Spinoff : An isolated multiple crash while loading a layout

[Jakg]

just upgraded to U30 before the STCC race, the server had a layout (the host was U, the layout had marshalls, and was replacing a layout. As the race started (in practice mode), everyone on U30 crashed (LFS.exe enountered an error...), however as we re-joined it all worked fine.

Track was FE1, server was private

[Scawen]

everyone on U30 crashed (LFS.exe enountered an error...)Every one got a crash report, but no-one wrote down the crash address?

It's really a terrible pity to willingly throw away that fantastic opportunity that the windows crash report gives you. It has the information in there that shows me the exact line it crashed on.

But now, all we know is there is a crash there, that no-one can reproduce. If you had noted the crash address, I would be fixing it this minute.

[DasBoeseC]

Every one got a crash report, but no-one wrote down the crash address?

It's really a terrible pity to willingly throw away that fantastic opportunity that the windows crash report gives you. It has the information in there that shows me the exact line it crashed on.

But now, all we know is there is a crash there, that no-one can reproduce. If you had noted the crash address, I would be fixing it this minute.

Never checked it but maybe there is an entry in the Windows Event Viewer that contains the address?!

.....just an idea though :)

[Yaamboo]

I've checked it once as I couldn't get the crash address (hard boot), you can't find it there, which is sad.

[Scawen]

OK, now we know there is a crash, please can we take steps to catch it.

The best thing you can do is run Dr Watson before you start LFS. Dr Watson is part of Windows. It is perfectly safe, a present from Microsoft, and is just for this kind of situation.

Just do this : Start... Run... drwatson

You'll see Dr Watson running in the task bar (it's not there next time you reboot so start it again after you reboot, before you run LFS). In the event of a crash you will get a detailed crash report, including crash addresses, registers and the call stack. This is automatically saved somewhere in a file called Watson something. And it always uses a new number in the name so nothing gets overwritten.

You don't know - it could be you who gets the crash! THANKS! :)

[SamH]

Whoa.. hang on. I just wanna double check this, guys. I didn't know everyone crashed off the server. What happened was that the server was running U, the new layout required U30 (marshals) and I shut down the server to upgrade it. I just wanna make sure that the "everyone crashed" isn't an assumption based on one client crash, then returning to the server to find everyone else just returning too. That doesn't necessarily equate to a large scale crash. I only *know* about Jak's crash, and I was RDCing onto the server at the time so I wasn't online in the client. We need more STCC drivers to confirm they actually had a client crash before/in case this turns into a wild goose chase.

[Bean0]

Whoa.. hang on. I just wanna double check this, guys. I didn't know everyone crashed off the server. What happened was that the server was running U, the new layout required U30 (marshals) and I shut down the server to upgrade it. I just wanna make sure that the "everyone crashed" isn't an assumption based on one client crash, then returning to the server to find everyone else just returning too. That doesn't necessarily equate to a large scale crash. I only *know* about Jak's crash, and I was RDCing onto the server at the time so I wasn't online in the client. We need more STCC drivers to confirm they actually had a client crash before/in case this turns into a wild goose chase.

No crash here, I left then rejoined.

[SamH]

Chris Redman says he didn't crash either. (we can get these posts merged/out of here once we establish what happened)

[Jakg]

No crash here, I left then rejoined.yes, my LFS crashed, i rejoined, and about a minute later someone said "My LFS just crashed - im on U30, is anyone else?" and got about 3 "Yeh, i am", then he asked if theirs crashed too, and the same people said yes

[csurdongulos]

I crashed with U 30.

[traxxion]

I crashed with U 30.
Learn to drive! :x :tilt:


Just kidding, no crash here so far :thumb:

[Becky Rose]

Scawen, the exact details of that crash where not serious, the details are as follows:

The server was version U (no test patch)
I dim-wittingly loaded a layout using the marshall feature (U11?)
Half to two-thirds of drivers crashed.

I do not think this is a serious issue, because it is an obscure compatability issue with patch test versions that will probably only effect 1 server, on 1 night, in the history of LFS.

[dawesdust_12]

Whoa.. hang on. I just wanna double check this, guys. I didn't know everyone crashed off the server. What happened was that the server was running U, the new layout required U30 (marshals) and I shut down the server to upgrade it. I just wanna make sure that the "everyone crashed" isn't an assumption based on one client crash, then returning to the server to find everyone else just returning too. That doesn't necessarily equate to a large scale crash. I only *know* about Jak's crash, and I was RDCing onto the server at the time so I wasn't online in the client. We need more STCC drivers to confirm they actually had a client crash before/in case this turns into a wild goose chase.

