HD200 Import Directory Issue

[mayhewda]

I have just built a new WHS home server and finished moving over all of the data to it (movies, photos, music). Last step was to delete the directories on the hd200 (pointing to the old PC and add the news now residing on the headless WHS / Sage Server). THis is where things get strange.

From the HD200 (standalone mode or whatever you call it) I deleted the old directories, then went and tried to browse the network and it says something like invalid path.

I have been able to browse the network fine from the HD200 since the beginning with no issues. I did change the password of my PC;s (to be the same on the machines...some WHS requirement), so did this change somehow require the HD200 to now need a uid and password? I didnt know which userid and password it wanted but gave it one and i was then able to browse the network. I then set up the new directories, and refreshed the imported media.

I went to bed thinking everything was fine but this morning the invalid directory issue was back and the import directories were messed up.

After doing this at least three times now (add uid and password, deleting imported directory, adding it back in and refreshing) i seem to have photos and music back to normal but movies shows only 26 (there should be 69) and the movie covers (jpg) show as all scrambled? When i try to play one of the movies i get an error saying the movie is not on the disk?

I updated to the latest beta release but did not make any difference. I powered it off on and tried to browse the network again and it agains says
invalid directory. I can connect to the whs / sage server no problem and the movies etc are all there and i can play them ok.

1) why does the HD200 not keep (save) the userid & password (i must have entered this 6 different times and what uid and passwrd is it looking for anyways?

2) obviously the communication between HD200 and sage server is working because i finally have the photos and music back but movies is messed up.

3) any idea how i can fix this directory or whats going on?

This has been very frustrating and appreciate any assistance.

3)

[bc_can]

A search for "invalid" will show many are having this problem. The good news is you can now enter an explicit server/share entry (need beta firmware). Just key in the IP address of the target PC and HD200 will list the shares.

[stanger89]

Originally Posted by mayhewda

I have been able to browse the network fine from the HD200 since the beginning with no issues. I did change the password of my PC;s (to be the same on the machines...some WHS requirement), so did this change somehow require the HD200 to now need a uid and password? I didnt know which userid and password it wanted but gave it one and i was then able to browse the network. I then set up the new directories, and refreshed the imported media.

You've always needed a username/password to access network shares unless they were setup to allow "Guest" access.

"Which" one it want's whatever the share is looking for, so if you've got a share setup to allow "user1" access, and user1 has password "pass1", you need to enter "user1" "pass1" for username and password respectively.

I went to bed thinking everything was fine but this morning the invalid directory issue was back and the import directories were messed up.

It sounds like you changed the credentials on your network shares.

1) why does the HD200 not keep (save) the userid & password (i must have entered this 6 different times and what uid and passwrd is it looking for anyways?

It does cache them for the current session, and for imported directories.

3) any idea how i can fix this directory or whats going on?

When exactly are you getting the "invalid directory" error? And when you get it does it ask you for a username/password? If it does, have you made sure to enter a username/password combo for a user that has at least read permissions for that share?

[mike_ac]

IMHO, unless you plan on helping to debug the BETA, I wouldn't use this one. There are issues with it seeing files on import directories. This problem gets compounded over time.

We have had to roll back to the latest official release to be able to see import folders reliably. As I mentioned in my previous post on the subject, I think it has to do with the new ability to set up different passwords per import folder. We only had one import folder, but half the files went "missing."

With the official release, the files are all visible, no password changes necessary.

You do still have to set up your initial password correctly, which is not a well documented process. Just be careful about case sensitivity...

[stanger89]

Originally Posted by mike_ac

IMHO, unless you plan on helping to debug the BETA, I wouldn't use this one. There are issues with it seeing files on import directories. This problem gets compounded over time.

Have you reported this "compounded" problem?

[mike_ac]

Only on this forum. I'm still waiting on prior issues to be worked, and don't really have the hours at home needed to recreate the issue, build all the logs, and get them FTP'd to support.

I don't know if this is a problem for the HD200 in extender mode, but it definitely is one in standalone.

The "compounding" is maybe a poor choice of words -- it just gets worse. As new files are transferred onto the NAS, some do not register as visible, even though they are in the same folder as the older files. Simply moving an existing file around within the folder structure causes those files to disappear, as well.

The trick to recreating this, as far as I can tell, is to set up the server with an older release first, and make sure it works. Then, upgrade, and start adding files to the same import directory. It might be necessary to have the import directory nested to some degree (create sub-folders within sub-folders). The sub-folders in my case were not explicitly listed in the import directory -- only the main folder was.

