I've been running Knoppmyth R5A30.1 frontend/backend as an upgrade to a very old Knoppmyth distribution (can't even remember the version).

I want to add a new frontend in a different room and connect to the existing R5A30 backend. I edited my.cnf to comment out the skip-networking line:



and provided real IP addresses in mythtv-setup.

I'm using a R5A30 LiveCD frontend only. I provide the IP address of the master backend during startup and the frontend starts up no problem.

When I try to go into the media library, I get "Could not connect to master backend..."

However, I can go into the program guide and the program finder and see my channel listings. Also, if I search for titles, etc I see my past searches.

I can ping the master backend(192.168.1.103) from the frontend(192.168.1.105):

I can connect to the backend DB from the frontend using:

mysql -u mythtv -p -h 192.168.1.103 mythconverg

and I can do things like:

mysql> select title from program;

I ran myisamchk -r *.MYI on the mythconverg tables thinking it might be a corrupt DB, but I still can't get the remote frontend to work.

The original backend/frontend works fine.

Anyone have any idea what's going on? I really want to avoid another upgrade at this point. Thanks for the info!

Well

Digging into the mythfrontend doc on wiki

http://www.knoppmythwiki.org/index.php?page=FrontendOnlyInstall

It seems to me that you are having trouble connecting to the database
when the frontend starts. Because it can't find it

Since the database is good on the combined FE/BE machine I don't think that corruption is a problem so that's good

How about editing mysql.txt on the frontend

and change it from localhost to 192.168.1.103

Then hopefully it should be able to "find" the database when you restart the frontend.

mysql.txt does have the correct address (192.168.1.103) and mythfrontend _starts_ fine on the remote box. The problems begin when you actually try and watch recordings or live TV.

Right now I'm running diskless FE off R5F27.

It's been a while since I used your rev.. Can you clarify are you booting the cd and that is how you load the FE off of the CD????

Then when you access your backend data via watch recording or watch video it says you "can't connect"

Mysql.txt has the correct info

Check /etc/hosts and make sure both machines are listed

Other thoughts how about the log file on the backend

/var/log/mythtv/mythbackend.log

or

/var/log/auth.log

do you see anything funny with permissions?

Yep, booting the CD and choosing frontend. When I try and access recordings or watch TV, I see "can't connect".

Checked the mythbackend.log on the backend and didn't see anything at all related to the remote box. Nothing was written in when I tried to connect. Same for auth.log

You are not connecting to the DB that's the problem

From the front end can you ping the your backend by host name?

Also make sure to you change the IP address in the 'General' section of mythtv-setup on the backend system. It should say 192.168.1.103

If I'm not connecting to the backend, how is it that I'm seeing channel listings in the program guide, and programs in the program finder on the frontend? The frontend doesn't even have mysql running on it. It has to be getting that information from the backend.

Not only can I ping the backend from the frontend, I can connect to the remote db using they mysql shell!

The IP address is set correctly in both places in the general setup section of mythtv-setup on the backend.

Given the age of the version you are running, perhaps it's a bug within the MySQL or MythTV code itself?

"Another" upgrade? OK, have to ask at this point - Why not upgrade to at least a more current (if not the latest) version?

It sure seems like a DB access problem. I know others must have had this version running at some point in time.

I hate to upgrade since the FE/BE machine is working just great. Plus, the upgrade to R5F27 looks painful...

In my opinion you have to weigh the risks of the upgrade. One hand it's risky to move to the new version in the first week or so. But after the bugs shake out why not consider the upgrade. Also since R5E50 the upgrades have been really getting a lot better and way less painful.

If everyone would just upgrade to R5F27 it would be a whole lot easier to support overall

The problem with this issue as slowtolean points out is a bug in MSQL. The solution is a hack with NULL. There is a monster post from the fall of 2005 that talks all about it. In reality this could have been fixed with a lttle research which I did and here it is......

http://knoppmyth.net/phpBB2/viewtopic.p ... t=diskless

The solution is on page 5.

Please consider upgrading to R5F27 a lot of hard work went into it's creation. Half of the upgrades are fixing old problems that crop up...

That worked! hostname was set in the settings table. Changed that to NULL and I can now connect.

I searched and searched, but I guess I missed that somehow. Thanks a ton guys, I really appreciate it.

Your advise is sound, I think I'll just do a start from scratch install of F27 and be done with it.

Thanks again.