Video drive spikes to 100%

[cam26]

Hi all. Recently, my 6 month old 4TB WD purple drive has randomly been spiking to 100%, causing issues when playing back clips. It will spike to 100% even when not playing clips and when BI is just running in the background, minimized, as a service. CPU doesn't necessarily spike either and stays around 25%, which is somewhat typical.

I see no other demanding programs running in task manager running when this happens.

Any ideas? Could this be a defective drive? V is only used for BI clip storage

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Any ideas? Could this be a defective drive?

 

[wittaj]

First off, the NEW, STORED, and ALERTS folders should remain called that per the help file, so maybe in some update BI is looking for a \NEW folder.

Since you are only using the V drive, do not move anything to Stored - simply leave it all at NEW. If you are moving from one folder to another, now that the drive is basically full it will have a tough time.

Generally you need at least 10% in overhead on a drive so that Windows has enough space to do its thing. I would drop the storage to 3,600 or maybe a little less.

Is the computer being used for anything else?

 

[cam26]

First off, the NEW, STORED, and ALERTS folders should remain called that per the help file, so maybe in some update BI is looking for a \NEW folder.

Since you are only using the V drive, do not move anything to Stored - simply leave it all at NEW. If you are moving from one folder to another, now that the drive is basically full it will have a tough time.

Generally you need at least 10% in overhead on a drive so that Windows has enough space to do its thing. I would drop the storage to 3,600 or maybe a little less.

Is the computer being used for anything else?

I appreciate your reply. I was unaware of the title requirement for the folders- I went ahead and changed them back as you suggested, I feel like you may be on to something there with some of the recent updates.

I also lowered storage to 3575, we'll see if that helps.

Computer isn't used for anything else, except some googling when something on BI isn't going quite right i5-4590 with 5 "5231's" at 15fps, an AD110 doorbell, and two 4mp Amcrest wifi cam's .

 

[wittaj]

Are you using the substreams option for BI? If not, do so.

I think it is a combo of the naming scheme and your drive was too full, but make sure that some update didn't turn your antivirus back on for the storage drive. We have seen that happen as well.

Also, go in and do a clear/empty of the recycle bin - even though it may not be showing anything, sometimes the computer will leave it there unshown as it is auto deleting files and that can spike it as well.

 

[Flintstone61]

once you write data, it really isn't necessary to have the drive re-read and rewrite that data to another folder,If its already writing to a NEW folder somewhere, it could writing it again to BiVIDEO. it's just wasted effort, and runs the PC harder.
If drive V is the surveillance drive, just create a Blue Iris folder, and inside create folders NEW and Stored, Windows needs some free space to write swap files or paging files to the drive.

 

[Flintstone61]

how much system memory is installed? if you have a small amount of ram, Windows may be writing a lot more swap files or paging files.

 

[Old Timer]

Have you installed any windoze updates lately?
One of the recent of the updates decided to do a disk scan of all files on the disks.
With my 8T and 10T drives, it took about 3 hours to scan along with blueiris running.

 

[cam26]

First, thank you all for your help and input.

Are you using the substreams option for BI? If not, do so.

I think it is a combo of the naming scheme and your drive was too full, but make sure that some update didn't turn your antivirus back on for the storage drive. We have seen that happen as well.

Also, go in and do a clear/empty of the recycle bin - even though it may not be showing anything, sometimes the computer will leave it there unshown as it is auto deleting files and that can spike it as well.

Yes on substreams (thank goodness for those...). I only had antivirus exclusion for the BiVideo folder on the V: drive, I went ahead and just excluded the whole V drive from antivirus scans. And emptied the recycling bin (though it said empty)

I also made the noob move of renaming V: storage to New in BI, without actually renaming the BiVideo folder in V: to New, so it ended up creating its own New folder and overallocating. Doh... fixed now, though, but not without about 6 hours of lost video. That's what I get for rushing before work.

once you write data, it really isn't necessary to have the drive re-read and rewrite that data to another folder,If its already writing to a NEW folder somewhere, it could writing it again to BiVIDEO. it's just wasted effort, and runs the PC harder.
If drive V is the surveillance drive, just create a Blue Iris folder, and inside create folders NEW and Stored, Windows needs some free space to write swap files or paging files to the drive.

