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.
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.