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Attempt to connect to online host, it goes offline and won't connect

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Douglas Crawford, User (Posts: 75)
Dec 23, 2021 6:48:17 pm EST
Support level: Starter
The computer is running OBS and the output of that is on air and is frozen.
So the application or windows is in some kind of hung state.
The host is showing online, but when I try connecting, (tried full, fie xfer, and power control)
but the host then goes offline while connection attempts are made, which all fail.  
But then the host comes back online.
I'd accept that the machine was sufficiently crashed that maybe host wouldn't work, but
it reporting its only suggests it should be functional- at least enough to give the the power
to reboot the machine.
Everything is version 7.1.0.0
Douglas Crawford, User (Posts: 75)
Dec 23, 2021 6:49:57 pm EST
Support level: Starter
I sent a log.  Here are screenshots of the events.
Attached Files
Attempt to connect to online host, it goes offline and won't connect Attempt to connect to online host, it goes offline and won't connect Attempt to connect to online host, it goes offline and won't connect
Douglas Crawford, User (Posts: 75)
Dec 23, 2021 6:56:37 pm EST
Support level: Starter
Update:  the computer in question was able to be accessed by a viewer of a colocated computer
which is also a host I have access to.  I logged into the colocated computer and used its view to
log into the playout computer that refused to connect to me across the internet.
Attached Files
Attempt to connect to online host, it goes offline and won't connect
Douglas Crawford, User (Posts: 75)
Dec 23, 2021 7:21:00 pm EST
Support level: Starter
I executed that remote restart of the screen shot of the last email.
I waited.  Then I connected full screen.  I got connected but the PC is inoperable
still in its frozen state.  So it appears the reboot did happen.
The Windows GUI is not responding.
Health stats look ok when it froze.
I'm looking at the zombie screen now.
I tried the menu based "sent ctrl alt F12 but no effect.
(I think I can't get that to pass through my in-between viewer)
I'm still trying to regain control of the computer...
Its in a school and access will be poor over the holidays, so
hence I was counting on ability to resolve issues remotely :(
Attached Files
Attempt to connect to online host, it goes offline and won't connect
Douglas Crawford, User (Posts: 75)
Dec 23, 2021 7:41:16 pm EST
Support level: Starter
Well that host has not gone off line from the colocated file server computer that I had used to
get to it before.  I don't know if one of the reboot attempts I sent it actually worked and it never came
back up or if it had a full melt down.
If anyone can tell there can determine anything further I could provide the internet id for it
to be checked in the RU ID servers.  Ya'll have emails from me.
Pauline, Support (Posts: 2830)
Dec 24, 2021 9:41:08 am EST
Hello Douglas,

Thank you for your message.

Am I right in assuming that this is a headless Host machine you've mentioned in another thread here? If this is the case, could you please confirm that the issue was resolved by connecting a monitor to the machine or by enabling the Use legacy capture mode as I recommended in the other thread?

Looking forward to your reply.
Douglas Crawford, User (Posts: 75)
Dec 24, 2021 5:33:38 pm EST
Support level: Starter
This was involved in that headless debacle but I am past that.  I put monitors on all the remote computers
and this is a later problem that arose after this machine was in service for 24-48 hours.
Quite clearly I was able to connect to the machine and even get the full control mode opened up, but
I was unable to force a reboot.  I think this demonstrates that even though RU can get into the machine
and even show its desktop, you can't depend on RU to be able to reboot the machine.
This is forcing me to consider obtaining power management equipment that I can control over the web
in order to power cycle a computer.  Bummer.  I was hoping that RU would be able to reset the machine
if I was able to connect to it.  Perhaps consider employing a software reset mechanism that is not dependent on
a windows API... bios call maybe?
Pauline, Support (Posts: 2830)
Dec 27, 2021 1:21:18 pm EST
Hello Douglas,

Thank you for the clarification.

Could you please let me know if you've tried rebooting the remote Host machine via the Power Control connection mode? This connection mode allows you to shut down, restart and lock the remote computer, or turn the remote monitor on/off.

Hope that helps.
Douglas Crawford, User (Posts: 75)
Dec 27, 2021 1:32:29 pm EST
Support level: Starter
Yes, when I said I was unable to force a reboot, I was using the Power Control connection mode.
Though I was able to get to a connection, it seems RU was unable to effect the reboot apparently
due to whatever was wrong with Windows (10).  That's why I was recommending maybe bypassing windows
for the reboot if you are able (and if you don't already do that).  I mean maybe you need to offer a
low level reboot in addition to a normal windows reboot so that you have an option of treating windows
nice or not if it isn't cooperating.
Pauline, Support (Posts: 2830)
Dec 27, 2021 4:05:38 pm EST
Hello Douglas,

Thank you for the clarification.

In this case could you please let us know what version of Remote Utilities was used on both Host and Viewer machines, the machines OSs and their builds as well? We will try to reproduce the issue to see is we can implement a fix for it in our future updates.

Looking forward to your reply.

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