Recent extreme sluggishness with latest x86 version, troubleshooting help?

[waylo]

My server install is as described in my signature. Basically, I'm on the latest x86 version of SageTV which was installed back in March. Since I'm running it on an older computer (top of the line 12 years ago!), the mobo only allows for 4gb RAM.

Very recently (1 week ago), I've found my PC getting extremely sluggish and SageTV having way more spinning circle events. I haven't installed anything new of significance (no system updates, etc).

Checking memory usage, SageTV is taking up a lot more memory than I recall. My java heap has been set to 1024mb for years, and it seems over the course of 1-2 days, SageTV creeps up from 300-400mb to 800+mb. This results in 99% of the RAM being utilized, which is my guess as to why the system slows to a crawl. I don't think it was utilizing this much RAM before.

Is there anything to check to see why Sage may be taking more and more memory? Any other hardware troubleshooting I might do?

[wnjj]

What version were you on previously? The change made in 9.1.10 had a direct (and I think possibly significant) impact on memory usage. Basically all show description strings in wiz.bin doubled in size in RAM. The discussion behind the changes is here: https://forums.sagetv.com/forums/showthread.php?t=65692

As time goes by your wiz.bin grows with more and more shows. Cleaning it up somehow would reduce its fingerprint. I’ve always thought having a way to purge old, irrelevant shows from it would be nice.

You could try 9.1.9 to see if you notice a difference.

[waylo]

Appreciate the suggestions. I was on 9.1.9 before switching to 9.2.1. I tried 9.1.10 and reverted due to some sluggishness, I think. I hadn't encountered the same thing in 9.2.1 until maybe this.

It's a bit odd that 9.2.1 worked fairly well for 2 months, and then just recently went a little crazy.

Wiz.bin is ~41mbs. The one last used for 9.1.9 ironically is a few bytes smaller.

I'll try reverting the server version back to 9.1.9.

[RonBoyd]

Originally Posted by waylo

I've found my PC getting extremely sluggish and SageTV having way more spinning circle events. I haven't installed anything new of significance (no system updates, etc.).

I, too, am experiencing the same thing. I have v9.2.1.826 (both x86 and 64) installed and My java heap has been set to 1024mb.

I don't use the x86 version... that I am aware of. Is there any reason I shouldn't uninstall it? (The thought has crossed my mind a couple times that this is causing the issue.)

[JustFred]

Originally Posted by RonBoyd

I, too, am experiencing the same thing. I have v9.2.1.826 (both x86 and 64) installed and My java heap has been set to 1024mb.

Assuming there's enough physical memory, Sage-64 will most likely benefit from increasing java heap size. I've found that going to 2048mb (0x800) makes a significant improvement. You want the registry value that's NOT under Wow6432Node.

I don't use the x86 version... that I am aware of. Is there any reason I shouldn't uninstall it? (The thought has crossed my mind a couple times that this is causing the issue.)

There's very little value to keeping 32-bit installed any more. But it's highly unlikely that having both 32- and 64-bit versions installed simultaneously is related to the issue.

[JREkiwi]

You don't say where you seeing the spinning circles, but you could try changing
ui/load_images_with_awt_toolkit to false

as per this thread

John

[waylo]

Originally Posted by JREkiwi

You don't say where you seeing the spinning circles, but you could try changing
ui/load_images_with_awt_toolkit to false

as per this thread

John

Thanks for chiming in. Most often, they occur when accessing my recordings list. Or, when playback is stopped and SageTV is trying to get back to my home screen. Is it correct to say that thread you referenced was for photos/movies?

[JREkiwi]

Originally Posted by waylo

Thanks for chiming in. Most often, they occur when accessing my recordings list. Or, when playback is stopped and SageTV is trying to get back to my home screen. Is it correct to say that thread you referenced was for photos/movies?

That was where it was predominately noticed in this instance, but the setting affects anywhere that images are being shown.

John

[tmiranda]

Have you looked at the logfile? There might be some useful clues in there.

[waylo]

So just a summary/update for everything I've done. It seems to have calmed down the system, in that even though Sage does approach the higher limits of its java heap (~1gb), total memory usage doesn't hit the high 90s. I've stayed on 9.2.1 for now.

1. First I thought maybe my boot drive was running out of space, down to 8gb. So I cleaned shop and freed up 15gb.

2. To possibly help with RAM issues, I increased the page file on my SSD from 4gb to 6gb, per Windows recommendations.

3. Finally, possibly the most effective thing after carefully examining my running processes... My antivirus (Bitdefender Free) was occupying a pretty hefty 350+mb in RAM at all times. I uninstalled and installed a lesser memory hog (Kaspersky Free).

I think the last item was what really helped this situation.

[tvmaster2]

Originally Posted by waylo

So just a summary/update for everything I've done. It seems to have calmed down the system, in that even though Sage does approach the higher limits of its java heap (~1gb), total memory usage doesn't hit the high 90s. I've stayed on 9.2.1 for now.

1. First I thought maybe my boot drive was running out of space, down to 8gb. So I cleaned shop and freed up 15gb.

2. To possibly help with RAM issues, I increased the page file on my SSD from 4gb to 6gb, per Windows recommendations.

3. Finally, possibly the most effective thing after carefully examining my running processes... My antivirus (Bitdefender Free) was occupying a pretty hefty 350+mb in RAM at all times. I uninstalled and installed a lesser memory hog (Kaspersky Free).

I think the last item was what really helped this situation.

Hi - how do you increase the SSD Page File?

[waylo]

Originally Posted by tvmaster2

Hi - how do you increase the SSD Page File?

I mean the Windows page file. Which happens to be on the SSD, my boot drive.

https://www.online-tech-tips.com/com...e-paging-file/