HD-200 can't connect to server

[davephan]

One of my HD-200 extenders can't connect to the SageTV server anymore. When I power up the HD-200, it goes through the loading configuration screen, then I try to connect to the server, then the HD-200 powers off by itself. I tried changing the static IP, using DHCP, deleting and re-adding the SageTV configuration. I can browse the folders on the SageTV server, but cannot connect to the SageTV server. I tried to update the firmware through the SageTV server, and the HD-200 says that the firmware is current.

Does anyone know if there any solution to this problem?

Dave

[routerunner]

Originally Posted by davephan

One of my HD-200 extenders can't connect to the SageTV server anymore. When I power up the HD-200, it goes through the loading configuration screen, then I try to connect to the server, then the HD-200 powers off by itself. I tried changing the static IP, using DHCP, deleting and re-adding the SageTV configuration. I can browse the folders on the SageTV server, but cannot connect to the SageTV server. I tried to update the firmware through the SageTV server, and the HD-200 says that the firmware is current.

Does anyone know if there any solution to this problem?

Dave

When you say one of my HD200 means that the others you have are working fine?

Is the DNS IP address changed on your router by any chances? By setting the DNS to point to your router (i.e. 192.168.1.1) should get the DNS off the router automatically, but I noticed that sometimes on the HD200 this doesn't work, I had this in the past and the only solution was to statically specify the DNS IP on the extender and never had this issue again since.

Eddy

[KryptoNyte]

If you haven't already tried this, the first thing I would do is pull the non-working HD200 from it's location and take it to a working HD200 location, pull all the cables out of the back of the working HD200 and plug all of them into the non-working HD200 and see if it starts working again - basically checking to see if it is some issue with the cables/power.

If that isn't successful, and you've ruled out the IP issues Routerunner mentioned, you could consider a firmware update via USB drive. I believe the latest firmware is available from the HD200 link in the top section of this "Extenders" area of the forum, or here;

http://forums.sagetv.com/forums/show...1&postcount=48

[davephan]

One of my HD-200 units is still not connecting to the SageTV server. I did try the non-working HD-200 at another location and with different IP addresses in the same sub net. The network cable at the previous location of the non-working HD-200 work fine with a spare HD-300 unit. I swapped power supplies for the HD-200 and tried the firmware update both through the network and the USB. The HD-200 is already at the most current firmware update, and cannot be updated. There isn't a way that I know of to force an update, in case the installed firmware is corrupted.

I can browse the SageTV server's file system with the non-working HD-200 (that cannot connect to the SageTV server). I can also playback video files when browsing the SageTV's file system.

When I try to connect to the SageTV server, the HD-200 appear to try to connect, but the "activity light" goes out after several seconds and is never able to connect to the SageTV server.

I also tried updating the firmware from the USB with the "872" command. The firmware is current and the firmware won't update. I also tried holding the remote control's "back" button when powering up the HD-200, but that did not help either.

If there was a way to force the firmware to update, even if the firmware is current, maybe that would help. Is there a way to force the firmware to update? Any other options for my HD-200, other than using the clunky file system to play videos, or maybe using the non-working HD-200 as an expensive door stop?

Dave

[routerunner]

Originally Posted by davephan

If there was a way to force the firmware to update, even if the firmware is current, maybe that would help. Is there a way to force the firmware to update? Any other options for my HD-200, other than using the clunky file system to play videos, or maybe using the non-working HD-200 as an expensive door stop?

Please let me understand...your HD200 was working as extender (not in standalone mode) and all of the sudden stopped to connect to the server? If this is the case then a firmware upgrade wont fix your issue. If the firmware was corrupted then most likely it wont even boot properly because the extenders when booting up perform a check of the flash file system and if corrupted it wont mount and consequently it wont even run in standalone.

Do you recall what you've done before and after the extender start failing? Were you watching a you tube video? Did you have to perform a power cycle because of a circle of death? The reason I ask is because sometimes the extender access the flash file system to store information and that area could become corrupted. That area doesn't contain code, but data, also on the HD300 is more obvious as there is a rewritable file system mounted for that purposes.

Eddy

[davephan]

No, I don't recall what was being done before the failure. It was probably watching videos that were recorded from TV broadcasts. The HD extender was used with the SageTV server. But now, only works in 'stand alone' mode, but will browse and play videos in the SageTV file system. But the HD-200 won't connect to the SageTV server. During the boot process when the HD-200 tries to connect to the SageTV server, the "Activity" light goes out, and the HD-200 never connects to the SageTV server.

Dave

[davephan]

I found the solution! My HD-200 is no longer a doorstop. This may fix your HD extender if you have the same problem!