I believe that's what I did- I've got the C drive holding the alerts and new/stored only on the V drive (but I don't use Stored, just New).

how much system memory is installed? if you have a small amount of ram, Windows may be writing a lot more swap files or paging files.

I've got 8gb so far, have been considering upgrading to 16, but I usually only get as high as 6-7 during high use, so I didn't pull the trigger on it. Maybe I should

Have you installed any windoze updates lately?
One of the recent of the updates decided to do a disk scan of all files on the disks.
With my 8T and 10T drives, it took about 3 hours to scan along with blueiris running.

Yep it's updated a few times over the past couple weeks. That's frustrating, any way to prevent disk scans from updates?

 

[wittaj]

Glad to help you out!

The best thing to do is to turn off Windows updates. Most of us have. Since we are only using the computer for BI, the risk is a lot smaller that something will happen than if you are using it everyday and surfing the web and downloading stuff and what not.

It seems like more than not, Windows update does something that busts our working BI system, so we just shut it off to updates.

 

[cam26]

Glad to help you out!

The best thing to do is to turn off Windows updates. Most of us have. Since we are only using the computer for BI, the risk is a lot smaller that something will happen than if you are using it everyday and surfing the web and downloading stuff and what not.

It seems like more than not, Windows update does something that busts our working BI system, so we just shut it off to updates.

That's a good idea. I always hesitate before I push "install updated and restart", so I'll just go ahead and turn updates off.

You've always been very helpful and I greatly appreciate it!

 

[wittaj]

That's a good idea. I always hesitate before I push "install updated and restart", so I'll just go ahead and turn updates off.

You've always been very helpful and I greatly appreciate it!

Glad someone thinks so (cross-threading if anyone has seen the fiasco happening all day LOL)

 

[cam26]

Glad someone thinks so (cross-threading if anyone has seen the fiasco happening all day LOL)

 

[sebastiantombs]

One more comment. If you're recording 24/7 alerts are nothing more than markers in the database that reference time in the recording for the camera involved. If you're using DeepStack or SenseAI the alerts folder will usually have those captures and the associated .dat files. IMHO it's not worth writing them to the C: drive at all. I just keep all video and alerts on the dedicated surveillance drives.

 

[cam26]

One more comment. If you're recording 24/7 alerts are nothing more than markers in the database that reference time in the recording for the camera involved. If you're using DeepStack or SenseAI the alerts folder will usually have those captures and the associated .dat files. IMHO it's not worth writing them to the C: drive at all. I just keep all video and alerts on the dedicated surveillance drives.

Makes sense. I do record 24/7 but have alerts on the C drive, I may just switch them over. Thanks!

 

[Flintstone61]

@Old Timer isn't that odd.....Never in Win 7 or 8 did I ever hear an idle time indexing( phoning home/data scavenging/nogoodvarmint/scan of my drives!

 

[Flintstone61]

HOW TO DISABLE AUTOMATIC UPDATES USING GROUP POLICY

On Windows 10 Pro, the Local Group Policy Editor includes policies to permanently disable automatic updates or change the update settings to choose when patches should be installed on the device.
Disable Windows 10 updates
To disable automatic updates on Windows 10 permanently, use these steps:

1. Open Start.
2. Search for gpedit.msc and click the top result to launch the Local Group Policy Editor.
3. Navigate to the following path: Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Update
4. Double-click the "Configure Automatic Updates" policy on the right side.

(Image credit: Future)

1. Check the Disabled option to turn off automatic Windows 10 updates permanently.

View attachment 140133



(Image credit: Future)

1. Click the Apply button.
2. Click the OK button.

After you complete the steps, Windows 10 will stop downloading updates automatically. However, the ability to check for updates manually will continue to be available on Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update, and clicking the Check for updates button to download the most recent patches as needed.
If you want to enable automatic updates on the computer again, you can use the same instructions outlined above, but in step 5, make sure to select the Not Configured option.
Limit Windows 10 updates
The Local Group Policy Editor also lets you choose how to disable automatic updates.
To manage Windows Update automatic downloads with Group Policy on Windows 10, use these steps:

1. Open Start.
2. Search for gpedit.msc and select the top result to launch the experience.
3. Navigate to the following path: Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Update
4. Double-click the Configure Automatic Updates policy on the right side.

