Hangs at "Performing a Manual Database Update"

[peterd]

Yes, happens when I try one of the guide tweaks (e.g., # of rows). The Tweak page shows the rotating arrow, but never completes. I can cancel it, and then the log shows the above error.

I don't believe i have ever used MCE Reset Toolbox. I do use Ceton Diagnostics (using an Infini TV 6 tuner) and I have also been using Guide Tool (but it appears I will no longer need it

The last Rovi outage wreaked all sorts of havoc with my HTPC, and I had to reload WMC several times to get back to where the tuners would work even though I had no guide listing. So it is quite possible that something was broken along the way. Everything now seems to be working perfectly, except I can't tweak WMC with your program. It is a small issue, and I would be perfectly happy if things remained stable as is. (Wish I had jumped years ago).

Anyhow, what is the epg123 Client trying to access when it throws the error. Could it be that I need to change permissions on a folder?

Thx,

[peterd]

Yes, happens when I attempt to Tweak the grid (e.g., increasing # of rows). The Tweak screen shows a rotating arrow, but never completes. I can cancel, and then the log shows the above error.

I do not believe I have ever used MCE Rest Toolbox. I do use Ceton Diagnostics and Guide Tool (but it appears I won't need the latter any more

The latest Rovi outage wreaked havoc with my HTPC. I had to reinstall WMC several times to get the tuners to work again - albeit without guide data. Very possible that something was broken along the way.
Everything now seems to be working well except for the inability to use Tweak - a small issue. I would be ecstatic if the status quo continued without the usual need to frequently set-up the WMC TV signal. (I should have jumped years ago).

What is epg123 Client trying to access when the error happens? Could it be something as simple as changing permissions on a folder?

Thx.

[garyan2]

All the modification guide layout tweaks concern your C:\Windows\ehome\Microsoft.MediaCenter.Shell.dll file. What EPG123 does, is it copies that file into your %TEMP% folder, replaces some resource files in the dll with modified files, and copies it back into the ehome folder.

Permission concerns that are needed when EPG123 does this is on the copying the file back into the ehome folder. If it fails to copy, then it will try to take ownership of the file and grant the User group modify rights.

There could also be a possibility that some program is using the file and won't let it go, though there should be something in the trace.log file identifying what those program(s) are. It also shuts down WMC (ehshell) and your extender connections (ehexthost) before trying to copy over the file since they are what you could expect to be accessing the dll.

You can check your %TEMP% folder to see if the Microsoft.MediaCenter.Shell.dll file exists there. It should be since it appears you never complete the process.
You can check the permission of the Microsoft.MediaCenter.Shell.dll file in the Windows\ehome folder for the owner and User group modification rights. If they are not correct, you can apply them yourself and try again (see below).

Code: Select all

takeown.exe /f "C:\Windows\ehome\Microsoft.MediaCenter.Shell.dll"
icacls.exe "C:\Windows\ehome\Microsoft.MediaCenter.Shell.dll" /grant *S-1-5-32-545:(M)

[peterd]

As you suggested, %temp%/microsft.mediacenter.shell.dll exists with a time stamp from around when I tried to "tweak" WMC.

Permission of c:\windows\ehome\microsoft mediacenter.shell.dll is set to "read" and "execute and read" for all users except for "trusted installer" who has full access. I am unable to change them (grayed out) even though logged in as admin.

I ran the command prompts but it did not change anything. epg123 client still hangs and gives access denied error.

[6/27/2019 8:09:03 PM] [ERROR] Unhandled thread exception caught from epg123Client.exe. message: Access is denied

[garyan2]

As you suggested, %temp%/microsft.mediacenter.shell.dll exists with a time stamp from around when I tried to "tweak" WMC.

Permission of c:\windows\ehome\microsoft mediacenter.shell.dll is set to "read" and "execute and read" for all users except for "trusted installer" who has full access. I am unable to change them (grayed out) even though logged in as admin.

I ran the command prompts but it did not change anything. epg123 client still hangs and gives access denied error.

[6/27/2019 8:09:03 PM] [ERROR] Unhandled thread exception caught from epg123Client.exe. message: Access is denied

Strange. Sounds like it is not letting you take ownership. You need to do that before it lets you change permissions.

[peterd]

I was able to change permissions for all users (Admin, Users, System) to full access for c:\windows\ehome\microsoft.mediacenter.shell.dll. (I think it was a cockpit error - not realizing I needed to go into the advanced security screen).

epg123 still is unable to access the file and generates the same error when using Tweak. Is there any way to check that "access denied" is indeed for c:\windows\ehome\microsoft mediacenter.shell.dll?

Thx again for the debugging help.

[garyan2]

I was able to change permissions for all users (Admin, Users, System) to full access for c:\windows\ehome\microsoft.mediacenter.shell.dll. (I think it was a cockpit error - not realizing I needed to go into the advanced security screen).

epg123 still is unable to access the file and generates the same error when using Tweak. Is there any way to check that "access denied" is indeed for c:\windows\ehome\microsoft mediacenter.shell.dll?

Thx again for the debugging help.

Since it is an unhandled exception, I'll have to give you a special build to try and catch that. I can probably push something out really late tonight or Saturday. You could try to boot into Safe Mode make the tweaks there... see if that works.

[peterd]

Not pressing. Have a soccer game to watch, and things are otherwise performing very well. Would be nice to fix eventually, so please do when you have a moment.

Will try booting into safe mode and report back.

Thx.

[peterd]

after booting into Safe Mode, I ran epg123 Client Tweak to change rows to 10 and it completed. Log showed no errors.

[garyan2]

after booting into Safe Mode, I ran epg123 Client Tweak to change rows to 10 and it completed. Log showed no errors.

There must be some program that is keeping the file open and preventing me from copying over it. I have code in place that is supposed to tell us what program is locking it, but I guess that didn't work in this case.

EDIT: curiousity, can it now make the changes without going into Safe Mode? Have you tried?

[peterd]

Just tried "Tweaking" again and it failed with the same error.

At least I now know how to get Tweak to work. I don't anticipate using that feature a lot, so I'm good. Willing to continue tracking down the issue if it is of value.

Otherwise, great program. And system still stable.

Thx.

[garyan2]

So, I have tried it again with no luck. It has been running for three hours in a loop at Step One with the message "Performing a Manual Database Update". This is on a fresh install of Windows 7. I uninstalled WMC and reinstalled it. I uninstalled EPG123 and reinstalled it. When I tried to manually delete the windows/ehome folder it gave a message that I needed permission from "TrustedInstaller", which is listed as the owner of the ehome folder. I changed permissions and ownership to give me access, but still, no luck installing EPG123. I've successfully installed it on other machines. Suggestions?

I don't know if you are still trying this, but I'm going to release a new version soon which will include a timeout for the "Performing a manual database update ..." stage of 60 seconds. The risk is that the increase in tuner limits after this stage will not take.

[dochockey]

Sorry, been doing all these posts on the phone and just now have time to sit and read through everything you have done. I don't know what file the trace.log is talking about that epg123 can't find. The only thing going on there is it will open WMC and then hide it, use mcupdate.exe to update the database, and then restore WMC to view.

I would suggest at this point to just do things manually. Start at Step 2 and setup WMC. For Step 3, you will have to open the configuration GUI yourself to set it up. If you have any recordings to transfer over, click the [Transfer Tool] button to open it up and then open the backup ZIP file created the first time you start a Step 1.

That worked. Thanks.