Forums / Support / Pulling headers has been bad for awhile.

Pulling headers has been bad for awhile.

by TJZ @
Where do I start?

Almost always fails initially, (I adjusted to this with a quick timeout) and then actually starts updating (when did it start saying '...Updating...' without providing any #'s?), perhaps soon or maybe later it will finally start scrolling upward with a count and then it staggers and sometimes seems to stop completely and worse sometimes starts ALL over again at 0!

Getting to 100,000 headers is often a chore, let alone 4 million.

I tested my provider with Xnews and it doesn't act this way with it.

The log in BB seems normal.

I've gone back to older versions, and it does the same there too.

DO I need a BIG virtual memory file? I am running with a small one on a different HD then my C:, but have 2 gigs of RAM, XP not Vista.

Any ideas?

-TJZ
 

BinaryBoy's reply to TJZ #4176 @

When it starts over (assuming you didn't stop it manually), the headers received so far are saved to the cache and it starts the next request from where the last left off even though the counter starts over. It does this when the connection is dropped and when the needed headers are fragmented. For example, if the server has headers 1 to 10 and you already have #5, BB will first request 1-4 and then 6-10.

It says "...Updating..." from right before any commands are sent until the first header is received.

This is unlikely to be a memory problem. If it runs out of memory, it will save the headers and search the ones it has received so far. Or if you disabled the memory check on the Newsgroups tab, it will just crash.

Which Usenet service are you using? I keep several accounts for reproducing problems and if I don't have the one you use, I might be able to create a temporary account. If you're using your ISPs service, look at the welcome message on the Log tab. Sometimes ISPs outsource to commercial Usenet providers.

To see where the delays are, you could use the -ilog switch in addition to -log. That will record the time the data arrives. Is there a delay between when BB sends the XOVER and when it receives a response? Is there a delay between the response and when the headers start arriving? You can send me the log if you like: support at binaryboy dot com
 

TJZ's reply to BinaryBoy #4180 @

I'm using usenetserver.com

It's timing out every time now and right now it Rcving 43725 and stuck.

What's an XOVER? lol
 

BinaryBoy's reply to TJZ #4181 @

That's the command for receiving headers. In the log you can search for it to see the time it was sent and then the time the response was received.

I'll try to reproduce the problem.
 

BinaryBoy's reply to BinaryBoy #4182 @

Just tried several newsgroups on usenetserver.com and got no major delays and just small delay on the first newsgroup. These were small refreshes of only 10,000 groups though. I'll try a larger refresh in a few minutes.

If you'd like you can create and send me a log. To create a log, run Binary Boy from the Start | Run window like this: binboy.exe -log -ilog

You can view the log from the File | View Log command in Binary Boy. It will either be stored in the Program Files\Binary Boy folder or the Documents\Binary Boy\Logs folder. You can send it to support at binaryboy dot com if you like. Don't post it here.
 

BinaryBoy's reply to BinaryBoy #4183 @

I'm not seeing anything unusual even with larger refreshes.
 

TJZ's reply to BinaryBoy #4184 @

Would checking any of these boxes under the server tab in settings have any effect on this possibly?

Retry Password
Force Authentication
Remember IP Address

Which if any should be checked?

Also, why does BB only allow a max of 8 connections?

I noticed one service allows up to 32.

I had set a delay of 15 secs on retry on rejected connection, that one might be not indicated while BB is running? The set delay of 10 secs after error seemed to be the one it would show me backward countdown almost every time search begins. Or is there another setting i should look at?

The usenet service IS working, it's the very long delays and time to grab headers that has just gotten very aggravating.

Would not holding headers older than say 2 weeks help a lot?
 

BinaryBoy's reply to TJZ #4185 @

Retry password and force authentication should be checked only if the server is is showing an authentication error. Normally they aren't needed. "Remember IP address" speeds things up by not looking up the domain name every time. You should uncheck when you're having problems. BB 1.x has 8 download connections plus 1 for headers. 8 is the most it can show without redesigning things internally and modifying the progress tab. 2.0 is unlimited.

I don't understand which delay you're seeing. Was it the 10 second or 15 second or both?

You can hold headers longer than 2 weeks by changing the option on the Server tab. Normally Binary Boy holds headers until the server no longer carries it. Either way, it shouldn't affect the actual refresh because BB won't request headers it has already seen, although larger caches will be slower to merge and search after the refresh.

When you see a delay, what's displayed where it normally says "Rcving xxxx"? Is BB responsive at all? Can you click the menus or is it working?
 

TJZ's reply to BinaryBoy #4189 @

Getting 10 sec delays (after recieving an error) where Rcving would normally be, usually 2 sets of 10 secs each before any actual headers start coming, unless I hit refresh a couple of times and then it often comes around faster, really odd huh?