(Image credit: Future)

1. Check the Enable option to turn on the policy.
2. Under the "Options" section, select the option to prevent updates from downloading automatically on Windows 10:

• 2 — Notify for download and auto install.
• 3 — Auto download and notify for install.
• 4 — Auto download and schedule the install.
• 5 — Allow local admin to choose setting.
• 7 — Auto Download, Notify to install, Notify to Restart.

(Image credit: Future)

• Quick tip: The best option to disable automatic updates is the 2 — Notify for download and auto install option, but you can make a different selection. If you choose option 2, updates won't download automatically. Instead, you will now see an "Install now" button to manually trigger an update on the Windows Update settings page.

1. Click the Apply button.
2. Click the OK button.

Once you complete the steps, automatic updates will be permanently disabled on Windows 10. However, when new updates become available, you can install them manually from the Windows Update settings page.

 

[Old Timer]

HOW TO DISABLE AUTOMATIC UPDATES USING GROUP POLICY

On Windows 10 Pro, the Local Group Policy Editor includes policies to permanently disable automatic updates or change the update settings to choose when patches should be installed on the device.
Disable Windows 10 updates
To disable automatic updates on Windows 10 permanently, use these steps:

1. Open Start.
2. Search for gpedit.msc and click the top result to launch the Local Group Policy Editor.
3. Navigate to the following path: Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Update
4. Double-click the "Configure Automatic Updates" policy on the right side.

View attachment 140131


(Image credit: Future)

1. Check the Disabled option to turn off automatic Windows 10 updates permanently.

View attachment 140133



(Image credit: Future)

1. Click the Apply button.
2. Click the OK button.

After you complete the steps, Windows 10 will stop downloading updates automatically. However, the ability to check for updates manually will continue to be available on Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update, and clicking the Check for updates button to download the most recent patches as needed.
If you want to enable automatic updates on the computer again, you can use the same instructions outlined above, but in step 5, make sure to select the Not Configured option.
Limit Windows 10 updates
The Local Group Policy Editor also lets you choose how to disable automatic updates.
To manage Windows Update automatic downloads with Group Policy on Windows 10, use these steps:

1. Open Start.
2. Search for gpedit.msc and select the top result to launch the experience.
3. Navigate to the following path: Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Update
4. Double-click the Configure Automatic Updates policy on the right side.

View attachment 140132



(Image credit: Future)

1. Check the Enable option to turn on the policy.
2. Under the "Options" section, select the option to prevent updates from downloading automatically on Windows 10:

• 2 — Notify for download and auto install.
• 3 — Auto download and notify for install.
• 4 — Auto download and schedule the install.
• 5 — Allow local admin to choose setting.
• 7 — Auto Download, Notify to install, Notify to Restart.

View attachment 140135


(Image credit: Future)

• Quick tip: The best option to disable automatic updates is the 2 — Notify for download and auto install option, but you can make a different selection. If you choose option 2, updates won't download automatically. Instead, you will now see an "Install now" button to manually trigger an update on the Windows Update settings page.

1. Click the Apply button.
2. Click the OK button.

Once you complete the steps, automatic updates will be permanently disabled on Windows 10. However, when new updates become available, you can install them manually from the Windows Update settings page.

Disabling the updates like this is the best way to get around all of the windoze garbage.

I have 3 BlueIris PCs going, and 2 of the 3 are done like this. The third is used for some automation,
weather data and a little browsing, so I do run updates manually on it. I have ran into a little problem
with a PC on a domain not being updated, doubt very many hobbyist use a domain.

 

[cam26]

Just an update…

I am no longer having this issue and noted the changes I made throughout this thread based on everyone’s recommendations.

If anyone has this same issue I suggest following the recommendations made.

Thanks again to all who helped!