card correctly & automatically identifies drives when they are attached to it. The model # & size are both correct on the screen when it is loading (not via drivers, just loaded as a 2ndry BIOS after main BIOS loads).

I'm sorry to be beating a dead horse, but this system has been this way for >1 yr. And plenty of apps have run on it. None of them have done anything like this to the HDs.

Anything else you need to know? Any tests I can run to check for errors?

Thanx for all your help!

[FamilyMan]

Since Sage tends to use substantial system resources when it is in operation, you may want to run some benchmarks that fully task the video, memory, and I/O portions of your machine. Maybe install WinTV2000 and let it operate under the same parameters as Sage and see if you get the same errors.

[falchulk]

Here is the thing......sage is crashing....in turn, its crashing your system. Sage itself does nothing that can destroy the contents of the harddrive. The system crashing can. Are you using any type of fle compression? As I asked before what file is reported bad on drive C?

[gplasky]

Yeah it sounds like everything is correct hardware-wise. And like falchulk said it is Sage that is crashing and may be corrupting files. You may want to make sure you have the latest java. If you don't, unistall the version you have first and then install the newest version. After that you may want to try uninstalling Sage, deleting its directory and perform an install.

Gerry

[DFA]

Snuffy2:

Truly a bummer but your problem sounds unique and system specific. I will take a stab that it is an issue between the Hauppage drivers and your Promise card.

I would try hooking my HDD(s) to the MB IDE interface and remove the Promise card altogether for test purposes. I'll guess that everything will be OK in that mode indicating some sort of compatability problem with the Promise card. I had trouble with a Promise card one time and know that they are not beyond having problems.

You could then try putting back in the Promise card but try some of the Hauppauge beta drivers that can be found on SHSPVR website and see if there is any help there.

The registery file is probably being corrupted and hosing your OS installation. Before going on with more of that frustration, backup the registery and use / get an NTFS (assuming your using NTFS) bootable floppy utility that will allow for read and writes so you can copy the backed up reg files back in.

I've learned my lessons on that the hard way and keep recent backups of all reg files including the User regs on CD along with a way to copy them in. I don't leave home w/o it along with my American Express. The registery is the MS Windows achilles heel.

DFA

[Snuffy2]

OK, I'd like to Humbly apologize for blaming SageTV for messing up my Hard Drives.

It appears that it was a huge case of bad timing or just overloading my system.

My PC had been rock solid for >1 yr as described above. It seems that some combo of:
Swapping out an Old HD
Putting in a New One
Adding a PVR-350
Installing Hauppauge Drivers
Installing/Running Sage

It Exposed the fact that my Promise Ultra100 Controller card was failing (& has now failed).

Last night I removed the controller card & hooked up the HDs to the Mobo IDE controller & so far everything is peachy (albeit a little slower).

So far Sage has been running (without Hardware Decoding yet) for 10+ errors & hasn't crashed!!

Thank you very much for all your help. Hopefully later this week I'll get to trey out hardware decoding & I'll be back with a whole new boatload of problems.

[mlbdude]

We are just glad you are up and running now. Good luck.

[falchulk]

You definitely are not the first to post about sage destroying hardware. Good luck