| Author |
|
jeffw_00
Super User
Joined: June 30 2007
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 929
|
| Posted: January 09 2010 at 22:49 | IP Logged
|
|
|
Hi - twice in the last few weeks I've noticed my system wasn't working (timed event missed or keypad command not producing desired action), so I went to the PC and clicked on the PH icon, and.... nothing, it wouldn't open.
if I tried to kill PH via the Task Manager, and restart it, it complained that the PLM port was already in use. A reboot fixed everything.
There's nothing in the log. I can tell the last event it processed, and it can as well, as after the reboot it 'catches up' on the missed events, but no clue why it's hanging.
The PLM is only a few weeks old, could i have a bad one? If not - how does one debug a HANGING Powerhome?
I'm thinking of making Powerhome write a timestamp to a file every 15min, and having a perl-script on the PC check the file, and if PH misses a timestamp reboot the PC. But I hate to go this far, can anyone help?
Before this, I never had this problem, been using PH for years. and no, I haven't made any script changes in a while. And it doesn't fail at the same time of day, etc.
I appreciate any ideas - thanks!
/j
Edited by jeffw_00 - February 01 2010 at 16:16
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
BeachBum
Super User
Joined: April 11 2007
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1880
|
| Posted: January 09 2010 at 23:33 | IP Logged
|
|
|
Sounds similar to the same thing Jeff has been chiming on. I would guess the PLM is the problem.
__________________
Pete - X10 Oldie
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
jeffw_00
Super User
Joined: June 30 2007
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 929
|
| Posted: January 09 2010 at 23:57 | IP Logged
|
|
|
point me to relevant thread?
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
BeachBum
Super User
Joined: April 11 2007
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1880
|
| Posted: January 10 2010 at 09:42 | IP Logged
|
|
|
Dumb… That’ll teach me to check the forum on the way to bed.  Sorry Jeff didn’t realize it was your post.
I was basically pooling some of your problems into PH hanging causing shutdown and/or startup problems. Although they may not be relevant to this particular situation there seems to be some commonality, whether with a PLC or PLM, with PH handling communication errors. As in the past I have also commented on my experiences with a similar problem that freezes PH.
http://www.power-home.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1535&PN= 2
jeffw_00 wrote:
This is an annoyance, and makes life difficult for automated shutdowns. To do a scheduled reboot, one can still do a shutdown -f(orce), but that's still not a great thing to do, so I still have to use the technique at the top of this thread.
So I'm wondering
a) Can other people who run 2.1b on XP-SP3 simply do a Start->Turn Off Computer->Restart and get their PC to reboot?
b) Can/should Dave put on his todo list modifying powerhome so that it is well-behaved during a conventional reboot/shutdown? |
|
|
http://www.power-home.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=2267&PN= 6
jeffw_00 wrote:
| So I have problems with PH re-establishing communication with PLC after a reboot. disconnecting/reconnecting PLC fixed it |
|
|
http://www.power-home.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=2265&PN= 6
jeffw_00 wrote:
So I'm away from home, and my PC did it's normal Friday night reboot. Except, after rebooting, the PC can no longer communicate with the PLC, which is connected to one of the main USB ports on the back of the PC. So every time PH tries to do something, I get an Email that it failed.
This has happened to me about 3-4 times in the last 3 months (maybe coincidence, but only since I upgraded to PH 2.0), and all I have to do to fix it is unplug and re-plugin the PLC |
|
|
__________________
Pete - X10 Oldie
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
jeffw_00
Super User
Joined: June 30 2007
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 929
|
| Posted: January 10 2010 at 10:36 | IP Logged
|
|
|
Nope - that was a completely different sort of problem. In that case, the PLC was hanging up (it got old). In this case, the PROGRAM (PH) is hanging up - much more nefarious.
/j
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
jeffw_00
Super User
Joined: June 30 2007
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 929
|
| Posted: January 13 2010 at 11:24 | IP Logged
|
|
|
so I'm RMAing the PLM, and I hope that will fix it and that it's not a Powerhome problem. I say that, in part, because despite the volume of this thread, no one seemed to have anything constructive to post 8-}. Beachbum found some old posts I had on my PLC (which I replaced), but they weren't really on point.
Hope this works, thanks anyhoo! 8-}
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
dhoward
Admin Group
Joined: June 29 2001
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 4447
|
| Posted: January 14 2010 at 20:48 | IP Logged
|
|
|
Jeff,
Do you have a USB PLM or a serial one? If its USB, it may be the USB power issues some people seem to be having. It seems that the USB PLM draws more power than some PC's want to supply and so the PLM gets real flaky. Some people have solved this with a powered USB hub. I guess we'll see what happens when the new one arrives.
Whats bad however is that PowerHome hangs when the PLM has a problem. Im working on code to hopefully prevent that for the next beta so we'll see then if its more reliable.
Dave.
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
jeffw_00
Super User
Joined: June 30 2007
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 929
|
| Posted: January 14 2010 at 21:00 | IP Logged
|
|
|
Hi Dave - thanks. Good tip on the powered hub. I tried moving the PLM from one "internal" USB port to another and that seemed to help. Maybe I'll try switching to a PCI USB card (because i have one, and the power supply is different). or get an external powered hub if need be.
