Revisiting MediaMonkey: various errors [#19141]

[thomas_24_7]

Hello there, it's been a while, but I decided to check out MediaMonkey after being a long time user before. Awesome to see what progress has been made since the introduction of v4. I really like that it connects the cloud age (Spotify) with my private music collection.

Now the sad news: I initially was meet with a number of crashes/errors.

1. After/during the initial scan the database corrupted. All provided automatic restore operations failed. Restart in Safe mode does not close/restart the program half the time. If it does, it's unusable because I can't navigate to toolbar > File > Manage database... (a white popup appears, but no usable menu...probably due to my 200% DPI display setting?)
2. When I remove all bookmarks under "Web" (Amazon.com, iHeart.com, Last.fm) I get a Application Error:

   Code: Select all

   Application throw an exception Exception EAccessViolation in module MediaMonkeyEngine.exe at 00A586D2. Access violation at address 00E586D2 in module 'MediaMonkeyEngine.exe'. Read of address 00000000.

3. Often (seems to be when changing to next playlist item) I get another Application Error:

   Code: Select all

   Application throw an exception Could not retrieve data "SELECT Songs.* FROM Songs WHERE Songs.TrackType in (0,4,3) " : disk I/O error (10, 10)

4. Last.fm communicates my credential tokens over normal http (port 80) while https (port 443) is available on audioscrobbler.com.

Point 1: solved it eventually by clearing the database. But did cost some time (multiple attempts scanning a large library).
Point 2: after a restart of MediaMonkey all bookmarks return. If I delete all but Last.fm, there is no error?
Point 3: probably related to point 1. I use a portable installation in a folder that's being synced to my NAS using Synology Drive Client (just like Google Drive/OneDrive). The problem seems to be related to MM closing filehandles after writing to MM5.db, giving Synology Drive Client the idea the file is free/available to sync/update (thus locking it), just when MM wants to access it again. Or is MM keeping the filehandle open and is Synology just intrusive? Is there a hidden setting that can keep the MM5.db file open? Similar software using sqlite databases (like photo management software Digikam) does not share this problematic behaviour. Of course I can exclude the MM5.db file from synchronisation, but that doesn't leave much of a use-case for using a portable application.
Point 4: I noticed this because I run a whitelist based firewall. This was easily changed to "https" in .\Scripts\lastFM\lastFMTools.js:8 without negative consequences. The firewall set-up could also be a cause for the error in point 2. Is MM gracefully handling (partial) communication failures?

As I see MM is now based on Node.js, would it be much work to slip in another database connector library and use a remote database (Postgres or MariaDB)? Unsupported and just for tech users of course? Shouldn't have to be too unfriendly for users as it can be offered as a very simple Docker recipe/image and a connection string in the settings. I also read about this MediaMonkey Server development with excitement, but I'm wondering what the advantages are over just a remote database. More reliable tracking of library filesystem changes than over SMB/NFS? Always present DLNA server? It has some pro's but is probably considerable more work.

Hope this report contributes to a even better MediaMonkey, keep up the good work!

[Lowlander]

Which Build (Help > About) are you using?

[thomas_24_7]

I'm using build 5.0.3.2627 (portable).

[Ludek]

Re the issue 2) I don't see any error when I remove all bookmarks from the Web node, but I can confirm that once all bookmarks are removed then they returns after restart.
Tracking as https://www.ventismedia.com/mantis/view.php?id=19141

Re the issue 3) SQL error --> I see there is " disk I/O error (10, 10)"
Where is your database stored, it looks like a HW issue with the drive where the DB is stored or it's driver?
Can you check the drive for errors? i.r. right-click the drive in Windows Explorer > Properties > Tools > Check
Also be sure that the drive isn't full (preventing from writing further data there)

[thomas_24_7]

Re issue 2) Thanks for picking it up as issue.
I can confirm that the Application Error is a separate issue and is related to the firewall: if I temporarily allow the connections MediaMonkey initiates upon browsing to these nodes, the error is gone. Would it be possible to handle failing connections more gently than throwing an exception/application error? Perhaps showing an empty page showing something like "network error" or "page could not be loaded"?

Re issue 3) For completeness sake, in the default location ".\MediaMonkey 5\Portable\MM5.DB" which is on a internal HDD (not SSD). I'm feeling kinda stupid to say this, but turning the computer off and on again seems to have solved it . Guess it's not MediaMonkey related but more of a occasional problem with Synology Drive Client/Windows Virtual File System locking files .

[Peke]

Re issue 2) Thanks for picking it up as issue.
I can confirm that the Application Error is a separate issue and is related to the firewall: if I temporarily allow the connections MediaMonkey initiates upon browsing to these nodes, the error is gone. Would it be possible to handle failing connections more gently than throwing an exception/application error? Perhaps showing an empty page showing something like "network error" or "page could not be loaded"?

Hmm I tested this and I do not get exceptions if I block MM from accessing the internet I get regular information of page not accessible. Can you make screenshot?

Re issue 3) For completeness sake, in the default location ".\MediaMonkey 5\Portable\MM5.DB" which is on a internal HDD (not SSD). I'm feeling kinda stupid to say this, but turning the computer off and on again seems to have solved it . Guess it's not MediaMonkey related but more of a occasional problem with Synology Drive Client/Windows Virtual File System locking files .

That is exactly hat Ludek said. Turn Off and On computer do not solve Disk I/O errors, I would really suggesting that you check your HDD for BAD blocks. SSD due the its design behaves very different and usually dies with big bang.

[thomas_24_7]

Thanks for taking time to respond Peke. This screen recording may be more helpful than a screenshot: https://youtu.be/xzW_mbSM184 At 45seconds I temporarily allow all connections from mediamonkeyengine.exe and that's when the errors no longer appear.

I've taken Ludek and your concern/recommendation at heart and ran a disk scan: it completed without any errors. I've manually scheduled a more extensive scan on reboot to really rule out any bad sectors. Noone likes a dying HD.

Can Disk I/O errors be caused by the HDD spinning down when idle (or slow to come back up)? I doubt that is the case though, because it most likely would've been up from accessing MediaMonkey.exe upon its execution.

The Synology Drive Client has been setup with "On-demand Sync", which is similar to OneDrive's "Files On-Demand". It means a file can be transparently fetched from the remote storage on-access. Again this shouldn't play a role in this case, because I'm sure the file was actually present on disk and not "optimized away". I do think this feature might cause Disk I/O errors as its driver probably emulates a disk to do this on-access sync magic. My issue here doesn't occur anymore, so it's ok to leave it at that. If you insist on further checking compatibility of MediaMonkey portable with this, you can try to reproduce with a free OneDrive account.

[Peke]

Hi,

Noone likes a dying HD.

I had recent issue that costed me 450 USD HDD simply died when started backing up data to new RAID1 HDDs I was lucky and they salvaged 100% of Data. Plate heads just died and there was no Bad blocks on plates, so I was very very lucky.

I'll try to test, but maybe you hit the spot. I use QNAP NAS in double RAID1 by using 4 Disks, it is possible that driver locks HDD at teh moment MM starts to write on disk, will check.

[Ludek]

Thanks for taking time to respond Peke. This screen recording may be more helpful than a screenshot: https://youtu.be/xzW_mbSM184 At 45seconds I temporarily allow all connections from mediamonkeyengine.exe and that's when the errors no longer appear.

Hi, I also can't replicate these errors, could you please temporarily install debug build ( https://www.mediamonkey.com/sw/MediaMon ... _Debug.exe )
While debug build acts slower it will pop-up dialog to submit the crash log once the error/exceptions appear.
Please submit it and write the log ID here.

Thanks!