I think I hosed my BI install

th182

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This is long-winded but maybe another pair of eyes will think of something I can try here. Thanks in advance for reading!

So a couple of days ago I did a reboot on my BI PC and in the process windows did some updates. When it started up all was good until the nightly database compact/repair. It failed with the error "DB Compact could not obtain exclusive DB access." I tried a manual compact and it also failed. So came here and found advise to deleted the DB folder and run a rebuild. That worked. I thought all was good... but that night the DB compact failed again. In the past when I had this issue a BI update fixed it. So I ran the update but on BI starting up again it threw an error that "Console could not connect to service process (2)". What the heck! I could not get BI to start. In retrospect the time that an update fixed the DB issue, the problem was a result of an update. I had not updated BI in a long time when this issue developed, only restarted the PC and windows did its thing.

So I downloaded the last known working version, 5.2.1.4 and tried to install it. The update complained that it could not access blueiris.exe and to ensure it was not in use. I checked task manager and confirmed that neither the console nor the service were running. Weird! Restarted in windows safe mode without networking and was able to run the update. In safe mode BI started up just fine, although without networking there were no camera feeds.

Restarted into normal windows mode and BI complained that "Console could not connect to service process (2)" the console would not open. I waited a few minutes and tried again and the console opened and the service was running. I left it this way for a few days as it was working and I didn't have time to deal with it.

Today I restarted the computer and BI would not start at all. Back to safe mode and I was able to get it to start. Ran the downgrade and it started in safe mode but I could not get it to start in normal windows mode. Did an uninstall and reinstall of the entire program but it would not start (I never thought to clear the registry so it is possible the problem is in there). Went back to safe mode, ran the downgrade and it started up, in safe mode.

At one point in all of this I also tried safe mode WITH networking and experienced the same issues with BI console not starting up. Odd that networking somehow had something to do with it.

Finally restarted the computer and everything came up alright, with a pop-up saying the latest version is available for upgrade. I'm afraid to restart for fear of crashing again so that is where it sits tonight.

The problem seems to be that the service crashes or doesn't start, then the console starts expecting the service to be there. When it boots correctly, I get a notification to my phone that BI restarted long before windows has fully loaded, so the service must start before anything else. When the GUI fails to start up, the service shows stopped (and I never get that restart notification). If I try to start the GUI and watch task manager the service goes to starting, then right back to stopped. So something is screwed up with the service I think.

Anyone have any advice? I'm afraid I've reached the re-image windows and start over point. My concern is something in the Perspective Software registry entries is goofed up. If I do a clean install I'd like to import my settings so I don't have to re-add every camera again.. but I suppose that could re-import the hypothetical messed up registry entry? Or maybe that's not how BI handles imports.

I'm done fooling with it tonight as I don't want to be without recorded cameras overnight. Later this weekend I might un-check the 'Run as Windows Service' box and restart. Then if all goes well, re-check run as service and restart again. Maybe that will clear out whatever is causing a hangup.

Current apparently working BI version 5.2.3.2, running on Windows 10 Pro 64-bit, Intel i5-4590, 32GB RAM, OS and BI DB are on an SSD, all recordings to two Purple HDDs. I'm up to 21 cameras right now, all 2MP at 15FPS.
 

th182

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read the wiki page. 21 cam is alot for a 4th gen intel?
I read through the wiki again but don't see anything specific to this error.. unless I missed it.

Based on the CPU calculations I am at the upper limit of my processor but it hasn't been an issue so far. I'm direct to disk on everything and typically only have a handful showing live feeds on the console.

I have to confirm if I had implemented the policy to prevent the graphics driver update. It's possible windows did something with that during the update. Not sure why BI would start fine after the first reboot and then fail on subsuquent ones. I'm going to reach out to support and see if he has any ideas.

I'm still leaning towards something with the service. When I have time to look later today I will uncheck the service and see if things get better.
 

bp2008

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If the problem is files being locked by other programs, then it is probably an anti-malware service or automated backup software doing it.
 

th182

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If the problem is files being locked by other programs, then it is probably an anti-malware service or automated backup software doing it.
That's what I thought but I disabled Bitdefender and windows shows windows defender is off. I have determined something in my BI registry is causing the crashes.

I uninstalled BI and cleared the keys for it (backing up first!). Then rebooted and reinstalled. BI started up just fine on a clean slate. I imported my latest backup and it crashed.

Using the registry editor I was able to import a known good registry backup and BI started up just fine but threw an error that the service was unable to start. I have a database regeneration running now then I am going to try a restart and re-enable the service.

Is there a way to open and view a registry backup file without importing it? Google says to open with notepad but that is just a garbled mess. I'd like to compare my working version with the non-working to see whats up. They are only a few days apart so shouldn't be too different.
 

SouthernYankee

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Please provide a screen shots. full frame (use windows 10 snip & sketch tool)
1) windows task manager process tab sorted by memory (most at the top),
2) windows task manager performance, GPU
3) Blue Iris Setting about tab
4) Blue iris status (lighting bolt graph) clip storage
5) blue Iris status cameras
 

th182

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Please provide a screen shots. full frame (use windows 10 snip & sketch tool)
1) windows task manager process tab sorted by memory (most at the top),
2) windows task manager performance, GPU
3) Blue Iris Setting about tab
4) Blue iris status (lighting bolt graph) clip storage
5) blue Iris status cameras
Will do once I get it to open again. It was up and running, I did a database rebuild. That succeeded and all was good. So before doing anything further I exported my settings and did a computer restart. Now BI won't start. Splash screen comes up for 10 seconds or so and then the error "Console could not connect to service process (2)" comes up. Clicking OK closes the error and nothing further happens. Going to uninstall, delete keys, restart, and reinstall again. Hopefully I can at least get it to come up without my current settings imported.
 

th182

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So I'm back up and running and survived one reboot. Attached are all the requested screenshots. The Clip Storage has huge over-allocations but that was not the case before all of this started. I am doing a database rebuilt to see if that fixes it and then will do a reboot before changing anything else. Part of the issue may be that I replaced the "Street" camera with a new "Mailbox" camera. So there are clips from that new camera that BI does not know about since that camera doesn't exist yet in the registry version I imported. Does that thinking seem right?

