Printer configs trashed after power outage - Repetier-Server 1.4.9
This has happened twice now to me since we are in the "storm" season. I have 6 printers running on the PRO version of repetier server 1.4.9. (pc version Windows 10) I was not home but had 3 of the printers printing and a storm came up and knocked out the power. After power came back on, I could not get Repeier Server to start. After process of elimination, the 3 printers that were printing during the power outage had thier configs corupted. After removing those 3, Repetier Server would start up again. I had to rebuild the 3 printer profiles all over again.
A few weeks later it happened again. Out of the 6 printers, 2 different ones were printing when the power went out. When the power came back up, I could not get Repetier Server to start up again. I removed the 2 configs of the 2 printers that were printing when the power went out and Repetier Server would then start back up. I had to rebuild those 2 printer profiles.
So when Repetier Server is "working" sending data to printers, it must be keeping files open that get corrupted if the power goes out and keeps Repetier Server from starting back up until the corrupted printer configs are removed. Can these files be opened, write the data, then close them instead of keeping the files open and getting corrupted? I was once an application programmer and I would open and close files to keep the data safe after writing. Takes up a little more time but is safer. Seems to me they are being left open until the print is done allowing them to get corrupted. I'm not sure what is getting written to the files but it's enough to corrupt them.
Granted, power outages are far and few but it's no fun rebuilding setups if one does happen while printing and you can't be around.
Yeah, I know you all are going to say get a U.P.S. but it doesn't happen that often (only during storm season) and I didn't expect file corruption.
Also I tried the Repetier Monitor Backup/Restore app to back up the printers but when I do a restore, it gets to 80% and never goes any further but that's a whole other issue.
A few weeks later it happened again. Out of the 6 printers, 2 different ones were printing when the power went out. When the power came back up, I could not get Repetier Server to start up again. I removed the 2 configs of the 2 printers that were printing when the power went out and Repetier Server would then start back up. I had to rebuild those 2 printer profiles.
So when Repetier Server is "working" sending data to printers, it must be keeping files open that get corrupted if the power goes out and keeps Repetier Server from starting back up until the corrupted printer configs are removed. Can these files be opened, write the data, then close them instead of keeping the files open and getting corrupted? I was once an application programmer and I would open and close files to keep the data safe after writing. Takes up a little more time but is safer. Seems to me they are being left open until the print is done allowing them to get corrupted. I'm not sure what is getting written to the files but it's enough to corrupt them.
Granted, power outages are far and few but it's no fun rebuilding setups if one does happen while printing and you can't be around.
Yeah, I know you all are going to say get a U.P.S. but it doesn't happen that often (only during storm season) and I didn't expect file corruption.
Also I tried the Repetier Monitor Backup/Restore app to back up the printers but when I do a restore, it gets to 80% and never goes any further but that's a whole other issue.
Comments
Monitor restore I have to recheck. It"s a bit random - problem is windows forbidding to delete the file as it held some handles or thinks it is held so zip can not be deleted. 80% is where all zips are send and unpacking starts.
What works is making in home screen printer backups. These work a bit different and don't require monitor. So at least restoring is easier.
Do you happen to have a server.log from where start did not work so I can see at which stage it really bails out, so I might add a protection against it. Also if possible and it happens again make a backup of failing printer config so I can check with it and why that fails. Will also try simulating it with killing process but that might close files correctly making a difference.