Sage 101: New install, Sage doesn' see my media library

[AWS]

One would think that since I've been using Sage since 2.1 I'd know what I'm doing wrong; therefore I am posting this totally anonymously

Long story short, fresh build of Win, fresh install of Sage. No import of wiz.

The box is a sage server and client at the same time.

In Windows, the local PC has a dedicated array called E:. E: is also shared across the LAN as O: to all the other PCs.

In Sage my import libraries are as "\\HTPC\Media\TV", "\\HTPC\Media\Movie", etc. And Sage does not see any media in my "TV", etc, directories. If on the Sage server I change the libraries to "O:\TV", "O:\Movie", etc, Sage says that O:\TV, et al, does not exist and asks if it should create.

\\HTPC\Media (share) = O: (mapped network drive) = E: (local drive)

I could have sworn before that I was using the O: notation in my Sage import library config but for whatever reason it's not working this time. Is this a Windows thing or have I mis-config'd Sage somehow? I would have thought that \\<server>\<share> would have worked as well. Another odd point is that when I "specify" a directory I can enter the FQHN and then I can see the directories that contain my media but it just won't link/import to them.

Ideas? Make me remember what I'm missing.

Thx
Anon
AWS

[AWS]

I think my answer is first import via local drive letter, E:, then as UNC.

like this post... http://forums.sagetv.com/forums/showthread.php?t=30697

I'll see what happens.

[AWS]

Looks like I first need to specify my media import libraries by using the local drive letter. Then it sees the media. Then go back and change the local drive letter to the UNC path and remove the local drive letter path.

AWS

[AWS]

Well if I do as above, I can see what was scanned/imported when I had the local drive as an import directory. But once I remove the local drive all new media is missed.

There appear to be a few posts about "invalid directory" when adding a new media location via "browse network". Maybe somthing there will shed some light.

My server service is running as a "user account" not the localsystem account.

Any ideas?

Thanks
AWS

[Fuzzy]

How do you have the folder shares set up? I've had much more success sharing them via 'Advanced Sharing' and Sharing them to 'Everyone'.

[AWS]

Right... ditto on that. They are shared for "Everyone" for full access and security includes "Everyone" with full access as well.

So at this point, I have the media libraries linked via the UNC path (physically in the Sage Media Center PC). I can see all the media that I had in there at the time of when I also had the physical drive linked, E:. I cannot see new media I've added since removing the E: link to the same library.

Selecting a video and showing the "more info" says the file is at "\\HTPC\Media\TV\XIII (the series)\XIII - S01E03.mkv". The file plays just fine. I would have expected Sage to throw an exception when trying to access this file. So that tells me that network browsing and permissions are working fine (I'm viewing this file on a client PC over the (domain) LAN).

Still working it...

<EDIT>: Whoa, a single new movie has shown up under Videos. But there should be about a dozen more that show up under Videos and TV.


Thanks
AWS

[GKusnick]

If you run Sage as a service (which you should), you cannot use mapped drive letters. Use UNC paths instead, and make sure the service is configured to log in as a user with network privileges. LocalSystem does not have such privileges and cannot access network resources (even if they happen to reside on the same machine).

[AWS]

thanks for confirmation. I am running as a service, I'm not using LocalService (using domain user account for the service), and I am using UNC paths.

One thing I did last night was to change my UNC paths from host name to IP and with the IP address "link", it can see the libraries (on both clients and server itself)

\\10.1.1.15\Media\TV\... works. Sees both new media and old media.
\\HTPC\Media\TV... does not work for finding new media but existing media can play.

DNS checks out. I can resolve the host name:IP and vice versa.

If I have to I can make do with IP UNC paths but I really preffer host name resolution. This feels like a Windows networking issue.

?

AWS

[AWS]

ok, putting the anon hat back on...

yeah. The DHCP server had two entries for "HTPC" - one at 10.1.1.10 (original machine) and another at 10.1.1.15 (new). Removed the old .10, made a reservation, assigned it to the new HTPC, ipconfig /release & /renew for the reservation to take effect. Now were all good.

Thanks for your ideas.

AWS

[Fuzzy]

Most DHCP's shouldn't even accept multiple IP's with the same name. What are you using for your DCHP server?

[AWS]

Yeah I found that really odd as well. Its a SBS2003R2 server.
I thought I was all fixed up but I had the IP path still configured in my library links. So at this point I'm using IP references; not ideal but it works. At this point I believe it's a Windows networking issue and not Sage...But I'm not turning down any new ideas :-)

Thx

AWS

[Fuzzy]

I have yet to find a REASON to run a 2k3 server at home... DNSMasq on my router easily handles all DHCP activities I need (including PXE boot).

[AWS]

Why, it's for my Exchange server, of course. :-)
I run a small business and use the SBS for work.

[AWS]

Weird issue. This is still present at times. When using \\<IP>\share all is good, all the time. When using the UNC, after a few days it forgets where <host name> is and it doesn't see new media, but it can play existing/already indexed media.

So I've changed my media libraries to \\<IP>\share format. If anyone has any ideas let me know.

Thanks,
AWS

[Fuzzy]

Switch to a better DHCP server?

[AWS]

I'll give it a shot for a few days.

Thanks for the suggestion.

AWS

[Fuzzy]

I'll just say that I've used hardware (linux based) routers in my home for many years and have never had any problems with shares. I have read many accounts of people using 2kx servers and having multiple problems (unless the shares are via a domain controller).

[gplasky]

I've seen this happen and if you use Netbios over TCP/IP you'll find it will consisitently keep and use the machine name. And there's little overhead to doing that.

Gerry

[AWS]

Thanks I'll look to see if this Windows client (is in a domain) has this enabled when I get back later tonight. Thanks for the suggestion.

AWS

[AWS]

Changed media libraries to \\<host name>\... rebooted.

First I disabled the DHCP server on my SBS 2003 R2 box... and enabled the DHCP server on my pfSense. No joy. Same issues. Restarted entire LAN (routers, switches, PCs, server, modem)

Second I change NBT from "Default" to "Enable ... ". No joy. Same issues.

SageTV service is set to a domain-admin-level account. Ran SageTV "run as Administrator" with no luck.

Disabled UAC

Disabled Win Firewall

All other PCs in the network can access and modify contents on \\HTPC\Media\... just fine. Even the Sage server, in Windows, can see \\HTPC\Media\... The only issue is from within Sage.

I did see one thing of minor interest. It seems IPv6 is the default IP type being used on the HTPC. If I go to a command prompt and PING something, it resolves and returns the replies in IPv6 format. Everything pings correctly when I use IPv6 or IPv4 command switches.

Are there any settings in the .properties file that I forgot about? Is Sage tech support still an option since the sell?

Thanks.