GoFlex Net & GoFlex Home

[seveagh]

Hi,

This is my first post. I know there has been a number of similar posts to this but I thought I would put this up because my GoFlex Home is driving me insane.

First of all I have 220 MPEG files from a camcorder which were not showing on my Sony ex320 TV. I then got two of these files showing!! Looking at other posts I came across the issue of certain files can cause the minidlna to stop working, and also the post regarding putty (the program). I decided to create another folder within the shares and moved the MPEG into the new folder and any file that I came across that gave a message "file in use by another program" was deleted. All looked good and at the end of the move all of these files were then visible on my TV! Happy days!

I then added 5 more new MPEG files to this folder and rebooted my GFH. The result, now my GFH is not visible on my TV or xbox 360. I have tried making a few changes within my router and within the GFH preferences page. Nothing changed. I then removed the 5 other (latest) files I added. Suddenly the GFH icon was showing on the TV. Time then for celebrations!! I cracked it!! Well for 5 seconds or so. The icon then disappeared, "cannot access server".

I have tried the Putty program today but just getting errors. My router is a 3G Huawei B260a which has been playing music and showing photos for the 6 or so months that I have the GFH.

Another thing,which is important, is that within the router settings I can see the GFH IP address but on the TV's server list details the IP address is not available for GFH.

I have access to the GFH folders on my laptop, but not on media devices. I have also usb reflashed the GFH. and now the dashboard can't detect the drive.

I was thinking of maybe reformatting the drive but this will probably solve nothing, as it is more of a network issue?

Just like to add that from looking through numerous posts, there seems to be a great lack of response from any Seagate rep. Fair play to all those who take the time to help others.

Hopefully I can get mine sorted out before I get rid of it, I prefer not to have it than to have and can't use.

[AskTheLeaf]

Thanks for your participation in the our forums so far. Please remember that this is an online community where many of the responses come from other users, such as yourself. The forum is not a replacement for Customer Service. Seagate representative do from time to time come to lend a hand answering posts but not necessarily on a continual or frequent basis. If you have immediate needs, your best bet is to contact Customer Service directly whether by phone, email, chat, Twitter or Facebook.

Please try the following suggestion to see if it helps resolve the issue.

Since your GoFlex Home is displaying a red LED, try resetting the device by following the instructions on page 77 of the user guide:

http://www.seagate.com/files/www-content/support-content/home-entertainment/goflex%20home/_shared/do...

Once finished, try reflashing the firmware and let me know if you need further assistance.

[kenji57_?]

Hi seveagh. The goflex home can be frustrating. Plus windows networking can be a bit iffy (and don't even start on macOS which often doesn't play nice with non-apple hardware).

Anyway there are two ways the GFH files can be accessed.

One is through DLNA. There is a media server running on the GFH that makes media files available. It only works with media files and it can be fussy about identifying media files. It sounds like your TV and Xbox are seeing the media server. Some media files casue the minidlna software on the GFH to "hang" and stop building its database.

Sounds like you have found the posts relating to that issue and PuTTY, so no point repeating that. What errors were you getting?

The other separate access method is through smb file sharing. This seems to be working OK and you can/could browse the file system on your laptop. But xbox (and possibly your TV) can't read the NTFS filesystem.

Yes, you are right. reformatting the drive probably isn't going to fix the issue with the TV. And you neeed to get the networking going again first anyway. You don't really need the dashboard. You should be able to access the GFH admin web service by typing the gfh ip address into a browser.

[seveagh]

Hi Kenji57_wtf?

Thanks for the reply. My Sony TV & xbox were able to see the GFH, but now they can't. I had gotten what could of been the bad MPEG files removed and as a result all the MPEG's were then visible on the TV. But after I transferred 5 more MPEG's to the GF and rebooted the unit it was then the TV & xbox could not see the GFH.

I then looked at router settings and the preference page of the GF and all seemed fine, I had made no changes to settings here prior to the GF disappearance. I then, yesterday, deleted the files I had added and rebooted and, voila, the GF was up and running on the TV, at least for 5 seconds, before it disappeared again and has not returned.These files in question were in two different folders, one which has been deleted and the other, which is now empty, but the folder refuses to be deleted and remains on the drive empty.

My TV shows my severs in a list and the when their details are viewed, the GFH is the only one with "IP Address not Available", although I can see from the router a list of connected devices which includes the GF and all devices have IP addresses assigned.

I can access the GF on my laptop, iphone (app), PC, so is it a dlna issue causing the problem? As for the dashboard, I access the GF from seagateshare.com and I also have hipserve nomad downloaded and installed.

I had upgraded the firmware two days before this happened and reflashed atfer it. Then my dashboard issue arose. Could I if possible revert back to a previous firmware version?

I will give puTTy another go today and see if it can do anything for me without it running into errors.

Once again thanks for the reply.

[seveagh]

Hi AskTheLeaf,

Thanks for the reply.

I have done this but no success. It stated on one of the steps that the device will then shut down, but mine doesn't, it blinks/flashes but doesn't shut down. I have read other users posting that this does nothing for them.

If i don't reflash is the unit then left at a previous version? If so I may try again and leave at an earlier version.

[seveagh]

OK heres's where I am now.

I done a reflash, AGAIN. I then, after it booted fully and without the HD attached I went to my tv and checked the server list, and there before my eyes I saw a visible GFH. Lovely. So Far so good.

But, then when I attched the HD it dissapeared again. So DLNA?