But yes, s--t happens, and the more rugged you can make the already really-rugged PH would not be turned away 8-}
best regards
/j
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
jeffw_00
Super User
Joined: June 30 2007
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 929
|
| Posted: January 17 2010 at 16:48 | IP Logged
|
|
|
so about 4 days ago I switched the PLM from the USB 'extension card' (not really a card, just a rear-panel insert that brings 2 ports from the MOBO), to one of the 4 primary USB sockets, and the problem appears to have gone away. I suspect that if it doesn't recur in a few weeks, I'll send back the replacement PLM to SH without swapping mine out.
Point is - if you read this thread because you have similar issues - try connecting the PLM somewhere else on your PC (or as Dave suggests, use a powered hub)
/j
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
jeffw_00
Super User
Joined: June 30 2007
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 929
|
| Posted: January 26 2010 at 10:11 | IP Logged
|
|
|
Well, the problem didn't go away, it just took longer (a week) to recur. So I swapped in my replacement PLM over the weekend. It took 3 days for it to fail.
Since the "failure" is that Powerhome hangs, I never had this problem with PLC, and it happens with -two- PLMs, I really have to point the finger at Powerhome. Does anyone have any idea what's going on, or how to debug?
Thanks!
/j
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
TonyNo
Moderator Group
Joined: December 05 2001
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2889
|
| Posted: January 26 2010 at 10:21 | IP Logged
|
|
|
Not that it helps, but I have been using the PLM for what seems like years without issue.
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
jeffw_00
Super User
Joined: June 30 2007
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 929
|
| Posted: January 26 2010 at 10:28 | IP Logged
|
|
|
that doesn't surprise me, but I still have the problem 8-{.
The only thing I can think to try is to pop in a USB PCI card and make the PLM the -only- device connected to it, I can try that tonight. If it still fails, well, it's hard to keep calling it a HW issue 8-{.
/j
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
smarty
Super User
Joined: May 21 2006
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 728
|
| Posted: January 26 2010 at 17:26 | IP Logged
|
|
|
Another .....not that this helps, but....
My luck with the serial PLM has been good, but only with using a good PCI serial board (not usb to serial adapter).
USB expereince (modem, keyboard extender, UPS etc) for me has been spotty when compared with simiiar devices where I could connect them serially (and not use the USB port in any manner).
hang in there....(sorry..bad choice of words)...
__________________
Elk - Insteon - BlueIris - DMC1 - PowerHome - XLobby - HA_Bridge w/Dots - Brultech
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
TonyNo
Moderator Group
Joined: December 05 2001
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2889
|
| Posted: January 26 2010 at 19:56 | IP Logged
|
|
|
Hmm. I have been using it with a Radio Shack USB-to-serial adapter.
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
BeachBum
Super User
Joined: April 11 2007
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1880
|
| Posted: January 26 2010 at 21:02 | IP Logged
|
|
|
Those of who have serial PLM and are using USB to serial adapters are not having the problem. I believe Jeff is having a problem with native USB. Just in case there is any confusion.
__________________
Pete - X10 Oldie
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
jeffw_00
Super User
Joined: June 30 2007
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 929
|
| Posted: January 26 2010 at 21:38 | IP Logged
|
|
|
right
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
jeffw_00
Super User
Joined: June 30 2007
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 929
|
| Posted: January 29 2010 at 13:48 | IP Logged
|
|
|
Ok - so changing the port didn't quite fix it, but someone pointed out to me that Power Management is enabled by default on USB ports (look at your USB Root Hub entries in Device Manager). I've disabled this, and no failures yet - if it goes 2 weeks I'll call it a win
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
NorthernAl
Groupie
Joined: March 19 2006
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 48
|
| Posted: January 30 2010 at 23:59 | IP Logged
|
|
|
In my case I finally gave up after trying two USB PLMs and a powered USB hub. Took a while. I had looked into power management too on the usb port but that did not help me.
Fixed it finally by returning it for the serial version (I had spare serial port on this slightly older pc). After months of frustrations, hangs, returns, etc. I now have a stable PH system using a PLM (a serial 2412s). The 2412u is a dud in my opinion.
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Viper
Groupie
Joined: January 14 2007
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 88
|
| Posted: January 31 2010 at 09:18 | IP Logged
|
|
|
I've been using a USB PLM (2412U) attached to a laptop with no problems since 11/2008.
Tom
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
jeffw_00
Super User
Joined: June 30 2007
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 929
|
| Posted: January 31 2010 at 16:26 | IP Logged
|
|
|
3 days and another failure. Last try is to move it to a PCI USB card.. However, I think (while they last) I WILL order a Serial PLM. My PC has a native serial port. It sounds like the odds for this are much better....
Should I get the old one, or the "dual-band" one???
(yes, I haven't yet tried an external powered hub - but even if that did work - it's kind of a hack with its own reliability issues, I think)
/j
Edited by jeffw_00 - January 31 2010 at 16:28
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Active Topics 
Memberlist 
Search 
Help
Register 
Login
PowerHome Messageboard : PowerHome General
Topic: Powerhome Hanging! (It IS the PLM!)
