Troubleshooting Toolkit

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varghesesa
Posts: 90
Joined: Thu Jul 11, 2019 9:52 pm

Troubleshooting Toolkit

Post by varghesesa »

Introduction

The Performance and Troubleshooting sub-forum is getting so large with content, I thought it was about time to create a Toolkit so users know where to go for common issues.


Troubleshooting frameworks

The frameworks (guidelines) provide ways to self diagnose and resolve issues.

Instability and Troubleshooting
Your server is running into instability, perhaps crashing more than once per day. The Instability and Troubleshooting article provides the framework to regain stability.

The Windows Events article provides details on Exceptions from Windows Error Events.

The Isolate the issue framework helps identify root cause when the logs provide no clues.

Storage
The Storage troubleshooting framework is the place to start for storage issues, e.g. my folder is filling up.

Record
The Record troubleshooting framework explains how to get to root cause when you discover missing recordings or recordings have skipped.

Database
If you are missing alerts or recordings, the Database troubleshooting guide should help identify root cause.

Mobile apps
This article helps troubleshoot your connectivity issues.

Log files
Always good to review log files for errors on a monthly basis. This article explains how to use excel to identify server errors quickly.

CPU utilization
The CPU utilization framework explains how to troubleshoot CPU issues.

RAM utilization
The RAM utilization framework explains how to troubleshoot RAM issues.

Helper frameworks (guides)
VLC
How to use VLC.

ONVIF Device Manager (ODM)
Great tool for troubleshooting cameras that support ONVIF.

Cameras: Remote testing
Short guide on how to put your camera on the WAN (internet) for remote testing.

Creating videos
This article explains ways to add video to your tickets for clarity.

Creating small BVR files
This article explains how to create short BVR files. Often needed to further investigate issues.

Server

Server - Windows Tuning
The Windows Tuning article is great to review just to make sure Windows is not in conflict with BI. Pay attention to Anti-virus and Firewall sections.

Routine maintenance
The routine maintenance section explains how to stay on top of issues BEFORE they turn into server instability.

Software updates
If you are convinced a BI update is the cause of instability, easy to confirm. Just go back to the previous version!
The Version Control article - Software Version article is good to know. It explains the many versioning options available in BI.

BI Software Settings
It is always good to have a copy of your BI settings on a thumb drive. You never know if/when your hard drive will crash or you accidentally changed your settings and want to go back. The Version Control - BI Settings article explains how to create backups. BI also automatically saves your settings for the last three days! This article explains where to find it in case you forgot to backup.

Startup
The Software Startup Issues article explains how to manipulate your registry when the software does not start.

Windows errors
This section deals with Windows error dialogs that can occasionally pop-up. The Windows Errors article adds more clarity around the issue and provides fixes to self-correct.

Status log errors
The status button goes red indicating an error. You open the logs and identify the error. The Status log errors article will explain the issue and provide fixes so you can self-correct.


Cameras
Troubleshooting cameras.

Reinstall camera
Re-add the camera(s) following best practices.

Troubleshooting guides
If re-installing the camera(s) do not work, follow guides below. Each article below builds on the previous article.

Connector errors
The Connector errors article has a focus on issues focused on the connector settings and live view video pipeline.

Camera connection error codes
The Camera window often provides an error code when BI cannot connect. The Camera connection errors article explains how to resolve connectivity based on error codes.

No signal error
If no error code is provided, the No signal error article examines all the issues (Cameras, Network, Server) that can affect the connection. This article documents learnings from past tickets.


Camera streams
Sometimes the cameras connect, but the quality of the streams is low.
  • Video artifacts like a black screen, ghost images etc.
  • Streaming artifacts like choppy streams, jitter, latency etc.
Console - Live view
The live view article explains how to fix the live view on the console.

Console - Playback
The playback article explains how to fix playback on the console.

Blue Iris Dependencies

Networking
The network setup and bandwidth are largely the responsibility of the user. The Network tests section of the Networking article does provide some easy tests to check your server, cameras and networking equipment.

The Networking gotchas article documents learnings from past tickets.

DeepStack
DeepStack is an open source AI project that has been integrated into BI.
We document learnings from past tickets in the DeepStack gotchas article.

GPU
See GPU link.


Remote devices

Web interface (UI3)

Remote device tests
If you do not get the login page or cameras do not load after logging in, you will need to run through the Remote device tests.

Android devices
Android gotchas
This article documents learnings from past tickets.

Android SSL
Android came out with tighter security requirements. Self-signed certificates are no longer allowed.

Submitting tickets

Submitting a ticket just describing an issue is a waste of time. It rarely leads to resolution.
  • My mobile app does not connect when not on the LAN.
  • My storage fills up
  • My camera does not connect.
  • All seems to be working except the sound.

    Huh? Is this a sound action alert? Sound from a camera? Listening from the console? From the mobile app?
  • etc.
The Frameworks section above, describes how to think about different problems to primarily self-correct. If still an issue, it then helps you provide the relevant information to create a good ticket.

The good tickets sub-forum provides examples of good tickets on various topics. A picture is worth a thousand words. We love videos showing the issue, especially pertaining to UI issues.

BVR files
If you want to share a BVR file, couple of options to make smaller bvr files. In Camera settings -> Record tab.

If you uncheck Combine or Cut Video, that will result in BI cutting the BVR file after each motion trigger.
Or you can leave Combine or Cut Video, and change the time length to something small like 15 min.

If the file is too large to send via email, place on a shared drive for download.

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