First, I tried another solution that did not work. Power down the HD-200 by unplugging the power and all cables. Plug in only the power cable for 2 minutes. Then power down the HD-200, the other cables and power it up.

Then I found a solution that did work! The Extender properties and backup properties files were bad!

Here's how to fix the problem in case it happens to you!

Stop the SageTV service on the SageTV computer. Then delete the client properties file and the backup client properties file for the bad HD extender. You can determine which files to delete by booting the bad HD extender up to stand alone mode, then select "Setings" and "Network". Power down the HD extender.

Next, find the client properties files with those MAC addresses and delete them. They are located under this folder: C:\Program Files (x86)\SageTV\SageTV\clients\

The file names are: <MAC address>.properties
<MAC address>.properties.autobackup

After the two files are deleted, start the SageTV service, then turn on the previously bad HD extender. The HD extender connects again to the SageTV server automatically and works perfectly. The good <MAC address>.properties and <MAC address>.properties.autobackup files will be automatically re-created by SageTV.

Here is a link where I found the solution:

http://forums.sagetv.com/forums/show...connect+server


Dave

[KryptoNyte]

Nice find, Dave. Have to keep that one in the bag of tricks I guess.

[Media Quest]

I have the same problem, and I got all excited to try this solution, but it didn't work for me.

I've tried everything I have read here, but nothing. I filled out the support form, but I was wondering if anyone else had any other ideas?

[davephan]

Originally Posted by Media Quest

I have the same problem, and I got all excited to try this solution, but it didn't work for me.

I've tried everything I have read here, but nothing. I filled out the support form, but I was wondering if anyone else had any other ideas?

If you had an image of your SageTV system, you could recover it with the image to point in time before the problem occurred. Then you would know if it is hardware problem with the HD-200.

If you don't have an image. You could take an image of they way your system is now. Then blow away the computer and re-install everything. If it works, then you know it was a software problem. If it doesn't work, you know it is a hardware problem. If the re-install doesn't help, you can easily get your system back to the previous state with everything in SageTV configured.

It's always a good idea to have an image of your system in a known good working state. Imaging has helped me many times over the years. The SageTV computer is simply too important to have a lot of downtime. So, you need a quick way to recover it.

Dave

[Media Quest]

Originally Posted by davephan

If you had an image of your SageTV system, you could recover it with the image to point in time before the problem occurred. Then you would know if it is hardware problem with the HD-200.

If you don't have an image. You could take an image of they way your system is now. Then blow away the computer and re-install everything. If it works, then you know it was a software problem. If it doesn't work, you know it is a hardware problem. If the re-install doesn't help, you can easily get your system back to the previous state with everything in SageTV configured.

It's always a good idea to have an image of your system in a known good working state. Imaging has helped me many times over the years. The SageTV computer is simply too important to have a lot of downtime. So, you need a quick way to recover it.

Dave

Great idea Dave! I quickly installed a new server on a second PC, and was able to access it with no problem.

So now I know that it is definitely a software issue. My most recent backup image is somewhat old. If I restore from there, or a new image, is there some guide to replacing all my settings?

[davephan]

I don't know of an easy way to do that. It might be very painful recording all your settings and entering in the system recovered from an old image. Also, all yr accessory programs and configuration would need to be redone. It might be easier to reconfigure the second computer, since you could have both systems running at the same time. You might take several 'check point' images during the rebuild process in case something goes wrong with the build. You never want to go back to the beginning of the rebuild process if something goes wrong..

Then after everything works, periodically take images, keeping several generations.

[Media Quest]

Originally Posted by davephan

I don't know of an easy way to do that. It might be very painful recording all your settings and entering in the system recovered from an old image. Also, all yr accessory programs and configuration would need to be redone. It might be easier to reconfigure the second computer, since you could have both systems running at the same time. You might take several 'check point' images during the rebuild process in case something goes wrong with the build. You never want to go back to the beginning of the rebuild process if something goes wrong..

Then after everything works, periodically take images, keeping several generations.

So in the end, I just renamed my sage directory, uninstalled sage, and reinstalled sage.

Then, I copied all of the files from the sage root directory that had the most recent modification date.

From there, I had all my recordings past and scheduled, and just had to set up individual Extenders and re-do my SageMC.

All and all, pretty painless, and took into account whatever possible corrupt file there was buried somewhere in the installation.

Thanks for all your help, and I hope this solution helps someone else.

[davephan]

If everything is configured and working, then right now is the time to take an image. Some imaging software can recover the image onto different hardware, which protect you if your hardware, such as your system board fails, unless you have spare identical hardware sitting around. I have identical hardware for a general purpose web browsing computer that I could use to immediately replace my SageTV computer if (or when) the hardware fails.