As I mentioned previously there is a folder, although empty, refuses to be deleted. So, I am going to have to wipe my drive?. I may move all to another drive and see. Don't know what to do next!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tried puTTy again, no luck

[kenji57_?]

re the PuTTY error, you need to set root access. (You need to run the commands with administrator privileges).

after logging in with PuTTY

enter sudo -E -s

First you get the lecture (abridged version)

We trust you have received the usual lecture from the local System

Administrator. It usually boils down to these three things:

#1) Respect the privacy of others.
#2) Think before you type.
#3) With great power comes great responsibility.

Password: enter your user password
audit_log_user_command(): Connection refused

(even though it says Connection refused you have root access)
bash-3.2#

[seveagh]

Thanks kenji57_wtf? Your help is greatly appreciated. I have just got it up and running again, method, back up the wanted items on the drive and reformat!!! Unfortunetly I had this done before I seen the post!!
Yea, even when I reformatted I got an error, but it seems to have worked, I added a few mp3 folders to the public and was able to play through TV. My only thought now is that if I reload the drive with the same is this problem going to rise its ugly head again.
So I was wondering is there a method of checking files on laptop/pc before sending to GF, a program to check and fix? I may also get the relevant cable, USB-sata, so I can run chkdsk on the drive, something I only learnt about from this issue. And I have your info regarding PuTTY which I will take note off and maybe try before I load all folders back

[kenji57_?]

With PuTTY you can restart minidlna in verbose mode to make it easy to identify the problem files.

I only had a problem initially with a couple of files that I had in my collection from unknown sources. I converted them and had no problem since so it might just be a non standard codec that the minidlna program doesn't know how to handle.

How many files you have will determine whether it is easier just to convert them all or track down which ones are causing trouble.

[seveagh]

If you don't mind me asking, what is verbose mode? So if one had a reasonable knowledge of PuTTY would this eliminate the need for a cable (USB-sata)?
Maybe it would be good if seagate could put this solution up on their knowledge base or document it somewhere with step by step instructions per product, for the far less knowledgable user like myself, as this seems to be a regular enough issue on the forum. Or am I asking too much.
So, if you have a file or folder on a pc/mac, do you personally check these in any way before they go to your GF drive. Just that I am concerned that some file will cause this all again, or is it a case that it's going to happen! Therefore, bring out the PuTTY!

[kenji57_?]

Sorry, I should have said debug mode ( -d switch not -v)

From your earlier posts I thought you had already found the info about using PuTTY. Here is an excellent blog on troubleshooting the minidlna service.http://blog.johnjcamilleri.com/tag/minidlna/

The good thing is that you don't have to know what you are doing, just follow the instructions and copy and paste the commands (right click into the bash window will paste the clipboard  as input).

Yes I think SSH with PuTTY negates the need for a USB-SATA cable.

Will all your troubles be over when you get it working right? It depends on where you are sourcing your files. As I said I had a couple of rogue files early but no trouble since. I tend to convert my files to a consistent format now whereas before I had all sorts. It might have been rmvb format causing problem but I don't remember.

[seveagh]

I had come across the blog before downloading PuTTY, with the intention of staying clear as cmds etc are kinda beyond me!!! But, since having used PuTTY, and maybe knowing more about where the problem lies (minidlna), it doesn't seem as daunting.

As for a reoccurance, who knows, as stated at the end of the blog, "Despite finally managing to get things working as described above, it turns out that every time my GoFlex Home is restarted the MiniDLNA daemon crashes in the same way, and I am forced to fire up an SSH connection to sort things out. I have as yet found no way of permanently fixing the issue, but since our device is basically online 24/7 it’s not too much of an issue".

So maybe destined to become a PuTTY master!!

My files are consisting of MPEG, MP3, JPEG, and a various mix of audio production program file types, editing program file types, exe, dll, the list goes on. Nothing that has been downloaded via dodgy sites, ie pirate material!! If that would affect matters.

I have all MP3 back on the drive and visible on the Tv. Next up MPEG, JPEG!! I may just keep it simple now and hopefully safe with these file types and for back up on the GF, and all other (program exe, dll, driver files and others) on another external drive, for safe keepings.

I was wondering if transfering smaller files from computer wirelessly as opposed to ethernet to computer would be any more problematic? Probably wouldn't differ?

Anyway, once again Kenji57_wtf?, thanks alot for all the supporting replies.

[CptSternn]

I have the same issue. A few things that might help - First, save your PUTTY session with your login/password and put an icon on your desktop so you can click it and it will automatically log you in and throw you right to the command line.

You can then just copy and paste these three line, one line at a time, from say a text file on your desktop into PUTTY to refresh the DNLA database -

sudo -s
/etc/init.d/minidlna.init stop
/usr/sbin/minidlna -f /etc/miniupnpd/minidlna.conf -R -d

Another trick I have learned is this - it scans in alphabetical order.  So lets say you have files you know work fine like video or music files you view/listen to streaming to your TV or Xbox.  Just do this - number your folders.  For example:

1 Video

2 Music

3 Dodgy Stuff

See, I have found the dodgy stuff that it has issues with will not scan in the database, but the server will skip to the next file, eventually.  This means it could take a few minutes per file slowing down the rescan to a crawl and could take hours depending on the content.  If you put that stuff LAST by numbering your folders it will scan in the good stuff you stream and have it ready for you in minutes, and then you can watch/listen to it as it churns away in the background trying to go through the files it has problems with.

I have the same problems and have found these two work arounds help immensely for me at least.