BB doesn't crash out here at all.

I had it holding 180 days worth, that provider is now holding for 6 months, if not longer now, but I will clip it to 2 weeks and just force it back deleting the actual cache files if I need to, I know where they reside.
 

BinaryBoy's reply to TJZ #4190 @

Can you send me a log.txt file or at least part of it so I can see the specific errors? To create a log, run Binary Boy from the Start | Run window like this: binboy.exe -log -ilog

The log.txt file will either be in your Program Files\Binary Boy\ folder or in the My Documents\Binary Boy\Logs folder. You can send to support at binaryboy dot com
 

TJZ's reply to BinaryBoy #4203 @

This is my log file, atm... LOL!

##-------------------------------------------------
## Binary Boy Log File
##
## Created: Sep 18, 2007 13:34:57:
##
13:34:57: Command-line: -log -ilog
Checking for duplicate uninstall keys
12:28:01: Command-line: -log -ilog
Checking for duplicate uninstall keys
17:15:15: Command-line: -log -ilog
Checking for duplicate uninstall keys
18:17:50: Command-line: -log -ilog
Checking for duplicate uninstall keys
22:09:32: Command-line: -log -ilog
Checking for duplicate uninstall keys
22:19:04: Command-line: -log -ilog
Checking for duplicate uninstall keys

The program seems to be working better, the lag and lack of info before any headers were showing downloading was definitely throwing me off.
 

BinaryBoy's reply to TJZ #4204 @

Are those the only lines that show up in the log?

Ok. Glad its working! By the way, if you're using build 562, be sure to upgrade to build 563 to avoid a memory leak.
 

TJZ's reply to BinaryBoy #4226 @

I was using build 561, by the way.

Yes the log file still looks just like that.

-T
 

BinaryBoy's reply to TJZ #4227 @

Ok. The log makes it look like BB is loading up and immediately dying. But you say it's working now?
 

TJZ's reply to BinaryBoy #4285 @

BB never itself dies.

The actual connection to the usenet server for parts, they croak, and it's got no pattern to it other than it WILL happen.

Talking to my usenet provider has given me optional servers to try, but they also croak.

Just to be clear:

I have 1-8 download connections going, my provider allows 10.
No matter how many or how few, I wind up eventually repeatedly erroring with 400 too many connections, which since I am only allowed 8 in BB, what the hell is going on?
BB doesn't have a RESET connection, just a timer for retries, that too didn't seem to matter, almost no wait or a long wait.

Using all 8 is pretty much out the window, I am reduced to trying for 4.

BB doesn't have SSL support for encrypting between usenet to me does it?
Add that ASAP please! Or explain where I set it up in BB, the port/server my provider uses, didn't work, so guessing NO...

I am wondering if my cable co is really the reason I am getting such crummy connectivity now, I read something about ISPs trying to influence activity, thus the need for the SSL ASAP!
 

BinaryBoy's reply to TJZ #4286 @

I have 1-8 download connections going, my provider allows 10.
No matter how many or how few, I wind up eventually repeatedly erroring with 400 too many connections, which since I am only allowed 8 in BB, what the hell is going on?
BB doesn't have a RESET connection, just a timer for retries, that too didn't seem to matter, almost no wait or a long wait.


This can happen if there is a lag time between when a connection is closed and when the server recognizes the closed connection. From the server's point of view, reconnects will look like new connections and trigger the "too many connections" error. This is most noticeable after frequent disconnects.

Are you using the "Skip File" buttons on the Progress tab or otherwise disconnecting during downloads? If so, avoid using those buttons and see if that helps.

Also, try unchecking all options on the Header Filter tab, including the Header Filter string itself. Enable "Download extended" headers on the Newsgroups tab in the settings.

If that doesn't help, you could send me a log. It might show what is causing the disconnects that lead to the error. To create a log, run Binary Boy from the Start | Run window like this: binboy.exe -ilog -log -dlog

Try downloading some headers and a few files. If the error comes up or you notice a disconnect on the Log tab, please send me log.txt. You'll find it in My Documents\Binary Boy\Logs\log.txt Emaill to support at binaryboy dot com

If you want to search for the problem yourself, search for "ONCLOSE" in the log.txt file. The text before that might show what caused the disconnect.

BB doesn't have SSL support for encrypting between usenet to me does it?


1.96 does not. The 2.0 test version does. It will try to use SSL depending on the port number.
 

TJZ's reply to BinaryBoy #4307 @

That 2.0 actually working, or just showing features?

Last time I looked at it, it was a mess (useless to actually use, couldn't get any headers let alone download)

I'll try what you advised, thanks!
 

BinaryBoy's reply to TJZ #4308 @

You can download headers, search using single words and download files. That's about it.