When the later files are added, they will be visible if you browse, but will show up as 0 MB within the DVDs list (very similar to how they appear before the initial guest account is set up properly).

When the firmware is rolled back, the files do not immediately re-appear. It is then necessary to forcibly re-read the import folders, and then everything returns to normal.

Perhaps there is a new password setup required? I don't know... It hasn't been well documented if that is the case...

Anyway, if anyone would like to give it a go, please do. I would, but I simply don't have the time to spare at the moment (I am currently posting from work during lunch, but don't have a sage box handy here).

[stanger89]

Originally Posted by mike_ac

Only on this forum. I'm still waiting on prior issues to be worked, and don't really have the hours at home needed to recreate the issue, build all the logs, and get them FTP'd to support.

If nobody reports it, there's no way it will get fixed since Sage won't know about it.

[mike_ac]

If nobody reports it, there's no way it will get fixed since Sage won't know about it.

Understood, but I'm still limited to not enough time to devote to it. It's just not there for the next couple of weeks at the least.

[mayhewda]

This is definitely messed up. I will try and spend some time to report it. Just wasnt sure what to report. All i did was remove directories (pointing to old server) and add directories (on the whs). UID and PASSWORD has been set the same on all machines. THe other issue is the 26 out of 69 movies that the HD200 saw, you could not play them and the folder.jpg file showed up corrupted (on the hd200). It shows fine on the HD200 in extender mode.

[Opus4]

Unless I misread it, the first post said a username & password were needed to access password protected paths in the network file browser after restarting the HD200 -- that's the way it works: if you restart, you've got to re-enter authorizations.

Then, it looked like later it was said that the password protected import paths weren't working. This is a separate issue & if this is the case, then you need to file a bug report for follow-up with SageTV because this is not a known issue.

- Andy

[mike_ac]

Is there a way to make the import directory NOT password protected? If so, I can try and see if this is the behavior I was seeing. I can set one folder up as password protected, the other not, as I move some files over to each.

My NAS does not require validation from any PC on my network (it's a shared folder with global read priveleges), but an account had to be set up from the HD200 in order to see the files there.

[stanger89]

Originally Posted by mike_ac

Is there a way to make the import directory NOT password protected? If so, I can try and see if this is the behavior I was seeing. I can set one folder up as password protected, the other not, as I move some files over to each.

You have to enable access by the "Guest" user without a password.

My NAS does not require validation from any PC on my network (it's a shared folder with global read priveleges), but an account had to be set up from the HD200 in order to see the files there.

It does, it's just that since you're logged in as a user who has access to the share so you're never prompted for the authentication, but it's getting done in the background.

That's the way my network is setup, my NAS is setup with user-privilages, and any user I use on my PCs is setup to have access to the shares on my NAS so I never have to actually manually enter credentials to access them, but I do on my HD200 since it doesn't have a "logged in" user to pass credentials automatically, so it has to ask you.

[mike_ac]

You have to enable access by the "Guest" user without a password.

I have a "guest" user, not possible on my NAS to set up an account without a password of some kind... It already has a remote account pre-configured, but the HD200 wouldn't see it at the time I first set it up.

It does, it's just that since you're logged in as a user who has access to the share so you're never prompted for the authentication, but it's getting done in the background.

That's the way my network is setup, my NAS is setup with user-privilages, and any user I use on my PCs is setup to have access to the shares on my NAS so I never have to actually manually enter credentials to access them, but I do on my HD200 since it doesn't have a "logged in" user to pass credentials automatically, so it has to ask you.

Well, sort of. There is of course an authentication required. But, I have my NAS on a protected domain (behind a firewall), so I have no passwords required to view anything there. That's what I was trying to say before... The HD200 is on the same domain, by the way.

If I have to enter a password, then the short of it is, the new version doesn't work. Call it a shortcoming with my NAS (Thecus 4100) if you must. But, I'll toss the HD200 long before the NAS. Not that I want to -- I really like the Sage box.

I'm obviously not a networking guru, which is why I don't have the time to tinker, and possibly a good indicator as to the difficulty in getting that firmware to work (because I also obviously know a whole lot more than the average Joe). Perhaps a pro could get it going -- wanna come over and fix my setup? Really, I wouldn't mind. I just don't have the time or energy to fight that battle yet...