Sam, I never lost connection in that incident. Running U30, ectera ectra.

[Scawen]

Sam, I never lost connection in that incident. Running U30, ectera ectra.You never lost connection, even though Sam restarted the server? :scratchch

[Scawen]

Scawen, the exact details of that crash where not serious, the details are as follows:

The server was version U (no test patch)
I dim-wittingly loaded a layout using the marshall feature (U11?)
Half to two-thirds of drivers crashed.

I do not think this is a serious issue, because it is an obscure compatability issue with patch test versions that will probably only effect 1 server, on 1 night, in the history of LFS.It should be fine to load a marshalls version even on an old server - old versions of LFS simply ignore the marshall objects. Of course, there would be no route checking or marshalling. But it was designed to be completely safe and compatible.

Obscure crashes are always worrying! Anyway I wonder how many people actually crashed. I've heard people who just got a random disconnection from a server, say they got a crash - which can of course be quite confusing for me.

EDIT : But I agree that I shouldn't worry too much - the evidence here is too confusing and conflicting. With no crash address or reproducability, there's nothing to go on.

[csurdongulos]

Learn to drive! :x :tilt:


Just kidding, no crash here so far :thumb:

hehe, no i meant it in connection with the stcc server incident :D

[frokki]

We need more STCC drivers to confirm they actually had a client crash before/in case this turns into a wild goose chase.
I had "an unexpected error" too, with U19. Didn't think of writing it down because I was in a rush to get back into the server. Doesn't Windows XP log these crashes anywhere?

EDIT:
quick check at the replay shows that at least 5 drivers (me, csurdongulous, jakg, dustin, and Rob76) told that LFS crashed.

Rob76 reported he was running U28 and it crashed, but Viper93 told he ran U28 too and didn't experience the crash.

[Becky Rose]

The important thing here was that the issue arose when loading a layout with U11 features to a U server with clients on all manner of different versions, it's not suprising that it crashed, but the issue will be historic and forgotten in time and probably wont effect another race again.

Basically this all arose because somebody mentioned that marshall points auto-spectate you, and we where concerned that going out of bounds at the Fern Bay Club chicane put drivers straight back onto the racing line, so we added marshall points and uploaded and BAM! The server was only version U. It's not suprising that it fell over, and I dont consider it a bug - but user error on my part.

With Scawen considering looking into the reset/out of bounds stuff soon it becomes even less of an issue - although for my part the STCC server is running U30 now and we'll be adding marshall points where necessary to auto-spectate out of bounds cars.

Problem solved.

[ninja469]

The Dedi server patch U30 seems to have a bug.
After a few hours the command window stops displaying any text or commands typed into it and hence it needs to be restarted to change tracks or cars. It will dusplay the F keys msg but nothing else. This has happened twice now the Server is running on XP Pro. I hope this helps track down the bug as no error report generated.

[Jakg]

Every one got a crash report, but no-one wrote down the crash address?i didn't, sorry, it was in practice for a league race which was going to start VERY soon, so i logged on quickly as i could...

[SamH]

You never lost connection, even though Sam restarted the server? :scratchch
Confusing isn't it? LOL!

Becky's post is the most useful, as she loaded the autox layout and was in the client/on the server at the same time, and was able to see the cause:effect of the actual crash on a number of other drivers, as the (incompatible with U) autox script was loaded.

AFTER all of that happened, I shut down and upgraded the server, and then joined to see a bunch of other people rejoining after the upgrade. (thus my suspicion that Jak was witnessing the 2nd 22-driver rejoin after his (I presumed) hardware reboot)

[Jakg]

AFTER all of that happened, I shut down and upgraded the server, and then joined to see a bunch of other people rejoining after the upgrade. (thus my suspicion that Jak was witnessing the 2nd 22-driver rejoin after his (I presumed) hardware reboot)nope - i was on TS and knew when you rebooted the server and when becky loaded the layout

[SamH]

nope - i was on TS and knew when you rebooted the server and when becky loaded the layout
Yep, but you also said "everybody crashed", and I hadn't heard that. This is why I raised the question :)
[edit] yes, I misquoted you. You said everyone on U30.

[dawesdust_12]

what would you expect, its an STCC race, of course everybody crashed... :O :P

If you think about it vaguely, its sort of my fault for the crash, becuase I suggested the new layout.