MS300 power supply

[Cohibaman]

Originally Posted by sgbroimp

In other words, (no server) associated with the Gracenote cessation cited by some elsewhere on the Mc section of the forum?

Two different services;

1) The "automaton firmware update" setting allows your machine to automatically connect to Escient/McIntosh servers to update the 'firmware'. There hasn't been an update for many many years. Since that server is down and your MS300 is still attempting to ping it regularly, Thedo is surmising that it may be the cause of the lockup you're experiencing. Simply turn it off in hopes it eliminates the the need for regular reboots.

2) Gracenote is the database service that your machine pings to get the album info and artwork. That is the service that seems to be shut down recently causing new CD's to go unknown.

[sgbroimp]

Originally Posted by Cohibaman

Two different services;

1) The "automaton firmware update" setting allows your machine to automatically connect to Escient/McIntosh servers to update the 'firmware'. There hasn't been an update for many many years. Since that server is down and your MS300 is still attempting to ping it regularly, Thedo is surmising that it may be the cause of the lockup you're experiencing. Simply turn it off in hopes it eliminates the the need for regular reboots.

2) Gracenote is the database service that your machine pings to get the album info and artwork. That is the service that seems to be shut down recently causing new CD's to go unknown.

re 2.) Got it. re 1.) Wonder why I had the lockups last winter, but not this past summer until fall. But, hey, worth trying and hope I can change the setting without goofing something else up....

[sgbroimp]

Originally Posted by Thedo

When the server boot up, it checks the database for integrity. If it found something out of place, it performs the above. This is normal operation. Why don't you try to turn off the automatic software update checking since the online server is no longer in service. This option should be in the Setup menu. This may be the cause of your server reboot requirement. Just a guess.

I did that last night so it will be interesting to see if that makes a difference. The fact that it was locking up on a "schedule" of once a week is almost too coincidental so you could really be on to something. I also know when I tried to pull in one of the i-radio stations that had been pre-loaded in the machine (that were no longer available) it also locked the machine up and required a re-boot to fix. Much obliged for the idea no matter how it works out.

[edkoz]

Originally Posted by sgbroimp

I did that last night so it will be interesting to see if that makes a difference. The fact that it was locking up on a "schedule" of once a week is almost too coincidental so you could really be on to something. I also know when I tried to pull in one of the i-radio stations that had been pre-loaded in the machine (that were no longer available) it also locked the machine up and required a re-boot to fix. Much obliged for the idea no matter how it works out.

I look forward to seeing your results. There continues the opportunity to learn more about these units even after so many years
Ed

[Cohibaman]

Me too!

[lwschwartz]

The MSxxx systems were built around the VXworks operating systems which has been commonly used in embedded systems. It has some limited error checking and recovery routines. I am sure we will be learning the quirks as the servers are no longer available to provide updates and some of the recovery routines. Has anyone tried reloading the operating system from the "golden disc"? Part of the O/S loading requires registration of the mac address with the servers and then serialization of the O/S on the hard drive to that mac address. Once the registration servers go down, these are truly end of life.

[sgbroimp]

Originally Posted by lwschwartz

The MSxxx systems were built around the VXworks operating systems which has been commonly used in embedded systems. It has some limited error checking and recovery routines. I am sure we will be learning the quirks as the servers are no longer available to provide updates and some of the recovery routines. Has anyone tried reloading the operating system from the "golden disc"? Part of the O/S loading requires registration of the mac address with the servers and then serialization of the O/S on the hard drive to that mac address. Once the registration servers go down, these are truly end of life.

Wow. Has anyone stated authoritatively that the registration servers are gone?

[sgbroimp]

Originally Posted by edkoz

I look forward to seeing your results. There continues the opportunity to learn more about these units even after so many years
Ed

I will indeed report back on this. First hurdle will be tonight or tomorrow night as that is when the original type lock ups occurred, then Saturday for the I-radio failure to tune issues. Will keep you posted....

[quinlanmw]

Originally Posted by Cohibaman

Two different services;

1) The "automaton firmware update" setting allows your machine to automatically connect to Escient/McIntosh servers to update the 'firmware'. There hasn't been an update for many many years. Since that server is down and your MS300 is still attempting to ping it regularly...

DOH! Why didn't I think of that? I have disabled the automatic update setting on my MS300--we'll see if that fixes my problem of constantly needing a reboot. I will report back.

[sgbroimp]

Originally Posted by quinlanmw

DOH! Why didn't I think of that? I have disabled the automatic update setting on my MS300--we'll see if that fixes my problem of constantly needing a reboot. I will report back.

I don't think it is a DOH. I told numerous computer geeks and a couple pros what the unit was doing once a week and they did not know. Who ever heard of a computer trying to ping something, not getting it and crashing when it did not? Half the computers in the country would crash.

By the way, no issue last night, tonight next hurdle, then Saturday. Note I am intensive user of I-radio feature.

Question: Were your crashes (re-boot requiring) on any sort of schedule, like my once a week?