Edit: The over-allocation might be caused by the new camera, still unsure what caused my BI crashes.

The Camera Status tab is cluttered because I have so many camera groups. Have fun deciphering that!
 

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th182

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Here is the correct clip storage status, following a database rebuild. I'm trying a computer reboot now to see what happens. Last time I did a reboot after fixing the DB it crashed on startup. Fingers crossed!!
 

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th182

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Startup was OK after reboot! Service started and then when I opened the console it was OK! Going to replace the Street Cam with the new Mailbox one and do a reboot. If that holds all is right in the world again!!
 

th182

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That was short lived. It rebooted fine after the camera change. Gave it another reboot after that and I get the "Console could not connect to service process (2)" error again and the GUI won't open. Service is not running and won't start either. So frustrating!!
 

SouthernYankee

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1) How many cameras do you have defined ?
2) are you using clone cameras ?
3) What is your total KB/s and MP/s it should be on the bottom of the camera status page.

3) Are all your cameras configured to write to the New folder on E driver ?
4) are the E and F drives inter usb/ NAS ?
4) What are you using AUX 1 and AUX 2 for ?

screen shots of

1) Blue iris settings clips and archiving tab , for the NEW folder, stored folder, alerts folder, aux1 and aux2 ( screen shots)
2) on two of the camera properties the record tab.
 

th182

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I'm thinking this all may be related to using windows task manager to auto-start the GUI on windows login. Reboots were fine until I re-enabled that task. I removed and reinstalled everything, rebuilt the database, and am leaving the task disabled as I don't need it with the service starting anyways. Time will tell if reboots are going to cause issues now.

To answer your questions:
I have 21 cameras enabled. See the attached screenshot of my tracking spreadsheet. I have 4 additional cameras that are disabled as follows:
  • Drugdeal: a clone of my Front Door camera that I no longer use. I just deleted this camera now that I remembered it existed. We used to have a neighbor making deals so this directed my PTZ to the street.
  • OctoPrint stream for my 3D printer - This never records and sometimes I enable it to monitor prints on my displays throughout the house.
  • Street - this is an old cam that I just replaced. Currently disabled until I figure out if I want to use it somewhere else. It is fed through my Lorex DVR and was replaced with an IP camera (Mailboxes).
  • Data Center - this camera died and hasn't been replaced (was an old cheap one).
I have two "extra/special" cameras right now. MouseCam1 was thrown up a week ago to try and figure out where mice were getting in, very low-res as its analog fed from an old DVR. ServerPower is a USB webcam that just takes a snapshot every day at midnight.

3) Total hovers around 7500 kB/s and 650 MP/s.

My E and F drives are internal Purple HDDs connected by SATA. E is the New folder, F is the Stored folder. The cameras are split between the two folders to maximize recording retention. E/New has more cameras assigned to it because most of them are motion-only. Whereas the F/Stored has mostly all continuous recordings. I get around 17 days of storage by balancing between the two. The F drive also has the Alerts folder, but nothing saves to it. My Clips and Archiving settings for them are Set to DELETE at a maximum GB size. Limit Clip age is NOT checked. Nothing is set to move to folder or recycle.

AUX 1 points to a folder on the C drive but I don't have any cameras using AUX 1 so I can't remember why I set that up.
AUX 2 points to a shared folder on the C drive where the ServerPower snapshot images are stored.

Requested screenshots attached.. with a bonus shot of the snapshot cameras settings.
 

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SouthernYankee

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On my system I have BI service set to a delayed start, so I know the network is up. I do not auto start the GUI.

Your setting look OK for your disk space allocation. I leave about 5 to 10 % free space on the drives.
1) do not do virus scans on the E and F drives.
2) make sure that the disk defragmenter is disabled on the E and F drive.

I think you are near the upper limit of that CPU. Look at other systems and what they are doing for the MP/s and the number of cameras.
 

th182

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Update helper returns a bad gateway. I will have a look when it is fixed. Just changed my service to a delayed start. I'm going to have to start looking for a system with a better CPU! I'll probably start watching eBay. Based on the wiki I should probably be looking for an i7-8700k or i7-8700. It also lists an i9-9900K but those are stupid expensive!
 

th182

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Update helper working now!

Ken was quick to reply to my support email! He said that in recent experience my problems have been caused by Bitdefender and Sophos. I did a restart and the service failed to start yet again. I uninstalled Bitdefender but the problem has persisted. Whats odd to me is I never had an issue until recently.
 

SouthernYankee

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As hard as this is to say , I think you need to start over. something is messed up and it will be hit or miss to find it.

1) a clean install of windows 10 using the "microsoft media creation tool"
2) clean install of Blue Iris 5.2.4.4
3) do not add any addition software.
4) set BI up to run as a service
5) add a single camera and reboot and verify that that camera works,
6) add a few cameras at a time, then reboot, then test, go slow, what the CPU load and memory utilization.
 

eeeeesh

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I wonder if it could be a 'permissions' problem with the Blue Iris service? You may want to check the properties of the service and even perhaps change the login info for the service and user an administrator account name and password. (sounds like at this point you have nothing to lose)

Something else I would try would be to disable all the cameras, reboot and see if BI will run. If it does, slowly add back the cameras
 
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