[stanger89]

Originally Posted by mike_ac

I have a "guest" user, not possible on my NAS to set up an account without a password of some kind... It already has a remote account pre-configured, but the HD200 wouldn't see it at the time I first set it up.

It's often a special option in the share or user setup settings, not an actual new user you make.

[mayhewda]

i requested support for this.

To summarize:

- built new whs server and moved all data from old server to whs
- on hd200 deleted old directories and went to browse network to add new directories from whs
- received invalid directory
- added uid/psw
- added new directories
- refreshed directories
- photo and music seem fine
- movies shows 26 should be 69
- cant play movie says its empty (browse import library also shows empty)
(note: can get to server no problem and all media shows fine)
- delete movies directory
- go to browse network , cant invalid directory ?????
- enter all over again - can now browse network
- add movies directory again
- refresh - same issue - only shows 26 of 69 , and movie artwork shows all scrambly

pia to use the remote to add uid pswd etc. What do you guys use? wireless USB keyboard? Do they work from 10 + ft ?

after submitting problem sage says get back to you within 72 hrs? This is normal?

thanks for assistance...

[Opus4]

Originally Posted by mayhewda

i requested support for this.

Are you using the beta firmware? If so, you should be filing a bug report instead of a support request. (If you aren't using the beta firmware, please try that, but I think you said you were.)

- Andy

[mayhewda]

sorry yes i am - I'll do that....

[gplasky]

Originally Posted by mayhewda

i requested support for this.

To summarize:

- built new whs server and moved all data from old server to whs
- on hd200 deleted old directories and went to browse network to add new directories from whs
- received invalid directory
- added uid/psw
- added new directories
- refreshed directories
- photo and music seem fine
- movies shows 26 should be 69
- cant play movie says its empty (browse import library also shows empty)
(note: can get to server no problem and all media shows fine)
- delete movies directory
- go to browse network , cant invalid directory ?????
- enter all over again - can now browse network
- add movies directory again
- refresh - same issue - only shows 26 of 69 , and movie artwork shows all scrambly

pia to use the remote to add uid pswd etc. What do you guys use? wireless USB keyboard? Do they work from 10 + ft ?

after submitting problem sage says get back to you within 72 hrs? This is normal?

thanks for assistance...

Make sure you added the correct workgroup to the HD200. (WHS by default uses MSHOME, not WORKGROUP) With the correct userID and password the HD should also show up in Network Places (Network Neighborhood)on your Windows server (STP-HD200 by default) or any other PC on your network. All your PCs should have the same workgroup name defined on them. On WHS go ahead and give the Guest ID read and write access to all of your shares thru the WHS console as well as the Windows ID you configured for the HD200. Reboot everything and check access to the shares. Instead of browsing I think you can specify the path \\Server\share. If not, browsing should get you there.

Gerry

[mayhewda]

I mentioned early it only seems to be an issue with the My Movies directory, photo and music are fine. Therefore network must be right. WHS has the same workgroup as all other machines called MYLAN. You make a good point to check if the HD200 shows up in network neighbourhood though. I honestly dont remember seeing this from the other machines. I will check tonight. THe guest already has read / write access as well as the UID i have on all machines. What does the following mean from your line: "On WHS go ahead and give the Guest ID read and write access to all of your shares thru the WHS console as well as the Windows ID you configured for the HD200 ???

It seems i have two issues: its like the HD200 isnt remember the UID/PSWD i give it. It works for awhile. If i poweroff (soft) it says invalid directory again. The second issue is the My Movies directory. Its like its empty even though it shows 26 movies (should be 69) and the movie artwork doesnt show. I have deleted and re-added and re-imported multiple times. Same result.

It was requested that i open an incident with sage. I did but used reqular support not beta support. I know i have seen before but what link to i use for beta support and i will open there?

Is there any other options for keying stuff into the HD200 other than the remote?

Thanks

[stanger89]

Originally Posted by mayhewda

You make a good point to check if the HD200 shows up in network neighbourhood though. I honestly dont remember seeing this from the other machines. I will check tonight.

By default CIFS sharing is disabled on the HD200 and AFAIK it won't show up on the network.

seems i have two issues: its like the HD200 isnt remember the UID/PSWD i give it. It works for awhile. If i poweroff (soft) it says invalid directory again. The second issue is the My Movies directory.

"My Movies" do you mean the "Videos", I thought only SageMC had a "My Movies" view/folder/menu.

Is there any other options for keying stuff into the HD200 other than the remote?

The recent (beta?) firmwares support USB keyboards.